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Kenny Gamble Interview By Ralph Tee! Released Today...... magazine cover

To bolster this week's release of "Philadelphia International: The 40th Anniversary Box Set", here is an exclusive interview with Kenny Gamble with Ralph Tee, compiler of the box set. Enjoy!

Ian D :D

site note

full thread with info and talk on this release can be read here



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Agentsmith

Posted

for a convoluted affair, it is about informative, enlightening and refreshing as it gets!, the knowledge kenny displays, rolls off his tongue like the slick philadelphian production line that was...a thoroughly entertaining and invocative slice of nostalgia...congratulations to all concerned.

Ian Dewhirst

Posted

for a convoluted affair, it is about informative, enlightening and refreshing as it gets!, the knowledge kenny displays, rolls off his tongue like the slick philadelphian production line that was...a thoroughly entertaining and invocative slice of nostalgia...congratulations to all concerned.

Thanks! Also I think it's only fair to point out that this interview was the fourth one that day, if my memory serves me correctly. Kenny was earlier grilled by Andy Peebles @ Smooth, then Trevor Nelson @ Radio 1, then Richard Searling for a further 2 hours before Ralph got his slot. After Ralph there were a further two interviews with Mojo and Blues & Soul. Kenny worked his ass off from 10.00am through to 8.00pm but probably remembered a ton of stuff he'd previously forgotten by the end of the half day of PR in France and 2 days of PR in the UK. I'm incredibly grateful that Kenny was gracious enough to give us his time. He also told me that he was knocked out by the level of knowledge and respect for his work in the UK which we could all see really moved him.

His support for this campaign has been fantastic and I'm incredibly grateful that we got the chance to get to know him better. He told me he was so busy from the mid 60's to the end of the 80's that he never had time to experience the cultural effect that Philadelphia International had across the world because he was always in the studio keeping the machine rolling. A true gentleman and icon.

I still find it incredible that he couldn't remember anything about writing and co-producing Doris Troy's "I'll Do Anything" though!

Ian D :D

Agentsmith

Posted

Thanks! Also I think it's only fair to point out that this interview was the fourth one that day, if my memory serves me correctly. Kenny was earlier grilled by Andy Peebles @ Smooth, then Trevor Nelson @ Radio 1, then Richard Searling for a further 2 hours before Ralph got his slot. After Ralph there were a further two interviews with Mojo and Blues & Soul. Kenny worked his ass off from 10.00am through to 8.00pm but probably remembered a ton of stuff he'd previously forgotten by the end of the half day of PR in France and 2 days of PR in the UK. I'm incredibly grateful that Kenny was gracious enough to give us his time. He also told me that he was knocked out by the level of knowledge and respect for his work in the UK which we could all see really moved him.

His support for this campaign has been fantastic and I'm incredibly grateful that we got the chance to get to know him better. He told me he was so busy from the mid 60's to the end of the 80's that he never had time to experience the cultural effect that Philadelphia International had across the world because he was always in the studio keeping the machine rolling. A true gentleman and icon.

I still find it incredible that he couldn't remember anything about writing and co-producing Doris Troy's "I'll Do Anything" though!

Ian D :D

that seems odd ian, especially as he later married dee dee sharp,who, as you know, also cut an unreleased version of the record and still to this day has never seen a cd or vinyl release....perhaps he ACTUALLY wrote it for ms. sharp prior to their relationship?,but it didnt work out, so they gave it to doris?.

Smudger

Posted

Fantastic ! really enjoyed this and could listen to K.G. all day long thanks !

phillyDaveG

Posted

Fantastic ! really enjoyed this and could listen to K.G. all day long thanks !

Luckily enough we did! Not only was he very intersting to listen to, he was also a true gentleman, a day that I'll remember for a very long time.

Ian Dewhirst

Posted

that seems odd ian, especially as he later married dee dee sharp,who, as you know, also cut an unreleased version of the record and still to this day has never seen a cd or vinyl release....perhaps he ACTUALLY wrote it for ms. sharp prior to their relationship?,but it didnt work out, so they gave it to doris?.

Actually I didn't know that Dee Dee did do a version of "I'll Do Anything". I missed that completely. However, in the whirlwind of the day of that particular interview, I do recall Kenny holding and really studying Richard Searling's UK Cameo-Parkway promo of Doris Troy, looking at his own name on the credits and shaking his head trying to remember that session......

...but now that you've mentioned Dee Dee's version it's making me wonder whether the competing Dee Dee/Doris versions of the tune may have caused him some anguish at the time, considering one of the versions was his wife's LOL. I'd love to hear Dee Dee's version, mainly in order to question why it was never released. I LOVE the Doris Troy version to bits - it was one of the key records that welcomed my arrival to Northern Soul, but I like it mainly for the production and arrangement rather than Doris's vocals to be honest.

The good thing is that now we have close dialogue with Kenny and Leon and this whole current campaign around their work is spurring them to reach deeper into their memories to try and remember these instances. I'm pretty sure that PIR have plans to document all this stuff so it really is an ongoing process. I'd like to think that the UK's faithful and passionate audience has provided a massive amount of momentum to the process!

Ian D :D

Agentsmith

Posted

Actually I didn't know that Dee Dee did do a version of "I'll Do Anything". I missed that completely. However, in the whirlwind of the day of that particular interview, I do recall Kenny holding and really studying Richard Searling's UK Cameo-Parkway promo of Doris Troy, looking at his own name on the credits and shaking his head trying to remember that session......

...but now that you've mentioned Dee Dee's version it's making me wonder whether the competing Dee Dee/Doris versions of the tune may have caused him some anguish at the time, considering one of the versions was his wife's LOL. I'd love to hear Dee Dee's version, mainly in order to question why it was never released. I LOVE the Doris Troy version to bits - it was one of the key records that welcomed my arrival to Northern Soul, but I like it mainly for the production and arrangement rather than Doris's vocals to be honest.

The good thing is that now we have close dialogue with Kenny and Leon and this whole current campaign around their work is spurring them to reach deeper into their memories to try and remember these instances. I'm pretty sure that PIR have plans to document all this stuff so it really is an ongoing process. I'd like to think that the UK's faithful and passionate audience has provided a massive amount of momentum to the process!

Ian D :D

blow me down mate, i thought you were the oracle! :D i think i may have it on cd somewhere, not sure...if i can find it ill run a copy off, either way i'll let you know. im pretty sure that ive heard it played out at tsop some years ago or possibly by andy rix or rob thomas at one of the ritz all-nighters. to be absolutely honest i dont think it matches up to doris's interpretation and im not knocking dee dee,...she has a tremendous voice amongst her own attributes but in the golden age, doris troy carried a powerful range and yes, its one of my all-time favourite spine tinglers!. you know ian, despite the fact it didnt make the charts in 65, i distinctly remember it got national airplay...yes, i know that means before radio 1 and im not talking about the broadcasts from caroline or luxembourg, though doubtless, they would have championed this. :thumbsup:

Agentsmith

Posted

sorry ian, thought i had it but unfortunately not, somebody out there will almost certainly be able to help you out. just checked the 2005 cd comp of dee dee sharp, 24 track but not there and neither is comin home baby which i find strange.

Ian Dewhirst

Posted

sorry ian, thought i had it but unfortunately not, somebody out there will almost certainly be able to help you out. just checked the 2005 cd comp of dee dee sharp, 24 track but not there and neither is comin home baby which i find strange.

It makes perfect sense I guess, but I just never heard it. How was it found and where did it come from out of curiosity?

Ian D :D

Soul Shrews

Posted

Luckily enough we did! Not only was he very intersting to listen to, he was also a true gentleman, a day that I'll remember for a very long time.

Probably the best thing I've/we"ve watched online........well done Dave/Ralph/ Richard...........and especially Ian :thumbup:

Cheers Paul (+Mandy)

macca

Posted

you could listen to him all day, couldn't you? such an articulate man.

love that moment when he tantalising reveals that he's got some stephanie mills stuff 'in the can'.

well done guys.

Guest philly07

Posted

OUTSTANDING INTERVIEW ,FOR PEOPLE WHO DID,NT KNOW ABOUT THE SET UP OF THIS GREAT RECORD LABEL VERY VERY INTRESTING !!!!!!!

CARLO AND THE GRANGE BAR COLLECTIVE DARLINGTON.

Agentsmith

Posted

It makes perfect sense I guess, but I just never heard it. How was it found and where did it come from out of curiosity?

Ian D :D

i was talking to richard about it last night, he didnt recall it at first but when i mentioned andy rix, he seemed to agree...know andy's on here, perhaps he can shed some light on the subject?




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