The Soul Discography

Some work has gone into this looking at the sample pages.....

SD1 sample pages.pdf

SD1 sample pages.pdf

Some work has gone into this looking at the sample pages.....

SD1 sample pages.pdf

Looks pretty impressive, Chalky - might be on my Xmas list.

Looks pretty impressive, Chalky - might be on my Xmas list.

I've already told our lass I want 'em for birthday/xmas

I've already told our lass I want 'em for birthday/xmas

Can you have a word and tell her I'd like 'em as well mate!

Good spot Chalky.

They look great.

Thanks buddy,

Sean

Can you have a word and tell her I'd like 'em as well mate!

Good spot Chalky.

They look great.

Thanks buddy,

Sean

I knew they were in the making so to speak but got an e-mail from Bob McGrath yesterday saying first almost ready.

This post has been promoted to an article

I knew they were in the making so to speak but got an e-mail from Bob McGrath yesterday saying first almost ready.

Chalky,

If your in touch with the compilers it would be good to understand if and how these volumes will overlap, or even compliment, the R&B Indies series..

When they state 'Soul' they must have a clear(ish) understanding of the boundaries - exclusions as well as inclusions..

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

Greg.

Chalky,

If your in touch with the compilers it would be good to understand if and how these volumes will overlap, or even compliment, the R&B Indies series..

When they state 'Soul' they must have a clear(ish) understanding of the boundaries - exclusions as well as inclusions..

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

Greg.

I'll see what I can find out for you Greg

Think the Soul Discog will for a start begin later than the R&B Indies and looking at the sample pages it goes by artist rather than label, unless there are labels further on.

In case anyone cares, the Abstract Sound 45 listed in the book is not a soul record, it's a garage record. It only took a couple pages to get to this 'error'. I wonder if/how many more of these will be spread over 100s of pages

How carefully were the entries in the book checked for their accuracy? Did the editors actually audition every record to see if it's soul? Do they even care?

In case anyone cares, the Abstract Sound 45 listed in the book is not a soul record, it's a garage record. It only took a couple pages to get to this 'error'. I wonder if/how many more of these will be spread over 100s of pages

How carefully were the entries in the book checked for their accuracy? Did the editors actually audition every record to see if it's soul? Do they even care?

Is any book 100% accurate, especially something on this scale? And many garage records have an appeal to soul collectors.

You could offer your services and proof read for errors, think they are still tinkering with volumes 2 & 3.

Hi Greg,

Here is what Bob has to say in reply to your question...

Now, to answer Greg's question; The Soul Discography is a very different work to The R&B Indies. It is recording session-based, which follows an artist's complete recorded output in chronological order by master number/recording session showing musicians, arrangers, producers, recording location and session dates, unlike The R&B Indies which was strictly singles based, it also includes details of album releases and unissued titles. Many Soul releases were on 'major' labels (as apposed to indies) which are included. If you are familiar with The Blues Discography or The Gospel Discography you'll know what to expect.

Hope this helps

Bob

Looks good.

btw. There's a Clyde Allen on Movin' missing from the list.

Having bought all the original R'n'B Indies volumes at their inception (remember having to wait for Vols. 2, 3, to be completed) i also got this email the other day, it looks a perfect compliment to an already amazing body of work and an invaluable resource for any serious fan/collector.....Mine are ordered.

Brett

Looks good.

btw. There's a Clyde Allen on Movin' missing from the list.

reckon there will be a fair bit missing, how much can one person know and find out about all the singers there is to catalogue? Should be fun filling the gaps

Ps... think folks are being rather picky about things missing, garage tunes etc, lets not underestimate the importance of this work, The R'n' B Indies quite rightly won the 2001 ARSC award for best research in the field of record labels or manufacturers. It's an amazing encyclopaedic exploration of African American music and deserves to be lauded as such....................hell there may even be crossover in there..........

Brett

Is any book 100% accurate, especially something on this scale? And many garage records have an appeal to soul collectors.

You could offer your services and proof read for errors, think they are still tinkering with volumes 2 & 3.

there are many mistakes on every single page. one thing i specifically don't understand is the combination of groups that aren't the same group and the separation of groups that are the same group. many of these are pretty obvious, especially if you have access to the records or have some knowledge about soul music.

there are many mistakes on every single page. one thing i specifically don't understand is the combination of groups that aren't the same group and the separation of groups that are the same group. many of these are pretty obvious, especially if you have access to the records or have some knowledge about soul music.

Well as stated offer your services, your obviously a very knowledgable guy on the subject Bob. Surely such a massive undertaking will have missing elements and possibly incorrect entries etc, but geez talk about critical, if it was as full of errors and holes as Sheffield United's back four then i'd accept such views, but i think its being slightly pedantic Bob.

Ps in the Indies i see records i have (soul) that are not covered etc, didn't spoil the whole volumes for me and i for one was happy to scour the pages etc.

Brett

Well as stated offer your services, your obviously a very knowledgable guy on the subject Bob. Surely such a massive undertaking will have missing elements and possibly incorrect entries etc, but geez talk about critical, if it was as full of errors and holes as Sheffield United's back four then i'd accept such views, but i think its being slightly pedantic Bob.

Ps in the Indies i see records i have (soul) that are not covered etc, didn't spoil the whole volumes for me and i for one was happy to scour the pages etc.

Brett

I just wrote a long reply but erased it, since I have nothing nice to say about the book I'll keep quiet about it and I shouldn't have posted in the first place (but I don't feel I'm being pedantic or nitpicky). I have helped a lot with the new volume of soul harmony singles, which should hopefully be out soon and should be pretty excellent, should be double the size of the first one. Obviously there will be some mistakes in that too but not on the same scale. Thanks.

I just wrote a long reply but erased it, since I have nothing nice to say about the book I'll keep quiet about it and I shouldn't have posted in the first place (but I don't feel I'm being pedantic or nitpicky). I have helped a lot with the new volume of soul harmony singles, which should hopefully be out soon and should be pretty excellent, should be double the size of the first one. Obviously there will be some mistakes in that too but not on the same scale. Thanks.

Hi Bob i look forward to the 'Soul Harmony Singles' book too, and i'll buy it, i love reading and especially when it encapsulates Soul music.

regards Brett

Is any book 100% accurate, especially something on this scale? And many garage records have an appeal to soul collectors.

You could offer your services and proof read for errors, think they are still tinkering with volumes 2 & 3.

Of course nothing is 100% - there are errors in the dates and other typos which is a given and that doesn't bother me as long as they are not excessive. Errors in content - I am much less forgiving. The statement 'many garage records have appeal to soul collectors' is true but irrevelant to this book - the name is SOUL discography, not 'records that soul fans would like'. The Abstract Sound had another 45 (not noted) and the band's locale is incorrect which leads me to think this is an unvetted entry. There's at least one more non soul garage/rock record in the sample I saw so two over a few pages is not going to be a good average when taken over 1000+ pages.

Sure, I can help depending on my time and the publishing deadlines

Have the editors email me -

buckeyebeat@hotmail.com

- George

Of course nothing is 100% - there are errors in the dates and other typos which is a given and that doesn't bother me as long as they are not excessive. Errors in content - I am much less forgiving. The statement 'many garage records have appeal to soul collectors' is true but irrevelant to this book - the name is SOUL discography, not 'records that soul fans would like'. The Abstract Sound had another 45 (not noted) and the band's locale is incorrect which leads me to think this is an unvetted entry. There's at least one more non soul garage/rock record in the sample I saw so two over a few pages is not going to be a good average when taken over 1000+ pages.

Sure, I can help depending on my time and the publishing deadlines

Have the editors email me -

buckeyebeat@hotmail.com

- George

I think the first one is in print, the second two aren't. In was more than happy with the R&B Indies despite some missing, some errors, obvious to some but not others. I would assume this will be just as comprehensive despite the omissions and errors stated. You can contact the editor through the site, its the same one he uses to send any mails to me and others.

Such a huge undetaking...bound to be glitches along the way, but a massive stepping stone/useful tool for sure. Whether to include the non-Soul output on Soul labels is an easy one for me...include them but state that they are not Soul.

I have complete empathy for any project like this, as I am (still!) deeeeeep into my own book concentrating on 60s US Soul released in Japan at the time. Fortunately (or not as the case may be!?), the number of releases is smaller than the US and a lot more compact to research - i.e. there weren't any small labels doing limited runs and all releases came through the same half a dozen or so major labels. Still, it takes a LOT of time going through the company files/catalogues in search of the Soul titles amongst the many, many Pop releases...not to mention it is not in my native language!

Then the questions concerning what to include, how much background to write about the manufacturers, the routes to market, the advertising budgets, the sales/pressing splits between formats, the number of people living in Japan at the time who had a radio etc etc etc and etc come into question!

The editing and never ending label/sleeve scanning continues!

Hi Greg,

Here is what Bob has to say in reply to your question...

"Quote

Now, to answer Greg's question; The Soul Discography is a very different work to The R&B Indies. It is recording session-based, which follows an artist's complete recorded output in chronological order by master number/recording session showing musicians, arrangers, producers, recording location and session dates, unlike The R&B Indies which was strictly singles based, it also includes details of album releases and unissued titles. Many Soul releases were on 'major' labels (as apposed to indies) which are included. If you are familiar with The Blues Discography or The Gospel Discography you'll know what to expect.

Hope this helps

Bob"

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Chalky

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Thanks Chalky,

Much appreciated.

ATB

Greg.