Dean Johnson R.I.P.

Sleep well and rest in peace Dean.  No more pain. 

Steve 

16 minutes ago, Charlie Rees said:

News/Article/Feature Highlight:

Dean Johnson (Deanjj @dean jj on here) lost his long and painful battle with cancer of the jaw on Tuesday 14th August. His wife Sue and his brother Lee have asked me to inform those members of soul source... read more

View full article

Such sad news. I'm not sure if I had ever met Dean in person but I did reply to a recent sales post of his. He said then that he was battling cancer and I wished him all the best.

Horrible, nasty thing is cancer.

Pete 

Condolences to his family and friends.

Really sad news. We had the pleasure of chatting to Dean a few times.

When he was working at the Expansion Records shop in Manchester.

He was always keen to dig out records, he thought you would like.

A friendly guy, who knew and loved his soul music.

Condolences to all his family and friends.

Donna & Andrew.

Sad loss RIP Dean - fine chap - condolences to his family & friends

T

A man who knew a choon, how to have a laugh and talk bollocks. RIP lad RIP. 

So sad to hear of your passing Dean. We lost touch as our lives went in different directions but I shared your passion and you always had an opinion, which is the true candle of life. Stay in touch all my love and respect. Cos 

Oh my goodness how very sad!!

You were a knowledgeable, witty fella with such a dry sense of humour and I will miss you.

I bought one of my favourite tracks off you. Spellbound by Rae & Christian feat Veba. An enchanting song that moves me everytime & will move me even more  now as I will always think about you when I play it.

Rest in Peace Dean

Sending love & comfort to your dear family at this heartbreaking time.

Ali xxx

RIP Dean. I've heard many great sets and bought many great tunes from him. He'll be missed.

Dean has gone. He has left us a legacy of music and wit. A path that once started, we can never quite manage to deviate from.

My favourite teacher of tunes, my tutor in wit. My friend, that although I didn't see him as often as I should, catching up was just a greeting away. There are many reminders of Dean at my house, in records I've bought off him, or been recommended by him. Articles in magazines written by him, flyers of doo's featuring him. Comments on my laptop by him, and also pictures of him. But most of all I cherish those weekdays when I was on my day off and chose to spend it at expansion records, in his company, talking about life and more importantly music!

Parkers was probably my favourite club with early arrival essential to get Dean in his element, playing records he knew he wouldn't get away with playing later on, or indeed at most other clubs.

One night he dropped Sebastian Williams-Get Your Point Over for the first time, for me anyway, and I just had to have it. Those Horns, the pathos in his voice and the story.

Asking about it the following week in the shop, he was adamant he hadn't played it, but had played the flipside instead I Don't Care What Mama Said. That argument was re-visited down the years with the same outcome.

So now I'll pay my last respects up in the hills, and later I'll dig out the kindle and have another crack at his book about record collecting in space.

Wonderful eulogy Andy

Rest in Peace Dean, sincere condolences to his family & friends.

Very sad news,he was full of life along with Gary Welsh I looked forward to his tapes in the late eighties always educating me with his elegant taste and crushing wit.I used to chuckle when I would get a tape with all the killa recent 12inch soul cuts he would rave about on the Budweiser Showdown logo etc,in return I would send him a 90 minutes of in your face sixties soul which never ever went unappreciated. Condolences to his family and close friends a true giant of the heart has left us this week.

Really sad news, Dean was a total legend around Manchester - larger than life, always had an opinion whether you agreed with him or not but a total music fan through and through

Never played boring or predictable sets - could drop in a beat ballad or some Jamaican soul and somehow blend it brilliantly. Remember stuff like Irma Thomas 'It's starting to get to me now' at Parkers, or Della Reese 'I've got the blues' upstairs in the big modern room at Stoke King's Hall 

Underrated as a radio DJ, some brilliant shows with Richard S in the mid 90's, and also as a writer - no-one else reviewed a record like him:-

"Glenn Miller - Where is the Love (Doctor Bird 45). A highly collectable UK reggae label ain't the first place you would look for killer crossover but then who would have thought, all those years ago in PE, that plimsolls would become fashionable"   (Togetherness Mar '99)

Wished him well a couple of months back and he was hopeful to be on the mend but sadly not

RIP Dean - thanks for some great memories 

Real sad news.... Dean was something else with the record reviews  (He tipped Towana, Brenda Jones when they were a tenner each and many more)..referring to passing kestrels and dentists even a vicar I think ..was always good to chat to in the shop in Manchester and getting some nice tunes off him.... rest in peace Dean....

Dave Longbottom 

great guy r.i.p.

Truly awful news, not only a Soul connoisseur but a really nice bloke who always had time for a natter and a joke.

R I P

Rest in peace Dean, thank you for the Soul Vibrations 45 I bought from you.

Condolences to his family and friends.

RIP Dean

We would always call in the Manchester shop and bought many an LP on our record hunting trips.He also DJ,d at SoulIntent back in the day,sad news indeed.

Been following your fight on soul source to this sad end Xx rip soul man. Baz n shelly

Very sad news ,didn't know Dean very well but enjoyed reading his articles in fanzines ,his radio shows with Richard Searling and occasional record purchases off him .Rest in peace Dean x

RIP Dean. I used to love my Saturday visits to Expansion where he used to tell me with great and erudite conviction which new tunes I was going to love and torment me for being a sixties dinosaur. Lovely, witty bloke who will be sadly missed.

Absolute Gentleman and oracle of wonderful  new sounds,Thankyou cocker for my copy of Pat and the Blenders when it was ‘underground’ the world is short of a  grand lad 

A diamond.

Always made me smile.

Rest in peace Dean.

Sean

I was really shocked when I saw this on Facebook last week , I had lost touch over the years , picked up he had not been well but had no clue it was so serious ,  probably not seen him since a Jan weekender in Blackpool where he was playing Reggae to the same high standard that he always played Soul or Jazz.

When he wasn't trying to sell you a record he was one of the nicest , most intelligent  and witty blokes I ever met , up there with the very best DJ's and as is the case with the best always broke new ground and had his own twist on things .

I still have the 1210 deck he sold me and use it each day , probably one bargain I got from him . 

Really sad and hope he gets a wonderful send off that he would have enjoyed  x 

I hadn't seen Dean in a while but was aware that he was ill.

I have many happy memories relating to Dean, be it in the shop, on the phone to the shop or out and about at gigs.  And as already mentioned his wit and writing ability.  He was indeed a very clever man and a real character.

A real sad loss to us all.

Sincerest condolences to Susan and the rest of the family and close friends.

RIP Dean,

Mark & Lindsey Randle  xx

Very sad indeed, I was a regular visitor to Expansion and Dean's other shop up the road. Not seen the lad for years he was always a cheerful happy soul. RIP Dean.

Sad Loss , my mate Derek used to get in is shop after his night shift at royal mail ! , great character last seen him at the Old Nags Head a few years ago the Manchester scene will miss his presence RIP Dean

A Very sad Loss To The " Manchester Soul Scene " And The Many People He Had Influenced During His Time .

Memories Of " Parkers - South " And His Nite - in the Clothing/Tailoring Area Of Ducie Street . ( Can't Recal The Venue's Name ) Help !  .

If You Recolect The Name Of That Venue -Let Me Know ( Ten Minutes Away From " EXPANSIONS Shop ) ??  Where Dean Always Had The " Low Down On Any New & Interesting Products ! .