Tommy James & The Shondells & The Mob

I just finished reading a terrific book about 1960’s pop icon Tommy James last night.

Entitled, “Me, The Mob And The Music”, it is a chronicle of the career of James, originally born Tommy Jackson in Dayton, Ohio. Mind you, this is not great literature—and like the autobiography of David Foster, there is a fair amount of self-inflation throughout. But, to the credit of James and his ghost writer Martin Fitzpatrick, it is also an honest look into both the successes and personal failures of a man whose music helped define a generation.

After a relatively brief look into Tommy’s early life growing up in Niles, Michigan, the main thrust of the book centers around his relationship with Roulette Records owner Morris Levy, who apparently earned the nickname, “The Godfather of the Music Business”.

After breakout regional success in Pennsylvania with the song “Hanky Panky”, James was courted by every major record label in New York. After receiving offers from all of them, James was dumbfounded when, within 24 hours, all of the offers were rescinded---all but one.

That solitary offer came from Roulette. After Morris Levy personally threatened every other label, stating in no uncertain terms that Tommy James & The Shondells “belonged” to him, James had little choice but to sign with Roulette. Little more than a front for the mob, involved heavily with the organized crime “families” in New York , Roulette was not prepared for the magnitude of Tommy James’s rising star. Instead of a record label used as a shell entity for bootlegging of records, cutouts and goodness knows what else, all of a sudden, Levy had a label with REAL hit records.

And despite an ever-increasing drug habit, Tommy James and the Shondells kept cranking out the hits.

Check out the two videos below. Here is a vintage look at an early Tommy James, singing that first huge hit “Hanky Panky”. The second is a slide show of sorts, with photos of Tommy James’s career—with a live version of “Crystal Blue Persuasion” as the sound track:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRXe_e5S1Y&feature=related




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPhANtc7WFQ


“Crystal Blue Persuasion” is my all-time favorite Tommy James hit, although I do love to listen to many of his songs from time to time. Each transports me back to a specific time in my life—with all the attendant memories, both joyful—and painful. Artists like Tommy James, The Beatles, The Stones—and a host of others—are the reason I chose the crazy career of radio.

My experience with Tommy James was in listening to him nonstop on the radio—AM giants like WEAM and WPGC in Washington, D.C. Purchasing his 45rpm records, with the distinctive Roulette label, I had no idea of the illegal activities, the intimidation and the deception that were part and parcel of Morris Levy and his business. No one outside the music business—and the IRS—did.

Without radio airplay, Tommy James would never have seen the light of day—and it seems reasonable that at least SOME of that airplay was literally bought and paid for. My guess is that Tommy James himself was probably unaware that much of his music got its initial exposure due to cash and/or threats rather than any song’s merits. Regardless, once exposed, there was no question of the public’s love of Tommy James and The Shondells.

The cash register rang nonstop.

What is also clear is that James was never compensated by his label for the millions he earned in sales. Despite income from touring, endorsements and merchandise, Tommy James literally had to beg for the money he was owed by his label. When his attorney calculated the actual sales—a difficult thing to do, given that Levy kept such matters away from his artists, it was clear that Levy owed Tommy James between 30 and 40 MILLION DOLLARS!

The attorney used an ingenious method to arrive at that figure. He went directly to the ONE factory that Roulette used to print labels for the singles and albums. That company kept meticulous records—and since different colors were used for “promo” or DJ copies, the lawyer was able to get a very accurate estimate for the actual records that were pressed and sold.

When confronted with these figures, Morris Levy exploded and threatened to murder the attorney and his family.

That was that.

Levy was eventually arrested, tried and convicted on a host of charges, including racketeering and extortion.

As for Tommy James, his career waned after leaving Roulette. Changing times and changing musical tastes, coupled with the reluctance of competing labels to fully embrace Tommy James led to his departure from the pop charts.

Happily, the story has a positive ending. After several failed relationships and drug abuse, James entered the Betty Ford Clinic and came out a new man with a renewed faith. Royalties from covers of his hits, plus soundtrack usage and other forms of income have helped to make amends for a career that was largely uncompensated.

As Congress debates the idea of performance royalties to compensate artists—royalties that would come from broadcast radio, it would be good to review this case study as likely the tip of the iceberg. Artists—abused not by the radio stations that exposed their music and allowed them to sell millions of records and concert tickets—but rather by the companies which made untold millions on sales---and never adequately paid their artists.

But, I digress…that’s the subject of a future separate blog.

As for Tommy James, he is still around—and still making music. He may not be the “superstar” he once was, but no one can ever take away his lofty place in the annals of pop music history—a perch that he deserved—and one wonders how his career may have turned had he been tied to a legitimate label—and compensated fairly from the start.

If you are a fan of the music, of the era—or looking for a story that’s both entertaining and “educational” about the music business, pick up a copy of “Me, The Mob And The Music”.
Tommy James' Official Website is: http://www.tommyjames.com/


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