Guest Catfish Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Hi, I've been offered opportunity to interview Rico from the Ballads on Saturday and have only heard/ know 2 tracks by the Ballads.. 'I can't see your love' and have heard a BIT of 'A Fool'. If anyone can please help by sending me an MP3 of any Ballads tracks other than 'I can't see your love', I would be most grateful.. going to the 100 anniversary so will buy you a pint there, or when I see you! BTW I am asking this ONLY for research purpose to listen so I can ask relevant questions and will not be using the MP3's to make CD's / send to anyone else, convert into anything, etc.. Also ANY information on the band, e.g. who played what, influences, history, etc, all useful.. sources of anything other than what's already on the net (the same info seems to appear on all the sites referencing them) will be referenced/ credited. Thank you. Michele Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
RossyBoy Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) Hi, I've been offered opportunity to interview Rico from the Ballads on Saturday and have only heard/ know 2 tracks by the Ballads.. 'I can't see your love' and have heard a BIT of 'A Fool'. If anyone can please help by sending me an MP3 of any Ballads tracks other than 'I can't see your love', I would be most grateful.. going to the 100 anniversary so will buy you a pint there, or when I see you! BTW I am asking this ONLY for research purpose to listen so I can ask relevant questions and will not be using the MP3's to make CD's / send to anyone else, convert into anything, etc.. Also ANY information on the band, e.g. who played what, influences, history, etc, all useful.. sources of anything other than what's already on the net (the same info seems to appear on all the sites referencing them) will be referenced/ credited. Thank you. Michele Hi Michele, I have Confessing A Feeling I Love You, Yeah The Gift Of Love This Is Magic Treat Me Like Your Woman Some nice stuff from a good group. Lucky you to get to talk yo them! Will upload them this evening and PM you a link. RossyBoy Edited September 3, 2009 by RossyBoy Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Guest Catfish Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Hi Michele, I have Confessing A Feeling I Love You, Yeah The Gift Of Love This Is Magic Treat Me Like Your Woman Some nice stuff from a good group. Lucky you to get to talk yo them! Will upload them this evening and PM you a link. RossyBoy Hi, Thank you, this is great! I have had another search on refosoul (leaving out 'The'!) and a couple of the above are already on there; 'This is Magic' and 'Gift of Love'- the others will all be new on there, I think, and I would love to hear them! Cheers, will check them out later at home, let me know when you've uploaded.. Michele x Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Steve G Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Don't forget Butterfli' or their Japanese album which has a goodtrack or two on it Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Wrongcrowd Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Here's some more info............... Group line up : Rico Thompson (lead), Nathan Robertson, Jon Foster, Lesley La Palma 65 I Can't See Your Love / Part 2 - Wee 66 I Can't See Your Love / Part 2 - Vee Jay 67 God Bless Our Love / ? - Soul Trip Right Track/ Part 2 - Soul Trip (as The Fabulous Ballads) 68 My Baby Knows How To Treat Her Man / God Bless Our Love - Soul Trip My Baby Knows How To Treat Her Man / God Bless Our Love - Venture You're The One / I Love You, Yeah - Venture Goodnight My Love / Hey Diddle Diddle - Venture 69 The Gift Of Love / I Wish I Knew - Venture 72 Baby I'm For Real / Dizzy World - Kimberly 73 Wait / ? - Happy Fox 75 Loving You Isn't Enough / I'm Gonna Show You How To Do The Bump - Music City Confessing The Feeling / Butterfly - Music City Confessing The Feeling / Butterfli - Balja 76 Wait / Your Love - Balja 82 Treat Me Like Your Woman / Don't Touch That Dial - Soul Beat..........Chris Page joined the line up on this 85 Three Times / Your Love - Balja I Wish I Knew is totally awesome..........see if you can get Rico to sing a few lines... ...it would be good to find out if Leon Ware was ever involved in the line up too. Good luck with your interview Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
RossyBoy Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) Hi, again, Michele, Uploading now so will PM you link shortly - have included "Bless Our Love" also. Here's what I have on The Ballads From Berkeley, California Personnel: Nathan Robertson, John Foster, Rico Thompson, Lesley La Palma, Stan Harris The Ballads hit big in 1968 with "Bless Our Love" (Venture 615) a Chi-Town classic which was written by Billy Butler (brother of Jerry Butler) and was a hit for Gene Chandler in 1964. The Ballad's sultry version of "Bless Our Love" stayed on the R&B tracks for 12 weeks, peaking at No. 8. In Los Angeles the Ballads did a little better climbing to No. 4 on the soul chart at radio station KGFJ. Friends since the late fifties Foster and Harris met while attending Burbank Junior High School – soon after they started singing together as The Holidays. They were joined by Oakland High friends La Palma and Robertson and later by Rico Thompson who was from Delano, California. The group started recording in 1965 as The Fabulous Ballads. By the time the Venture single hit the streets it had been around for about a year. It was first released as Bay View 1142 in 1967, then on the Soul Trip label. (courtesy of Ruben Molina) RossyBoy Edited September 3, 2009 by RossyBoy Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
RossyBoy Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Here you go, Michele, Thought I'd just post the link here in since a few others seem to be interested ..... Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Steve G Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I Wish I Knew is totally awesome..........see if you can get Rico to sing a few lines... ...it would be good to find out if Leon Ware was ever involved in the line up too. Good luck with your interview Agree Cliff on "I wish I knew" - also worth mentioning this side has Butterflies in the lyrics as well, so an obvious question is why the obsession with butterflies in their songs...... Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
boba Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Agree Cliff on "I wish I knew" - also worth mentioning this side has Butterflies in the lyrics as well, so an obvious question is why the obsession with butterflies in their songs...... "butterfly" is just a remake of "wish I knew", it's the same song. Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Guest Catfish Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 On 9/3/2009 at 19:42, RossyBoy said: Thanks, got the zip thing you sent me link for, sorted! Great clips, lovely quality, as it's allowed me to save them I'm goin to port my laptop along with and can play tracks as conversational 'oil'. Fantastic, thanks! Mx Have a list of questions, a head fairly full of Ballads ephemera and an important date at 8pm- better go and make the sandwiches! Thanks heaps to all for your help- it's been invaluable- couldn't have done this without y'all. xx Michele Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Anoraks Corner Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 'This is magic'...isn't this a different bunch of chaps? Regardless, it is an AWESOME (and rare) slab of Northern Soul...pure class...sophisticated...tight male group harmonies etc etc...yes I kinda like this one! (Hi Michelle...long time ) Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
RossyBoy Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 'This is magic'...isn't this a different bunch of chaps? Regardless, it is an AWESOME (and rare) slab of Northern Soul...pure class...sophisticated...tight male group harmonies etc etc...yes I kinda like this one! Hi, Flynny, Wasn't paying attention (rap my own knuckles!) - this one is actually out of Philadelphia. I suppose Ballads was a common enough name for groups across the country (...he said as a feeble excuse...). Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm sure Michele has been put right by now!?! RossyBoy Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Anoraks Corner Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it Sure do enjoy it...as did my fellow collectors when I played it out last weekend (Thanks to fellow Soul-Sourcer NEV for selling me a copy not too long ago ) Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Raym Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Mission accomplished Michele. What a great guy Rico was last night and how much did he enjoy his visit to 100 Club afterwards! Looking forward to reading the interview and seeing the new photo's from way back in the very near future. Ray x Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Guest REVILOT Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Hi, I've been offered opportunity to interview Rico from the Ballads on Saturday and have only heard/ know 2 tracks by the Ballads.. 'I can't see your love' and have heard a BIT of 'A Fool'. If anyone can please help by sending me an MP3 of any Ballads tracks other than 'I can't see your love', I would be most grateful.. going to the 100 anniversary so will buy you a pint there, or when I see you! BTW I am asking this ONLY for research purpose to listen so I can ask relevant questions and will not be using the MP3's to make CD's / send to anyone else, convert into anything, etc.. Also ANY information on the band, e.g. who played what, influences, history, etc, all useful.. sources of anything other than what's already on the net (the same info seems to appear on all the sites referencing them) will be referenced/ credited. Thank you. Michele HI I will put a batch on refosoul Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
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