Jump to content

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



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

 

 

Some of us like s**t records regardless of rarity. :lol:

Link to comment
Social source share

So will those who have bought this re-issue be playing it out at nights/nighters ???

Think we've already been down that road Paul :(

Like I said a few posts back ..I'd play mine out ;)

Link to comment
Social source share

Think we've already been down that road Paul :(

Like I said a few posts back ..I'd play mine out ;)

Good to hear Nev and I think many more will too, Just wonder what the soul police will make of it I hope you don't get nicked Nev lol

Link to comment
Social source share

They are if they are djn at a night/nighter Pete....

 

What I mean is - not everyone who has bought a copy is a dj - I bought it - although I'm now a podcast dj!

Link to comment
Social source share

What I mean is - not everyone who has bought a copy is a dj - I bought it - although I'm now a podcast dj!

I was only asking if those that are djs that have bought would they play out the re-issue, many have bought it that are djs and like yourself many that ain't djs would of bought it too so no chane of non djs playing it out Pete even you podcast djs lol. Btw you done some cracking podcasts very enjoyable ;-)

Link to comment
Social source share

What I mean is - not everyone who has bought a copy is a dj - I bought it - although I'm now a podcast dj!

How many of the 500 copies have gone to non- djs do you reckon then? I'd say less than 1. If these were any use to normal people they'd be fine but you'd surely want an mp3 which you could just download wouldn't you?

What offends some about re-issue vinyl is that the market for it is pretty much only djs, most of them, like the product, superfluous.

I certainly dont buy music I simply want to listen to on vinyl, maybe folks do but it'd be a bit hard to say why.

For some reason I like collecting old records, but I cant seem to make the leap from that weirdness on one hand, to wanting every song I like put on a 45 pressing, i'd have 1000s of pointless objects of zero historical interest, in an era when i can fit a million songs into no space at all...that's a weirdness too far for me but crack on.

Link to comment
Social source share

How many of the 500 copies have gone to non- djs do you reckon then? I'd say less than 1. If these were any use to normal people they'd be fine but you'd surely want an mp3 which you could just download wouldn't you?

What offends some about re-issue vinyl is that the market for it is pretty much only djs, most of them, like the product, superfluous.

I certainly dont buy music I simply want to listen to on vinyl, maybe folks do but it'd be a bit hard to say why.

For some reason I like collecting old records, but I cant seem to make the leap from that weirdness on one hand, to wanting every song I like put on a 45 pressing, i'd have 1000s of pointless objects of zero historical interest, in an era when i can fit a million songs into no space at all...that's a weirdness too far for me but crack on.

 

  :ohmy: I think you may have joined the wrong website.

Or....your winding us up, right?  Nice one!

 

:hatsoff2: - Kev

Link to comment
Social source share

:ohmy: I think you may have joined the wrong website.

Or....your winding us up, right?  Nice one!

 

:hatsoff2: - Kev

I see where Penny is coming from, that's why I never bought a copy of this I got it on mp3 it was free :-)

Link to comment
Social source share

:ohmy: I think you may have joined the wrong website.

Or....your winding us up, right?  Nice one!

 

:hatsoff2: - Kev

The line you quoted refers to new pressings, and the scenario of owning every song you like on one and therefore having a huge pile of pointless plastic.

But still a wind up, yeah.

Link to comment
Social source share

Alex used to play it covered up so that is another reason why it slipped under the radar too.

 

Cheers

Phil

 

Yes Phil, and I think the point people are missing is that if anyone deserves credit for playing/breaking this is it should be him..

Link to comment
Social source share

Yes Phil, and I think the point people are missing is that if anyone deserves credit for playing/breaking this is it should be him..

Hi Kitch,

Hope you well and agree Alge should get the credit he deserves.

Cheers

Phil

Link to comment
Social source share

How many of the 500 copies have gone to non- djs do you reckon then? I'd say less than 1. If these were any use to normal people they'd be fine but you'd surely want an mp3 which you could just download wouldn't you?

What offends some about re-issue vinyl is that the market for it is pretty much only djs, most of them, like the product, superfluous.

I certainly dont buy music I simply want to listen to on vinyl, maybe folks do but it'd be a bit hard to say why.

For some reason I like collecting old records, but I cant seem to make the leap from that weirdness on one hand, to wanting every song I like put on a 45 pressing, i'd have 1000s of pointless objects of zero historical interest, in an era when i can fit a million songs into no space at all...that's a weirdness too far for me but crack on.

 

I've been playing records since I could just about walk, why stop now?  I can't put an mp3 on a turntable.  It's the same thing when people say they prefer LP's to CD's.  You can't cherish a CD like you can with an LP.  MP3's and itunes etc are fantastic for storing a library of music but nothing's ever going to take the place of an actual vinyl record which you can touch and go through the process of removing it from it's sleeve, putting it on the deck and putting the needle on the run in in anticipation.  MP3 - you just click a button.  Where's the love there?

Link to comment
Social source share

where did Bear records (im not involved in any way :D )  find the master tapes in Germany or the USA does anyone know, i would of thought John Harris would of kept them as he could of run a load more off if the 250 sold quickly :huh:     

great find in any case and hopefully John got a few quid out of it :hatsoff2: would still prefer on Original though :thumbup:  :thumbup:  :thumbup:

Link to comment
Social source share

does anyone have a sound clip of the flip side?????

You don't need one- too much flute!!

Is John Harris around anywhere to speak his piece on this? The 45, not the flute?

Link to comment
Social source share

You don't need one- too much flute!!

Is John Harris around anywhere to speak his piece on this? The 45, not the flute?

I made contact with the guy selling the 45 on eBay to ask how he came by it?

This is his short story :-

I actually got this

45 from one of the group members back in the early 70's,as far as i

remember they were US Military members,all or part,and stationed on

Ramstein Airbase or nearby,my memory doesn't serve me well regarding those

wild days.I played in a local blues rock outfit,and we always hung around

those G.I.clubs in that area plus i did electronic repairs for some of

those clubs as well(always free admission and drinks :),that's how we got

together.Since it wasn't my stuff i left the record along with other stuff

in my relatives house when we moved to another place.I just unearthed it

when we had to clear that house recently and found it by surprise.

The

Kerston label was kinda cheapo thing ,releasing stuff from local bands

without any real promotion,you couldn't find the in the local record

stores,maybe a few years later in the usual warehouse bargain bins for

50Pfennigs marked with a bid red R stamp(reduced),i seemed more that the

groups themselves sold them on their gigs.

Kind Regards

Axel

Link to comment
Social source share

I made contact with the guy selling the 45 on eBay to ask how he came by it?

This is his short story :-

I actually got this

45 from one of the group members back in the early 70's,as far as i

remember they were US Military members,all or part,and stationed on

Ramstein Airbase or nearby,my memory doesn't serve me well regarding those

wild days.I played in a local blues rock outfit,and we always hung around

those G.I.clubs in that area plus i did electronic repairs for some of

those clubs as well(always free admission and drinks :),that's how we got

together.Since it wasn't my stuff i left the record along with other stuff

in my relatives house when we moved to another place.I just unearthed it

when we had to clear that house recently and found it by surprise.

The

Kerston label was kinda cheapo thing ,releasing stuff from local bands

without any real promotion,you couldn't find the in the local record

stores,maybe a few years later in the usual warehouse bargain bins for

50Pfennigs marked with a bid red R stamp(reduced),i seemed more that the

groups themselves sold them on their gigs.

Kind Regards

Axel

P.s , Ramstein airport vacinity =  On your marks ,set ...go . :D .

Link to comment
Social source share

The Germans have already beaten ya to it Nev :lol:

 

 

Still nice little story how Axel got his copy back in the day,bet he`s well pleased he left at his relatives house :g:  :P .

Link to comment
Social source share

I really like the record now, it's a grower. The strings are just fabulous. Pretty obvious they were added either by producer Fred Kersten or at least on his recommendation.

 

European HQ of the US army was Heidelberg at the time. Majority of the german US army contingent was based in the area Kaiserslautern/Heidelberg/Frankfurt. From what I understand the band took the whole run pressed (~250) to sell them at army base gigs. IMO best chances to find any copies in Germany is were the army was based.

 

But I wouldn't be surprised if there's a copy tucked away in the old AFN radio archive. It used to be here in Munich until early/mid 90s but was relocated to Frankfurt. AFAIK it's still there. 100's of 1.000's of records locked away.

Link to comment
Social source share

You don't need one- too much flute!!

Is John Harris around anywhere to speak his piece on this? The 45, not the flute?

 

im not sure if he has ever been found but im pretty consistant in being wrong :thumbup:

Link to comment
Social source share

im not sure if he has ever been found but im pretty consistant in being wrong :thumbup:

True :)

P.s ,it doesn't make you a bad person,just don't make a habit of it or Steve G will give you a jolly good rollicking :)

Link to comment
Social source share

I made contact with the guy selling the 45 on eBay to ask how he came by it?

This is his short story :-

I actually got this

45 from one of the group members back in the early 70's,as far as i

remember they were US Military members,all or part,and stationed on

Ramstein Airbase or nearby,my memory doesn't serve me well regarding those

wild days.I played in a local blues rock outfit,and we always hung around

those G.I.clubs in that area plus i did electronic repairs for some of

those clubs as well(always free admission and drinks :),that's how we got

together.Since it wasn't my stuff i left the record along with other stuff

in my relatives house when we moved to another place.I just unearthed it

when we had to clear that house recently and found it by surprise.

The

Kerston label was kinda cheapo thing ,releasing stuff from local bands

without any real promotion,you couldn't find the in the local record

stores,maybe a few years later in the usual warehouse bargain bins for

50Pfennigs marked with a bid red R stamp(reduced),i seemed more that the

groups themselves sold them on their gigs.

Kind Regards

Axel

 

this pretty much is congruent and under lining what I got told by the former label owner of Kerston after I had tracked him down in 2011

and posted here

Link to comment
Social source share

Bear Family have sent me a replacement for my off centre one and also enclosed a five pound note to cover what it cost me to post it back to them.  NIce people.

Link to comment
Social source share

 

But I wouldn't be surprised if there's a copy tucked away in the old AFN radio archive. It used to be here in Munich until early/mid 90s but was relocated to Frankfurt. AFAIK it's still there. 100's of 1.000's of records locked away.

 

I wonder if there are any copies of the Soul Explusion 45 on Tarantel tucked away in this radio archive. Not a too dissimilar story in that I think they were a US army outfit based in Germany or Austria who recorded a killer double sided 45 on a label fronted by a nightclub called the Tarantel that various acts used to perform at. I think it's the only soul 45 recorded on the label. Tramp records reissued the 45 on a lookalike(ish) Tarantel label and also their own Tramp label. The Original Austrian Tarantel 45 is very rare.

Link to comment
Social source share

No, different stories. John Harris was never meant to be sold to the public. The band took the whole run to sell them at their gigs. The record was pressed on a german label but I don't see it as a german release because it was never released to the public.

Soul Explusion and many other US army outfits were actually released to the public.

 

There were plenty of bands doing the US army circuit, meaning they went from airbases to barracks, playing for GIs only. John Harris was such a band. Non-US army folks weren't allowed to attend those gigs.

Link to comment
Social source share

On Juno in the Uk for £7.99 if anyone is after it. I just picked it up for the b-side which I really like, a-side leaves me cold but I'm not into all this 'funky northern' racket lol

Cheers Sutty

Link to comment
Social source share

I've been playing records since I could just about walk, why stop now?  I can't put an mp3 on a turntable.  It's the same thing when people say they prefer LP's to CD's.  You can't cherish a CD like you can with an LP.  MP3's and itunes etc are fantastic for storing a library of music but nothing's ever going to take the place of an actual vinyl record which you can touch and go through the process of removing it from it's sleeve, putting it on the deck and putting the needle on the run in in anticipation.  MP3 - you just click a button.  Where's the love there?

I'm glad you said that Pete, I thought I would have to go to where the 'weird' people go and have people poke me with sticks.

 

I am 1st to admit I am very out of date when it comes to mp3's et.c, and maybe one day I'll catch up. I've always had a deck hooked up, I've always bought music on vinyl format since I was a nipper, and I buy re-issues for sole purpose of chucking them on my turntable and playing at home. Same with reggae re-issues of which there are plentiful supplies....I try to avoid boots if I can.

Link to comment
Social source share

Bear Family have sent me a replacement for my off centre one and also enclosed a five pound note to cover what it cost me to post it back to them.  NIce people.

 

Just noticed the limited edition number on the replacement one is 100 lower than on the one I returned, do you think if I keep complaining I'll end up with number 1?

Link to comment
Social source share

I'm glad you said that Pete, I thought I would have to go to where the 'weird' people go and have people poke me with sticks.

 

I am 1st to admit I am very out of date when it comes to mp3's et.c, and maybe one day I'll catch up. I've always had a deck hooked up, I've always bought music on vinyl format since I was a nipper, and I buy re-issues for sole purpose of chucking them on my turntable and playing at home. Same with reggae re-issues of which there are plentiful supplies....I try to avoid boots if I can.

 

 

I think what Penny was saying is that they get their vinyl love from the history within that piece of vinyl.........an original vinyl copy of the tune they love has a rich history as an object, i.e. passed through hands, record stores, bins, been recovered from flames etc etc. Whereas a re-issue of the tune they love has only come from a pressing plant to the buyer. Same tune, and there's sure to be lots of history behind the tune itself, but as an object the pieces of vinyl are different.

 

Pete's view is slightly different in that he loves the concept of vinyl as a format no matter whether it be the original or pressed up, i.e flicking through a box, pulling out a vinyl version of the tune he loves, putting it on the decks and dropping the needle into the grooves. (not saying he doesn't love the history and orig piece of vinyl, nor the history of the tune).

Link to comment
Social source share

 

 

Pete's view is slightly different in that he loves the concept of vinyl as a format no matter whether it be the original or pressed up, i.e flicking through a box, pulling out a vinyl version of the tune he loves, putting it on the decks and dropping the needle into the grooves. (not saying he doesn't love the history and orig piece of vinyl, nor the history of the tune).

 

But what about when you buy a new release - that has no history - or does its' history begin from that first ever time you put the needle on it?

Link to comment
Social source share





×
×
  • Create New...