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John Harris And The Soul Sayers Now Out On 45

John Harris And The Soul Sayers Now Out On 45 magazine cover

Looks like Bear Records of Germany have just pushed out a legal re-issue of 500 copies of this much wanted 45. Comes complete with a look a like pic cover and says sourced from the original tapes

This 45 does have quite an odd background, as it is one of those of obscure releases that has originated from US forces stationed overseas.

Here's the blurb from Bear Records

British Northern Soul DJ Paul Sadot was probably the first to spin Hangin’ In by John Harris & The Soul Sayers. Over a period of several years, the track became a verified hit in that small underground soul community that has since extended all over Europe. At first, there only appeared to be a few copies, all found in America. This is not surprising since John Harris was a black GI. But he was stationed in the Rhineland and played in a GI band, and the song was recorded in Germany. The group toured a little through the Chitlin' Circuit of Europe's U.S. bases, from Germany to Belgium to northern France.

One day, the band showed up at Kerston Records, a label founded by Alfred Kersten. There you could record and take the recordings home pressed as singles. Former sound engineer Kersten remembers an edition of 250 copies. When the Soul Sayers disbanded, the band members probably took the remaining copies back to America. So far, only two copies have ever been found in Germany.

Collectors who have scared up a copy of the original single will have had to dig deep into their pockets. Recently a copy was sold at auction on Ebay for $ 2,900. But now Cree Records / Bear Family Records has unearthed the original tapes. Limited edition of 500 copies, complete with a picture sleeve.

Some of above may be a bit different than some of our own members takes

They can be read via the tag feature...

purchase via Bear Family Records Site

john-harris-sq.jpg

 




Members Comments

Recommended Comments



nickp

Posted

number 338

 

record perfect, sounded awesome on Saturday night in The Old Fruitmarket Glasgow as part of vintage festival.

 

No soul police to give me gip and 1200 people through the door.

Steve G

Posted

I'll have to talk to the Scottish contingent to see why such a large venue wasn't "policed" effectively......It was clearly an oversight and quite possibly the soul police were overstretched....In the mean time please accept our apologies..:lol:

 

Seriously, glad it went well for you! :thumbsup:

Chalky

Posted

What I find funny is people would pay £10 or whatever it is and happily play it out, probably because the original is rare and it is getting a lot of attention and talk, yet most wouldn't play a £10 original cheapie? SWONS  :D

jocko

Posted

Mr P, a number of Allantoniun Alumni are currently searching for the smiley looking over their sunglasses toi include on here, and behind our screens pointing to our eyes with our fingers, in that well known Glasgow Gangsta stylee, to show you we have our eye on you.......

I was going to say glad to see Fruitmarket had some young trendy** Scots dj's playing alongside the same old names from Engerland, but may now have to consider my approval on hold.

** And just in case anyone is guffawing loudly at Mr Kent (aka Ewan) or Mr Peacock being seen as young and trendy in their passing middle aged days, I was more meaning the crowd they play to on a regular basis, well done boys, someone at least did their homework.

jocko

Posted

PS F****ng great record, and personally I don't think reissues of stuff like this impact, or should impact, on plays at the right venues. In fact I would even go as far as to say it helps. But I appreciate this is a view from an armchair so may be miles out.

When is it coming out on CD is the more important question for me

nickp

Posted

Well said Jock.

 

To think , as I was sorting my records for Saturday night, and only getting my John Harris when I arrived home on Friday evening , that I was worried about playing it on Saturday night, I even contemplated leaving it at home. I was doing the first 75 mins at a massive night celebrating 60ts soul through to quality disco and I could basically play what I liked to create a vibe as people arrived.

If that record, or any other that I played, added to the enjoyment that the crowd experienced then I feel that I did my job.

To make up for my sin I ensured that every other record that I played was original vinyl.

I was a bit upset though that , when I played Soul Communicators no one danced, then again it was only 8.30pm, not am.

Benji

Posted

What I find funny is people would pay £10 or whatever it is and happily play it out, probably because the original is rare and it is getting a lot of attention and talk, yet most wouldn't play a £10 original cheapie? SWONS  :D

 

When you want to discuss issues like this please open a separate thread. Thank you.

Marc Forrest

Posted

....To make up for my sin I ensured that every other record that I played was original vinyl.

 

Why then still bother ?

Chalky

Posted

When you want to discuss issues like this please open a separate thread. Thank you.

 

 

When you are a mod you can tell me what to do, until then.........

 

I was referring to this record at a tenner so it was relevant.

Jordirip

Posted

Sounded great when Phil Wainright dropped the needle on his orig copy last week at the Inner Circle night in Manchester, in a sweaty cellar bar, it just seemed so right somehow if you know what i mean.

NEV

Posted

Why then still bother ?

My thoughts too ..before this statement I was happy to accept the situation that some people don't care about ovo and that's entirely fine with me ..but that one statement dissolves any credibility you had for putting your neck on the block and standing up for those who don't care about ovo .

The word hypocrite springs to mind :)

nickp

Posted

There are too many good records to mention ,that are great and rare and also re-issued and also many venues with dj's that play em .

Come to think of it ,usually the same venues and dj's that mock rare soul venues and rare soul dj's as the type of places that only play boring chin stroker music ...when it suits lol

Like I said ...it's up to an individuals integrity , if you dj at non ovo venues I won't be offended .

Seems that you are in fact offended.

I guess my attempt at injecting a little bit of humour into the thread ' making up for my sin ' fell on deaf ears.

Hey, that's Soul Source for you.

Benji

Posted

When you are a mod you can tell me what to do, until then.........

 

I was referring to this record at a tenner so it was relevant.

 

If I was a mod I wouldn't have said "please". You were referring to somebody playing a reissue instead of an original of same price. Basically another dull and boring original vs reissue post. And off-topic.

 

But seeing others joined you now I'll leave you guys alone with yet another discussion about playing out reissues or not.

Benji

Posted

PS: Am I alone in thinking this was probably recorded at a slower speed? It sounds just a tad too fast to me...

NEV

Posted

Seems that you are in fact offended.

I guess my attempt at injecting a little bit of humour into the thread ' making up for my sin ' fell on deaf ears.

Hey, that's Soul Source for you.

Oh ! sorry I must have missed the joke ?

I didn't realise it was meant as a tongue in cheek remark ,probably because it sounded like you actually meant it .

As I already stated ...i don't care if you or anyone else wants to play re-issues ,purely because I accept it will always happen and nobody can change it and thankfully i am spoilt for choice as to which venue to attend .

I have friends who follow your train of thought and I dont wish to fall out with them ,so I'm not gonna by hypocritical and insult you ..your probably a smashing fella ...at least we have one thing in common ..taste in music :)

Mal C

Posted

anybody got a good copy for sale? i.e not off center, prefer to pay small profit to somebody, and not take the chance on an off center copy..

 

was the same on those Florescent smogg 45's, only bought the LP for the 45, and its reversed labels... :g:

 

Mal

Pete S

Posted

anybody got a good copy for sale? i.e not off center, prefer to pay small profit to somebody, and not take the chance on an off center copy..

 

was the same on those Florescent smogg 45's, only bought the LP for the 45, and its reversed labels... :g:

 

Mal

 

Someone's got copies on ebay already, 10.99

Mal C

Posted

cheers Pete, In the UK?

Pete S

Posted

Wales I think mate

Guest penny

Posted

Seems that you are in fact offended.

I guess my attempt at injecting a little bit of humour into the thread ' making up for my sin ' fell on deaf ears.

Hey, that's Soul Source for ]

Come on, you surely only made the effort to post that you played the pressing out in order to provoke a reaction?

Obviously you must not think its a sin to play a pressing out as you did just that, but you also felt the need to say you played original vinyl apart from this, so you do sound conflicted.

What's your code, that you play ovo unless it's something really good and expensive? Probably better to have no principles than bendy ones.

I dont care, I'm happy that you rocked the dance, but marc's question is a legitimate one...why play any original vinyl?

Sorry if this is off topic but I cannot, for the life of me, see why this needs to be pressed on a 45, isn't it a good tune on mp3? Kids these days dont know what vinyl is but the clubs only have record decks yeah? Come on.

Guest penny

Posted

If I was a mod I wouldn't have said "please". You were referring to somebody playing a reissue instead of an original of same price. Basically another dull and boring original vs reissue post. And off-topic.

 

But seeing others joined you now I'll leave you guys alone with yet another discussion about playing out reissues or not.

Sorry to detract from the gripping thread about the john harris re-issue, what point about it were you about to make?

NEV

Posted

How about a 12" for the young ones to scratch & mix ...in fact come to think of it ..how the hell did Lee at Rarenorthernsoul miss the opportunity to do a remix .

Ha ..but wait a moment ..they pressed it on a look - a - like ,with pic sleeve and limited it to 500 !

Clever piece of marketing ..make a newly pressed piece of plastic seem special and collectible ,thus guaranteeing a quick sale of the full 500 !

Wonder how long it will be before some poor soul ,who missed the boat ,asks in wants for one and gets inundated with inflated price offers lol

Mr Smithy

Posted

Just got mine, on center & plays fine.
Did you contact them Pete and see if they'd replace the duff one you got?

Mine's # 485 so assuming they are doing them in order there can't be (m)any left by now

Guest Gav67

Posted

Still waiting for mine but they said yesterday be patient so I am........until Friday!

NEV

Posted

Just got mine, on center & plays fine.

Did you contact them Pete and see if they'd replace the duff one you got?

Mine's # 485 so assuming they are doing them in order there can't be (m)any left by now

Snap !

So is mine :)

Mr Smithy

Posted

Snap !

So is mine :)

You've got #485 too? :g: Damned tricky those Germans.

Or is it just centered? Damned fine technicians those Germans :)

Raremusicdirect

Posted

I suspect when the first 500 have flown (and reasonably quickly) another 500 may pop up...............

Mr Smithy

Posted

I suspect when the first 500 have flown (and reasonably quickly) another 500 may pop up...............

So me & Nev will have  485 #1s

and someone will have 485 # 3 or #985

I'm confused already. I'll just play it and have a lie down for a bit.

Jo Law

Posted

ame="penny" post="1969157" timestamp="1375128338 refosoul

How about a 12" for the young ones to scratch & mix ...in fact come to think of it ..how the hell did Lee at Rarenorthernsoul miss the opportunity to do a remix .

Ha ..but wait a moment ..they pressed it on a look - a - like ,with pic sleeve and limited it to 500 !

Clever piece of marketing ..make a newly pressed piece of plastic seem special and collectible ,thus guaranteeing a quick sale of the full 500 !

Wonder how long it will be before some poor soul ,who missed the boat ,asks in wants for one and gets inundated with inflated price offers lol

Jo Law

Posted

already on discogs for 22 dollars

Sunnysoul

Posted

OK not really much point in everyone saying their copy is not off centre is there  :lol: just rubs it in

 

Seriously Pete, wouldn't a manufacturing flaw such as a record being off centre , especially as here with a record that has been newly manufactured and sold direct to the public  ,  be a valid reason to return the record  to the seller for a full  refund ....  if that is of course what one is minded to do ?

robhallam

Posted

Mine is No 338 same as in post number 52. Looks like there are already more than 500 in existence!!!

 

Rob

Pete S

Posted

Seriously Pete, wouldn't a manufacturing flaw such as a record being off centre , especially as here with a record that has been newly manufactured and sold direct to the public  ,  be a valid reason to return the record  to the seller for a full  refund ....  if that is of course what one is minded to do ?

 

Yeah of course it's a valid reason, I just don't need to keep being reminded that I'm the only one who got an off centre copy  :yes:

Gibby Gibby

Posted

Top tune its a the base line superb plus that note at end anybody got a orig Two k sound good to me

NEV

Posted

Top tune its a the base line superb plus that note at end anybody got a orig Two k sound good to me

You'll be very lucky plucking one out for £2k Gibby :)
Geordiejohnson

Posted

Is it just me ...i think its mediocre ...to crap.... and i think some people are swayed by the cock swinging rarity of a track rather than how good/bad the track is..for me its not that hot the backing moderate to poor and so so production...thats my take... a thousand others will say..fantastic...but hey free society and my vote counts as much as the next mans

 

 

Geeooooooordie

Dave Abbott

Posted

Is it just me ...i think its mediocre ...to crap.... and i think some people are swayed by the cock swinging rarity of a track rather than how good/bad the track is..for me its not that hot the backing moderate to poor and so so production...thats my take... a thousand others will say..fantastic...but hey free society and my vote counts as much as the next mans

 

 

Geeooooooordie

 

Probably not just you; and there maybe a lot of people trying to jump on the bandwagon now with their willies and wallets; but a lot of folk did like this tune BEFORE it became apparent how rare/hard it is

NEV

Posted

Is it just me ...i think its mediocre ...to crap.... and i think some people are swayed by the cock swinging rarity of a track rather than how good/bad the track is..for me its not that hot the backing moderate to poor and so so production...thats my take... a thousand others will say..fantastic...but hey free society and my vote counts as much as the next mans

Geeooooooordie

Fair point ,but if you like cross over and modern or mid tempo ,don't frequent venues where people appreciate Hearing uptempo dance music ...

I first heard it when Paul Sadot listed it and thought it was outstanding !

I first heard Sam play Arthur Willis and jumped out of my seat ..not cos its rare as hens etc ..because its the effect it had on me !

I was in Manchester on Saturday and heard record upon record I've never heard ,and I consider myself to be open ears and upfront .

The scene is changing all the time and the youngsters are dancing and not chin stroking :)

Chalky

Posted

The record never floated my boat when it was first around and that hasn't change since, it's average at best in my opinion.

Geordiejohnson

Posted

Fair point ,but if you like cross over and modern or mid tempo ,don't frequent venues where people appreciate Hearing uptempo dance music ...

I first heard it when Paul Sadot listed it and thought it was outstanding !

I first heard Sam play Arthur Willis and jumped out of my seat ..not cos its rare as hens etc ..because its the effect it had on me !

I was in Manchester on Saturday and heard record upon record I've never heard ,and I consider myself to be open ears and upfront .

The scene is changing all the time and the youngsters are dancing and not chin stroking :)

 

Nev

 

I'll frequent whatever venue i fking well choose.. what  has venues got to do with my post???????,  I didnt say i hated going to venues where stuff like this gets played or belittle anyone for playing it.......so im not sure why youve the right to tell me where to go and not go just because i have an opinion on ONE record that i think is shite out of the tens of thousands i think are brilliant,

 

 I like music right across the soul spectrum from blues to 60's right up to recent releases im not a time warp or genre victim and i dont get swayed by the rarity of a track or become a label bore. Ive collected since the 70's in every soul genre from Northern, Jazz funk, club sounds, Garage.... you name it, so my ears are..... WIDE ..Fking OPEN

 

..... did you like every track you heard in Manchester ...no didnt think so......and im not a chin stroker at any venue youll see me on the floor dancing .to 2 step and uptempo 100mph tracks ....so you see this old bastard is still dancin too... not chin strokin

 

You of all people who visited the Friendship nights know what type of stuff we played and it wasnt all mellow chinstroker music....

 

 

Signed a bemused Geeoooooordie who had the audacity to comment on one record i didnt like...shame on me..... now bow to the gurus geordie you naughty boy and never have an opinion again

NEV

Posted

Nev

I'll frequent whatever venue i fking well choose.. what has venues got to do with my post???????, I didnt say i hated going to venues where stuff like this gets played or belittle anyone for playing it.......so im not sure why youve the right to tell me where to go and not go just because i have an opinion on ONE record that i think is shite out of the tens of thousands i think are brilliant,

I like music right across the soul spectrum from blues to 60's right up to recent releases im not a time warp or genre victim and i dont get swayed by the rarity of a track or become a label bore. Ive collected since the 70's in every soul genre from Northern, Jazz funk, club sounds, Garage.... you name it, so my ears are..... WIDE ..Fking OPEN

..... did you like every track you heard in Manchester ...no didnt think so......and im not a chin stroker at any venue youll see me on the floor dancing .to 2 step and uptempo 100mph tracks ....so you see this old bastard is still dancin too... not chin strokin

You of all people who visited the Friendship nights know what type of stuff we played and it wasnt all mellow chinstroker music....

Signed a bemused Geeoooooordie who had the audacity to comment on one record i didnt like...shame on me..... now bow to the gurus geordie you naughty boy and never have an opinion again

Glad you got that off your chest Geordie .

Hopefully you'll feel better for it ,but please don't thank me ..it's ok ,we all gotta let off steam from time to time :)

P.s

Your right ,we all can't like like the same things and that's why I was in Manchester ,to AVOID listening to records I don't wish to hear :)

Hammersoul

Posted

Finally got mine last week 282 if memory`s serves. Plays fine so looks like Pete got a bad copy.Downside is i had to pay twice cos the seller said my debit card didn`t go throu

when it did(only got the statement in the week). So either i `m getting an extra copy or looks like a refund via paypal is due :g: .

 

Re playing the 2rd press at a gig,fair play  to person who posted and admitted it,i`m sure there`s a few  who will try it on who would`t have bottle to admit to it. :wicked:

Personally i would`t play it out even if i got requested to but i`m old school and set in me ways.On the flipside,i would`t pay £2k for any record now,i can get a lotta good records for less and let`s be honest,i would imagine most copies are bashed/wrecked so to own a mint copy that`s been mastered well and sounds clear and loud in your own home,works for me on prices being quoted for a 1st press.

Pete S

Posted

Finally got mine last week 282 if memory`s serves. Plays fine so looks like Pete got a bad copy.

 

They emailed me today saying they'd had a copy returned but didn't know if it was off me or someone else, so thats 2 people with bad copies, good to know I wasn't the only one  :lol:

deck97

Posted

#56 perfect

NEV

Posted

Finally got mine last week 282 if memory`s serves. Plays fine so looks like Pete got a bad copy.Downside is i had to pay twice cos the seller said my debit card didn`t go throu

when it did(only got the statement in the week). So either i `m getting an extra copy or looks like a refund via paypal is due :g: .

 

Re playing the 2rd press at a gig,fair play  to person who posted and admitted it,i`m sure there`s a few  who will try it on who would`t have bottle to admit to it. :wicked:

Personally i would`t play it out even if i got requested to but i`m old school and set in me ways.On the flipside,i would`t pay £2k for any record now,i can get a lotta good records for less and let`s be honest,i would imagine most copies are bashed/wrecked so to own a mint copy that`s been mastered well and sounds clear and loud in your own home,works for me on prices being quoted for a 1st press.

I'd happily play mine out Wayne :)
Mrtag

Posted

I'm with Chalky & Geordie on this one! don't float my boat!! just mho mind!

deanosounds

Posted

Anyone got a copy of this reissue to buy at a reasonable price? I don't want to pay $40 for a reissue.

Pete S

Posted

As somebody who you probably wouldn't expect to like this, possibly anyway, I can't understand what's not to like - it's f*cking awesome - so soulful, brilliant vocals, fantastic drum and bass, oh my goodness, one of the best records I've heard in years.  Mark R says I don't like soul music.  He's wrong.

Paul-s

Posted

Glad i played, broke and sold this tune in the UK long before this sort of thing occurred! 





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