WHERE THE GIRLS ARE

What is a girl group? For starters, they're not always groups, and sometimes they're a little too mature to qualify as girls. How do you define the sound? What are the component parts of a genuine girl group record? Well, there are the lyrics , generally about boys, romance, dreaming or dancing, but not always. Then there's the arrangement and production to be considered. It's predominantly an auteur's medium , just think Phil Spector and you're more or less there. It might be the strategic flurry of castanets or that crucial shake of a bell tree, a subtle tempo change or an unexpected harmony that transforms a sweet little pop song into a gold-plated girl group classic. There are no borders within the genre. A girl group record can be made by a middle-aged film star, a nightclub chanteuse or a country singing hillbilly, just as easily as by a bunch of 14-year-old schoolgirls from Queens. My partner in crime, Malcolm Baumgart, and I compiled the "Where The Girls Are" CDs, so feel free to accuse me of blowing my own trumpet when I suggest that each volume is a must-have for any girl group connoisseur. Blessed with a remit that allows our own tastes and preferences a free rein, the series eschews those familiar classics in favour of overlooked gems, rarities and cult favourites.

Drawn entirely from the Scepter/Wand family of labels, plus New York neighbours Musicor, this 30-tracker boasts the Shirelles, the Toys, Candy & the Kisses, the Shangri-Las, the Fawns, the Sonnettes and the Teardrops amongst a stack of others. Diane & Annita's 'A Groovy Kind Of Love' is the original version of the song, hitherto available only on a hideously rare French EP, while Barbara & Brenda prove that sometimes all that's needed to create a wall of sound are two voices and one guitar. At the time of release, ten of these tracks were previously unissued.

From Harlem to Hollywood, Detroit to DC, Philly PA to the Crescent City , further adventures in the girl group sound, from the vaults of Atlantic Records. Pride of place goes to Shirley Matthews & the Big Town Girls with three great sides produced by Bob Crewe, while his pal, songwriter Ellie Greenwich, shows up thinly disguised as the Meantime. Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, the Goodnight Kisses, the Cookies, the Bobbettes, Doris Troy, Tami Lynn and Goldie & the Gingerbreads are among the other acts contained in this delve into Atlantic's feminine side.

An all-indie edition starring the 2 Of Clubs, the Darlettes, the Percells, the Sweethearts, the Chiffons, the Cinnamons, the Pen-etts and more, many new to CD. Also features 'Hang It Up' by Claudine Clark (in disguise as Joy Dawn) and Patrice Holloway, who crops up as lead singer of the Belles with a previously unissued track from the Mirwood vaults. The consensus seems to be that this is the best volume so far. The Goodees, purveyors of the gothic 'Jilted', were so thrilled to be featured on the cover that they threw a reunion party.

Volume 1 features a fine clutch of pop princesses in Little Peggy March, Linda Scott, Janie Grant, Dodie Stevens, Skeeter Davis and Robin Ward, whose 'Wonderful Summer' is surely one of the most gorgeous records ever made. Obviously, the person who sequenced Robin between the equally ethereal Paris Sisters and the Murmaids is some kinda genius. Strange but true (she says): after recording ''Til', the Angels' lead vocalist, Linda Jansen, was abducted by aliens and had to be replaced.

R & B divas Etta James, Faye Adams and Esther Phillips rub shoulders on this edition with pixie girls Shelley Fabares, Ginny Arnell, Diane Ray and Shelby Flint and groups such as the Girlfriends, the Percells, the Starlets and the Charmaines. Read in the booklet how Patti LaBelle and her cohorts began their career by miming on Bandstand to a song recorded by another group.

Drawn entirely from the Challenge label of Los Angeles, this baby delivers six tracks by the Blossoms, five of them featuring lead vocals by Darlene Wright, soon to be renamed Darlene Love by Phil Spector. Fans of the Spector sound should dig Renee Medina, the Francettes and the Galens, the latter sounding so much like the Paris Sisters that I find it almost impossible to believe that Priscilla Paris wasn't doing a spot of moonlighting. Yvonne Carroll has a great voice, especially evident on 'How Long Must This Fool Pay', a Brenda Holloway-style number. Tracks by the Delicates, Donna Loren, Panda Berry, Dee Dee Young, Sister Rachel, Diane Maxwell and the Accents complete the package.

I've a huge soft spot for the Frankie Lymon sound , 'Your Candy Kisses' and 'Won't Someone Tell Me Why' by Faith Taylor & the Sweet Teens sure hit it. The Sharmettes, the Vonns, the Bobbettes, the Shondells, the Jewels and others also feature here, along with some solo girls with the right sound. I don't know how he does it, but Gordon Skadberg tells most of the groups' stories in the booklet. There aren't enough doo wop girl group compilations around for my liking, and this one might just be the best I've come across.

Commencing with the gorgeous 'So I Can Love You' from 1969, Chicago's Emotions scored 13 hits on the soul chart before leaving the Volt label five years later. Find each and every one of them on "Chronicle: Greatest Hits". Tracks like 'Going On Strike', 'I Found My Man', 'Two Lovers', 'Take Me Back' and 'Boy, I Need You' all sound like they could have been hits too , find these on the "So I Can Love You / Untouched" twofer. "Songs Of Innocence And Experience" was to have been the title of the Emotions' third Volt album, but its release was twice cancelled. 32 years later Tony Rounce hit upon the idea of amending and expanding that lost album into a 23-track CD. With six previously unissued tracks and a further 11 new to UK CD, it's an Emotions essential. I wish some clever Dick would release a CD of the group's pre-Volt 45s.

Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles' pre-Atlantic recordings are under-rated in my book. Here they are in their entirety (I think) on one handy CD. Tracks like 'Academy Award', 'The Joke's On You' and 'Decatur Street' are the sound of early-60s Philadelphia defined. Patti has a very extreme and eccentric vocal style, which I happen to love. Curiously, this CD contains two versions of 'I Sold My Heart To The Junkman', neither of which features her on lead.

To the fans of Sue Thompson, who scored her first hit in 1961 with 'Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)', she was a pop princess with a baby doll voice. Little did they know that she was a thrice-married mom who had been in showbiz since the late-40s. For four years the hits kept coming with 'Norman', 'Have A Good Time', 'James (Hold The Ladder Steady)' and 'Paper Tiger', most, like her chart debut, written by the great John D. Loudermilk. They're all here, along with some excellent LP tracks and 'It's Break-Up Time', 'Sweet Hunk Of Misery' and 'Walkin' My Baby', three cool stompers from '65.

A little lady with a big voice, Sharon Tandy's recordings are the stuff of legend , 'Hold On' and 'Our Day Will Come', cut with the Fleur De Lys, are freakbeat collectables, while tracks like 'Toe Hold' and 'I Can't Get Over It' were produced by the great Tom Dowd. This CD collects almost all of Sharon's British releases (previously, she'd enjoyed a career as South Africa's answer to Helen Shapiro), along with five previously unissued tracks from her fabled Stax sessions. You gotta believe how much work went into pulling off a release like this.

Featuring the adorable lead vocals of the youngest Teen, Trudy Williams, 'A Casual Look' from 1956 is a bona fide classic. Group member Ed Wells wrote that song, along with almost all of their other recordings, each of which is here. The Frankie Lymon-esque follow-up, 'Send Me Flowers', should have been a smash too. The Six Teens had a fresh, young image, with a sound to match.

'Angel Baby' was one of the favourite records of John Lennon. If you like it too, and believe you can't have too much of a good thing, you'll find five different versions spread across this pair of releases. Me? I'll plump for Rosie's peculiar 1969 retread of Mary Wells' 'The One Who Really Loves You', found on CDCHD 738. Mixing, as they do, vintage and modern recordings (in the old style), these CDs might take a little absorbing, but you'll never need another one by Rosie.

Features the Honeys, Sharon Marie, Rachel & the Revolvers and American Spring.

Cue castanets! Contains Jackie DeShannon, the Supremes, the Darnells, Alder Ray, Dorothy Berry, Hale & the Hushabyes, the Dolls and more.

Patty & the Emblems, the Persianettes, Cindy Scott & the Cousins and others feature on this collection drawn from the Bendinelli & Lee production line.

100% female and 100% Atlantic. The perfect companion to "Where The Girls Are, Volume 4".

RCA compilation containing the Bobbettes, the Exciters and the Geminis, and that's just for starters.

The Chandeliers, anyone? Here's your chance.

It was my pal Ady Croasdell who first invited me to compile a girl group album with him back in the 80s. He's still very hands-on at Ace's girlie department, co-ordinating each volume of "Where The Girls Are" and hand-feeding Mr Baumgart and I with exclusive tracks to use. He's quite the girl group buff, as is evident from the number of Kent CDs on the list above. Further examples Ady has availed include the Brownettes (aka the Jewels) on "King Northern Soul", CDKEND 185; the De Vons and the Vonns on "King Northern Soul, Volume 2", CDKEND 201; the Avons on "Music City Soul", CDKEND 157, and on "Uptown Down South", CDKEND 121; the Belles and the Mirettes on "The Mirwood Soul Story", CDKEND 237; and Lorraine & the Delights, the Sparkels and the Gypsies on "Old Town And Barry Soul Survey", CDKEND 244. Serious girlie fans need all these, trust me.

More mainstream, "The Golden Age Of American Rock'n'Roll" series yields the Jaynetts, the Paris Sisters, Miss Toni Fisher and others on Volume 1, CDCHD 289; Ketty Lester and Kathy Young & the Innocents on Volume 3, CDCHD 497; the Chantels and the Sherrys on Volume 4, CDCHD 500; the Ribbons on Volume 5, CDCHD 600; the Kendall Sisters on Volume 7, CDCHD 700; Linda Laurie on the "Special Novelty Edition", CDCHD 980; and the 5 Chanels on the "Special Doo Wop Edition", CDCHD 1000.

Talking of doo wop girls, plunder the Platters "Complete Federal Recordings", CDCHD 974, for several tracks featuring Linda Hayes on lead vocals. The "Class & Rendezvous Vocal Groups", "Old Town Doo Wop", "Flip Doo Wop" and "Modern Vocal Groups" series also have their share of girlie moments.

Girl group tracks turn up in the unlikeliest of places: investigate all of Lonnie Mack's CDs for some strong vocal sides by the Charmaines, while the Fashions, Judy Russell and the Surf Bunnies all make an appearance on "Beach Party: Garpax Surf'n'Drag", CDCHD 998. Even the Big Beat catalogue has its feminine side: check out the Ashes on the Peanut Butter Conspiracy's "Spreading From The Ashes", CDWIKD 245; Project X on "The Vanguard Folk Rock Album", CDWIKD 248; Toni McCann on "Hot Generation", CDWIKD 216; and Mayalta Page on "Required Etiquette", CDWIKD 224.

A picture of Teri Thornton graces Mick's bedside. Previously the editor of the fanzines That Will Never Happen Again and Philately (nothing to do with postage stamps, he insists), these days he is one of the collective that maintains http://www.spectropop.com. When not tied up with his day job, he compiles and annotates CDs for Ace Records and any other label that'll have him. His mother and grandmother were professional singers, which might explain a lot.

www.spectropop.com