Dave Moore Blog from 2007-8

45s Still In The Customs Shed

Posted by Dave Moore, 26 January 2008 ·

Just thought I'd log the events of our move to Spain and vent a little frustration at the 'shower of s*i*e' that are/were our shippers. We've now been in the new place for 5 weeks. STILL no furniture but more of a concern than that is....no records either! The container arrived in Valencia on 8th January (12 days later than originally agreed) and has sat in the customs shed since. The US company that we contracted have turned out to be the most inept, inneffectual, lacksadasical arseholes I've ever dealt with. I've done a few moves around the world including one other Transatlantic move and all have been relatively smooth. This move is enough to make me wanna 'revert to type' and go back to the US in order 'straighten out' the w*nk*rs. We have now dealt with 5 companies down the chain on this move. Each one is part of the mechanism for an international move but is sub cotracted by the mover not us.

The problem is....they simply don't pay their bills correctly or on time, therefore the Spanish end of the move won't release or deliver our goods until they receive payment. We tracked the shipment, organised the receiving agent, obtained customs clearance, and are now sat waiting for the US company to pay the bills (we've already paid them of course). After at least an hour a day on the phone to the US trying to get people there to realise their contractual obligation we received a bill for an extra nearly two grand! When we did some investigation it was mainly penealty fees because THEY had missed deadlines with paperwork at the point of departure! Have finally whittled it down to 500, although that amount is still due to their incompetence with my motorcycle, we've decided to pay all the bills and try and recoup it from the shipper. Otherwise those liccleblackplasticfingswotweluvsntreshures are gonna be sat in the customs shed til God knows when!

On a lighter note, we now have the satellite connection installed for the phone link and so are fully hooked up on broadband etc now. The files for Issue #7 of There's That Beat! are due at the printers on Monday morning and Jason and I are now feverishly nailing it together between gallons of back coffee and sticky buns for sustainance.

Looking forward to getting out and about to gigs on a regular basis again. Hoping to make the Pisa Allnighter in Feb, followed by Prestatyn and then the Valencia Weekender mid April, at which I've been asked to play a few 45s. Have recce'd a bar in Mojaca with Jonathon for a gig with the Indalo Soul Club starting March 15th and am in the process of pieceing the components for Hitsville Soul Club's annual vinyl-fest together so things are moving on a pace soulwise at least.

All I need now is something to sit on, a decent night's kip in a bed and my bleedin' records!

If I hear "Can I help you with anything else Sir, Have a nice day" one more time, some Yank is gonna 'get a slice" for sure.

Transatlantic Flap On!

Posted by Dave Moore, 30 November 2007 ·

Last year we decided to relocate to Spain. The magazine will still be based in the US and I'll be popping back over on a regular basis but the lack of quality soul events with like minded people has just proved too much in the end. Hey Ho, had a good time, but itchy feet syndrome got the better of us once again. Anyway........had the movers arrive yesterday. A young Israeli was in charge and the two young Guatemalens with him worked their arse off all day. Had a good chat with the Israeli lad (Tony) and found we had a lot in common. He and I have both spent time diving in the same region of the Red Sea and have both spent time at Wadi Rum and Aquaba in Jordan. Then blow me down if the two Guatemalan lads didn't come from an area I have also traipsed about in, in a 'former life". Bev made 'em lunch and I fed 'em cheeseburgers later on.

They did a great job ......until it came to the vinyl. They packed it while I was away on an errand. I returned to see my 'babies' stuffed into a few massive cardboard boxes, many of them laid flat, some upside down and padded out with bits of paper!! Argghh!! I then gave them a lesson in vinyl maintenance (in case they ever pack up another anoraks house).

We repacked every one of them. All in proper crates, right way up, color coded by US/UK origin, and with the loving care and attention that 35 years of building the collection deserves. They thought I was a freak! (Bev agreed with them )

So....I have a 200 box I am manhandling back to Europe and the rest ( about 7000 45s and about 1000LPs) are now 'Bobbin' in the Oggin' for the next 3 weeks or so along with my other prized possession, my 1991 Softail. Bev reckons that the seperation from the 'babies' may well prove to much for the ole ticker and I may throw off this mortal coil before we are reunited with them.

So.... we leave in a week after we've administered the subscribers of the magazine and once everyone's latest issue is safely in the mail and en route, we're back to UK for a weekend (hopefully in time to catch Ronnie Walker's live performance at Chris' NCSC gig and then onto Espana for Chrimbo.

Should see us out and about at UK gigs on a more regular basis next year. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

'til next time........

Dave

Soulie Meanderings

Posted by Dave Moore, 20 October 2007 ·

Done bit of wandering about the last few weeks, been a little snowed under with the mag, Hitville SC website updates and other soulie stuff but finally got a few minutes to jot something down'

Hitsville Weekender III now behind us. Had a great weekend with Fergie, Al Pollard, Greety, H, Kev and the girls and the US and Canadian contingents proved to be die hards once again too. Lots of highlights but the two main ones for me were:

The Harthon Guys. To play their records and have them see the type of response their music evokes in people was a real treat. All three of them were blown away by it all. We despatched them back to the airport in a mahooosive limo and the smiles on their faces were priceless.

The Music

Probably the best weekender I've been to as far as the music was concerned. Got to hear all the rare oldies as well as some newer stuff and lots of left "fielders" too. We don't get a chance to dance to music of this quality too often here in the US so I take full advantage and try and get on the dancefloor as much as my "organising duties' allow. The young US DJs are the dog's gonads. In yer face rarities mixed with relatively unknown records and they play to each other as well as the dancefloor which is great. Who cares if the dancefloor wanes for 10 minutes if your playing something worthwhile. A great few hours from The Californian Central Soul Club Crew and Chicago's Rare Soul Millionaires.

Had one 'downer' which was a guy from the UK didn't enjoy it. Fair enough, can't please everyone, but if you travel all the way to Florida from UK for a weekender and then go to bed at 1am at the allnighter then I don't think you've really got into the spirit of things. Ah well, as I say...can't please everyone. The other 70 folks seemed to be having a blast judging by the dancefloor.

Once packed up and everyone eventually despatched home Dave Fergie, Myself and the girls went up to Philly to cover a few of the city's soul landmarks, meet some of it's musical icons and see the Tymes perform. We spent a day at Philadelphia International Records and had the run of the place, including Sigma Sound B thanks to Chuck Gamble's kind generosity and Weldon MacDouga III's ability to get us in anywhere! We also spent an afternoon at Frankford Wayne Mastering. Including an unforgettable trip to the Master Tape vault!

A planned hour's lunch with Weldon, Jimmy Wisner and Billy Jackson turned into a 51/2 hour marathon! A truly fantastic afternoon in which Dave and I were enthralled by stories of Philly's soulful heyday by three legends who helped create it.

Lot's more on the Philly btrip in Issue #6 of the magazine out in December.

On the 27th of this month our soulie adventures continue when Dave Fergson flies over for the weekend as we take a hop skip and a jump down to Tampa to see Billy Paul live on stage with three Chi Town legends. Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler and Sam Gooden and Fred Cash of The Impressions. I think we're taking them to lunch, so full report later.

Hoping to make Guy Hennigan's 50th bash on 3rd Nov in Derby so if I make it....see some of you there hopefully.

'Til next time....good hunting...

A Year In The Planning

Posted by Dave Moore, 04 September 2007 ·

It's Tuesday 4th September and I'm just about to start 4/5 days of mayhem. The Hitsville Annual Weekender kicks off on Thursday Night and between now and then I'll be spending most of my time at the airport in arrivals picking folks up and ferrying them down to the resort or DJ Villa.

Thought I'd use the blog to put a few thoughts down for future reference as it's about to become a bit of a blur for the next few days...

Had some major dramas with the sound equipment this year. Finally sorted but not without clashing heads with the biggest arsholes in the DJ supplier world I've ever come across. I bought a great set of Technics 1210s a year old and fitted new tonearms. Figured in for a penny in for a pound, so took advice from Soul Sources own King Of The Karaoke Pete French and set about purchasing new amp. speakers, cabling etc. Then figured I'd install new headshells/Grado cartsidges and styli. Sent off for the needles to Jerry Raskin (Needle Dr) and the head shells and wiring kits to TopDJGear in NY. Carts and needles arrived. No head shells. Cut a long story short, two months and about 50 phone calls later, still nothing but excuses from what I can only describe as a set of neaderthal morons who seemed to think that because they were 1500 miles away it was ok to constantly try to blow smoke up my arse. I eventually reordered the kit from California and it arrived 4 days later.

Being a bit of a beligerent bastard, I wouldn't let it go and hounded the actual owner of the company for the next three weeks. I used a contact, got his cell # and called him twice a day to update him on what my plan was to destroy his business. Website, Ads in DJ mags, Blogs, personal protest outside his home etc etc. Lo and behold....package came last week. Complimentary headshells, wiring kits and a couple of new groundwires! Tosser!

This years T Shirt is being delivered tomorrow, the new log'd slipmats have arrived and the new wireless mics are en route.

Anyway...kit all assembled, and tested. Sounds fantastic. I'm sure the guys this year will hear the difference. (Hope so, it's cost enough!)

The Hitsville Weekender started when a few long time mates, who also collected records, came out to visit us in Orlando, Florida. It started out as a party at our place but we couldn't accommodate everyone at our house so we hired a room in a hotel. Then we thought, "why not get a dancefloor in?". So we did. The first one was in 2005 and this is our third one now. It's still kept the same atmosphere and ethos of the first one and it's something I have been warned by the guys to ensure stays the same. Just about everyone who comes is a record collector. The whole weekend is geared around collectors who dance. A sort of Dancin' Chinstrokers convention. The UK and US contingents compliment each other perfectly and the whole thing is just a great get together of like minded people. Of course because we only get together once a year there's lots to catch up on and hopefully some vinyl trading along the way!

This year we have three VIP guests joining us in the form of Weldon McDougal III, Luther Randolph and Johnny Stiles, the owners of Harthon Records from Philadelphia back in the 60s. We're setting up an in depth question and answer session and a couple of radio interviews that will be recorded and put up on the Hitsville Soul Club site some time later.

We're all off to BoMa Restaurant in Animal Kingdom on Friday night before the soul night (9-4am) which should be great and then Saturday we have the afternon radio session planned when the guys will double up and play stuff not usually heard or not targeted at the dancefloor per se. Then it's off to Bahama Breeze (A Carribean restaurant), for some great Jamacian Jerk'd up food before hitting the allnighter 8-6am. At three in the morning we serve up pies, pizza etc to sustain us for the push towards dawn. A quick couple of hours kip and then up to the DJ Villa for an afternoon by the pool/jacuzzi and some more sounds before the now legendary Indian Meal in the evening by the pool!

Another great piece of news is that my old mate Alan Pollard and his wife Judi are gonna make it again this year. Al's not been well and had to miss last years. Be great to have them both back in the fold.

So..First pick up is at 2pm this afternoon and the guys trickle in from UK, California, NJ, Chicago, NY over the next couple of days. Loking forward to hearing all their sets and especially on Saturday night as I'm relieved of DJ duties (Yippee!)

I'll post a report up after the event with some of the tales of vinyl comings and goings. Wherever you are this weekend, have a great time....we certainly intend to!

Slip mats look pretty cool eh?

Loma Records Suck!

Posted by Dave Moore, 12 August 2007

No not really......it's just that I've been putting the finishing touches to a feature on the West Coast Warner subsidiary and I can't seem to locate one of the 45s on the label. Offending vinyl is - Bob and Earl - Everybody Jerk b/w Just One Look In Your Eyes - 2006. Lot so people have been helping me trace the record but no one's come up with one or a scan of it! As I suffer from "completion disorder" I'm dreading putting the feature in the mag with one of the scans missing! AAARRGGHH!!

Have also had a nightmare with a certain DJ supply store in NY. Once I have fin lly got my money back - or made a trip up there to take a look inside a certain store owner's spleen, I will relate the story here.

The upside to this dark tumultous period in my life is that we have tracked down Johnny Brantley's missus. JB was the man behind a number of great soul productions including - Sam Williams - Love Slipped Through My Fingers - Tower - Unfortunately he has passed on, but his wife may have photos, anecdotes and info that will finally allow his full story to be told.

Another plus is that I managed to pick up two W/Demos that have eluded me for a while. Mr Fred Bohn of Attic Records came up trumps with a copy of The Exits - You Gotta Have Money b/w Under The Street Lamp - Gemini W/Demo and I'm finnally completing the Bronco label when Viola Wills - I've Got To Have All Of Your Love - W/D drops on the Moore doormat on Tuesday hopefully.

Only had to return one record this week. EBay strikes again! When did VERY GOOD ever mean POOR! Marv Johnson LP Promo too! Gutted!

Biggest bonus of the week...my old Mate Alan Pollard may make the Hitsville Weekender in September. Great news. He was missed at the last one. 4 weeks to go. Can't wait!

Til next time....

Sound Equipment For Weekender

Posted by Dave Moore, 24 June 2007 ·

Spent a frustrating couple of weeks sorting new sound equipment for the Hitsville Soul Club. Got some heaveyweight collectors coming down to spin their wares and want to make sure that the kit is up to the job. Had too many instances myself of being asked to DJ somewhere and turning up to find steam driven turntables with screwdrivers for stylus! Problem is everything has to be "shipped" here in the States. Can't just jump in yer car, trundle down town and buy it. Not in Florida anyway! Most things delivered end up being - Wrong stuff , (Not what you ordered), damaged, or just don't show at all sometimes! So I ordered some bits and sat back with low expectations.

Anyway ..managed to gut a nice set of Technics 1210s delivered. Arrived during the week, all flight cased up. Checked 'em out, all in great minty condition. Luverrley Jubbly!

Speakers arrived the day after from a company in New Jersey. Top blokes. All well packed.

Ordered new heashells, wiring kits and a couple of high grade GRADO cartridges form TopDJGear. Aha...new I was on a roll and it was too good to last. 3 days after I ordered the stuff got an email - "on back order". Back order my arse! They simply wait for an order to come in and then place that order

themselves with Technics, taking a nice slice for themselves and passing all the shipping costs on to their "customers". Told them to "poke it ". I'll do the order direct myself.

Got some advice from the King of UK Kareoke etc, Pete French, and am now awaiting delivery of a Peavy PV2600 amplifier. (Cheers Pete). So...for anyone bringing vinyl to The Hitsville Weekender, either to DJ or do one of the Radio Shows...you can rest assured that everything has been done to ensure your records are played using decent kit and will sound immaculate.

Can't wait to hear Greety's Chuck Holiday and Detroit Sounds Of Friction, out nice and LOUD!

Later.....

Dave

www.theresthatbeat.com

www.hitsvillesoulclub.com

Diary Of A Psychotic Mag Editor

Posted by Dave Moore, 13 June 2007

Not really had time to do the blog part of Soul Source justice up to now, but have squeezed a spare 15 minutes out of my day to start one off. Although I suspect I will only be talking to myself, it'll be a good way to put things down and remember them if I need to in future. So..

THERE's THAT BEAT! - Update

We finally got the Quark files for Issue #4 to the printers! Preparing this Issue has been a nightmare! In addition to having an IT crisis (which is still not fully resolved), 3 months solid work all culminated in an allnight session with Jason and I using MSN Messenger to relay our communication in live time, whilst making all the Editorial corrections to the magazine features. Must say it worked a treat but at 4 in the morning and on your 8th cup of coffee you begin to wonder if the effort is all worthwhile! Of course the minute the magazines are delivered you know it is! We completed the work less than an hour before the print deadline!

This Issue should have been capped at 48 pages but unfortunately Jason and I are soulies first and foremost so we couldn't find it in us to cut anything out therefore it's actually 56 pages long! As usual it's all full color, glossy images and rammed full of stuff.

Couple of highpoints whilst preparing this Issue were:

During the Harthon preperation I got to speak at length with all three of the main players Johnny, Luther and Weldon. I'd met Weldon and Luther before along with Bill Oxendine and a few other Philly 'soulsters" but it was my first time with Luther. All three of them are complete gentlemen and kinda remind you of a bygone generation where integrity, manners, and a positive outlook was more the norm. I hope they think we did them justice in the feature. It was an experience I will always treasure.

We were already preparing to publish the Mike Terry story when the original contributor unfortunately pulled out and we had two options:

1. Cancel/Postpone the feature.

or

2. Create it ourselves.

We chose Option 2. Mike Terry's contribution to the Rare Soul scene ranks up with the likes of Van McCoy, Carl Davis, Popcorn Wylie et al and we felt it was a story that needed telling, in full glorious color. So that's what we did. Or rather that's what Jason did. Long sessions with Mike resulted in a great feature that takes look a behind the labels and music of the man and allows Mike to tell it as he experienced it. The Snakepit, The Funk Brothers, Pied Pier, Giant Records, his work with Garland Green and Rhetta Hughes, it's all there in his own words. Fantastic stuff.

Preparing the feature on UK Issued 45s with Neil Rushton brought back some great memories of finding 45s in the dusty second hand (thrift) shops during the 70s/80s. With records from Neil, Dave Ferguson and myself I think we managed to show a great selection of hard to find UK labelled soul.

The first part of our delve into the Motown catalogue is also included in this Issue. We took a look at the collecting of the Motown labels promo copies and will continue the series with Berry Gordy's other labels in the future.

Couple of Venue Reviews round off this Issue. Prestatyn and the Pittsburgh Weekenders, including a day record hunting, are both events that Hitsville Soul Club attended and we give you our thoughts on them both.

Magazine should be up on the website for folks to buy shortly at : www.theresthatbeat.com and we also have a very limited supply of back Issues if anyone needs any.

Quick word about The 3rd Hitsville Rare Soul Weekender: Lots of interest from both US and UK soulies. Have purchased new Technics 1210s, speakers etc so the sound should be MASSIVE this year! Really looking forward to seeing everyone for some records, beer, dancin, beer and more records! No change from last years format. Friday - Soul night until the wee hours, Sat - Radio shows in afternoon followed by The Allnighter. The party at the "DJ Villa" will also take place on the Sunday as usual. Everyone's invited!

Finally...found a record on the Pittsburgh Trip that I hadn't heard before:

Keanya Collins - I'll Get Over It b /w Ain't No Secret - Blue Rock

I'd obviously heard the "Secret" side but the flip was new to me. A fantastic dancer that if it was played must have been spun while I was at the bar as I'm sure it would have gra bbed my attention. So...if you see one knocking about - grab it!

'Til next time.....Good Hunting.