Wigan Playlists Early 75

[macca]

Any chance someone could point me in the right direction, please?

[Davetay]

Any chance someone could point me in the right direction, please?

Off top of my head

Lou Pride, Lorraine Chandler, Bobby Jason, Eloise Laws, Gloria Parker, Skull Snaps, Smokey & Fab Blades.

Don Thomas, Betty Baker, Natural Four, Harold Melvin, Three Degrees, Tobi Legend, Danny Wagner

A few to get you started.

[Goldsoul]

Gary Lewis, Lord Thunder, Shawn Robinson, Snoopy Dean, King Sporty, Detroit Executives as a starter for 10.

[Davetay]

Gary Lewis, Lord Thunder, Shawn Robinson, Snoopy Dean, King Sporty, Detroit Executives as a starter for 10.

Surely Kev, they must have dropped Gary Lewis by 75.

Floor packer in the summer of 74 with the likes of Keith, Javels etc.

[Davetay]

[

Guys from Uncle, Johnny Ross & Soul Explosions, J D Martin, Ronnie & Robyn, John Bowie, Donna Coleman.

A few more

[Ric-tic]

Snoopy Dean, King Sporty,

thought they were on russ's banned list

Edited February 1, 2010 by ric-tic

[dthedrug]

Surely you must have a Tape of early 75? in fact I bet out there almost every time I was at the Casino at least 6 tape machines were always next to the speakers with Someone from Medford or Cambridge looking at the time all night long in a repetitive action well suited to the chemicals inside his/hers Body & Soul ain't there a play list in one of the myriad fanzines or books or even Dear Frank Elsons Note Pad? Q for Mr FRANK ELSON to inform us all as it was his job to do this kinda thing 2nd call for FRANK ELSON .... I am sure Gary Lewis was still being played or was it Kieth DAVE KIL....Someone give Frank a nudge please...

[macca]

Thank you gents. More or less confirmed my suspicions. I'd add The Velvet Satins to that list, if my memory isn't playing tricks. I've do have cassettes from March 1975, but from a different venue, with Sam playing August & Deneen and Third Time Around, among other things.

[grant]

[

Guys from Uncle, Johnny Ross & Soul Explosions, J D Martin, Ronnie & Robyn, John Bowie, Donna Coleman.

A few more

blimey thought john bowie, jay d martin & donna coleman were much later than 75 dave

[Pete S]

[

Guys from Uncle, Johnny Ross & Soul Explosions, J D Martin, Ronnie & Robyn, John Bowie, Donna Coleman.

A few more

Jay D Martin and John Bowie were late 76 early 77, unless they were played, dropped and revived again - not on any of my early tapes

[Eamesy]

Jay D Martin def played in 1975, heard it at Cleethorpes first, then it cleared the floor at Wigan the Sat after! Thought John Bowie was later tune tho.

Alan

[Pete S]

Jay D Martin def played in 1975, heard it at Cleethorpes first, then it cleared the floor at Wigan the Sat after! Thought John Bowie was later tune tho.

Alan

It was, first and possibly only person to play it was Pep, august/september 77, remember the dates because we were Pep semi-groupies and can name nearly all his spins from that time.

[Jerry Hipkiss]

In Neil Rushtons book there are some scans of the EMis that SS sent Russ - J. D Martin is on one of them and several other tracks seem earlier than 77, so maybe Russ had it before then?

[Gold Band]

Any chance someone could point me in the right direction, please?

From someone who was there. Not me by the way I didn't attend until late 1976.

I Love the words of wisdom in Franks last statement.

WIGAN CASINO C/O Frank Elson ( May 1975 )

After a "rest" of a couple of months I meandered my way to Wigan Casino for the All-Nighter and it was like coming home.

I made a decision to give the Casino a break in the days when the complaints about overcrowding and trouble at the door were at their height but I'm pleased to say that on this later visit there were no problems at all. There are now two openings for getting into the Casino ( not counting the back door where bouncers earn "overtime" ) and the overcrowding seems to be a thing of the past. Probably, another symptom of having been away for so long was the fact that the place seemed much less crowded and much more happier and pleasant than it was.

The music certainly seems to have improved a hell of a lot and I've got a nice list of tips from Russ and Richard. Russ' first - Lou Edwards "Talkin' 'bout poor folks"; Toni Lamar "Need to be loved"; Chandeliers "The who who song"; Lesley Gore "Can't get enough"; Richard Temple "Love runs out"; Vicky Adams "I'm drowning"; Tempos "I'll be so happy"; Lorraine Chandler "Love you baby".

Richards tips - "Best thing for you baby" Gloria Parker; "I can't change" Lorraine Chandler; "Sweet baby" Al Gardner; "I'll always love you" Sam Moultrie ( even got offered £100 for my own copy ! ); "Contact" Three Degrees; "Talkin' 'bout poor folks" Lou Edwards; "On the road to ruin" Earl Wright; "I love my baby" International GTO's; "Salvation" Robert Thomas. Some bloody good records there.

All those "regulars" who, like me got a little fed up with the Casino should follow my example and go back for another look, I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised. Wigan Casino seems to have got over all its troubles and its now as good as it ever was.

I had a very long chat with Manager Mike Walker who told me that they have suspended membership to the Casino for a while as one way of slowing down the crowds. He also had a few uncomplimentary things to say about the National and "Pop" press and the record companies for the way they have commercialised the Northern Soul Scene and used Wigan Casino for their own ends. Record companies can note that they are no longer welcome to the Casino. Richard and Russ feel the same way, as do I, and it seems that we've all awakened from a deep sleep to come back out into the sunshine. Forget the Wigan's Ovation and the Sounds of Lancashire and all that rot. What does it matter if they get into the charts ? We now know that good Northern Soul doesn't stand a chance. Let the record companies delude themselves - they can count the money so long as we're left alone - and anyway, now and again good Soul music does get released so that we, who do like good music, can still buy it.

So what else happened out at Wigan ? Arnie Clark was there - celebrating his freedom and loving the sounds in Mr M's courtesy of Mike Rolo, Kenny Spence, Dave Evison, Billy Paul and Derek Banner. Still as popular as ever that room and it was really nice to see the way people were dancing to the oldies. I flipped when Mike Rolo played Ramsey Lewis' "Wade in the water" !

It's funny but I hear of oldies being sold at the inflated prices used for contemporary sounds these days. Funny but sad, don't ever pay a lot of money for an oldie, there's plenty of chance of getting it at a lower price if you look.

[macca]

That's nice read, especially the final sentence. Don't pay over the odds for an oldie. Cough!

[Goldsoul]

thought they were on russ's banned list

They were!

[Goldsoul]

Jay D Martin and John Bowie were late 76 early 77, unless they were played, dropped and revived again - not on any of my early tapes

Jay D Martin was a floor filler as early as mid-74. Yours truly ran with it along with the Jewels! Pete....you are so young!

[Agentsmith]

JOEY DEE

CENTURIES

MARVIN HOLMES

GIL SCOTT HERON

SAM WARD

JEANETTE WILLIAIMS

PRETENDERS

AL WILSON ( PASSPORT )

MARC COPAGE

JODI MATHIS

EULA COOPER

CHIFFONS BAND

LARKS BAND

TONY NEWMAN

DON THOMAS

G.DAVIS & R.TYLER

PRESENT

FRANKIE VALLI

EARL GAINES

FLORENCE DEVORE

KRIS PETERSON

LARRY SANTOS

GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION

HAROLD MELVIN

YOU'LL KNOW THE TITLES!

ROB.H

[macca]

I didn't hear Florence Devore till a good two years later, about the same time as Mary Saxton's take on BYBFBH.

Can we include Johnny Vanelli on the shortlist? February 1975, to be precise. :-)

Edited February 3, 2010 by macca

[Davetay]

Jay D Martin and John Bowie were late 76 early 77, unless they were played, dropped and revived again - not on any of my early tapes

J D Martin was 1st played in 74, but still being played in 75, I got John Bowie after hearing it in march or april of that year.

[Davetay]

blimey thought john bowie, jay d martin & donna coleman were much later than 75 dave

I had them all than.

Someone said "Seven days of loving you" I think Wigan had it by than, played at the Mecca in 74.

also new to Wigan than was Mickie Champion

[good angel]

The Flasher

was that 75?

Kev

[Gold Band]

Any chance someone could point me in the right direction, please?

Below is an interesting article I found about the soul scene in late 74 until late 75 I've tried to remove some of the personal issues & the profanities that the author had written without taking away the issues of the time. It may bore some but others will find it a good read even though it may seem a little long winded.

The big split took place in February 1975 and the scene would never be the same again. Onto our next issue of BM, and there's no let-up in the media coverage of Northern Soul. "How far have we really come from the bad old days of rip-off and plagiarism when the only 'Northern Soul' records to rake a big impact on the pop chart are by second rate British acts, while the black originators remain in obscurity'' protests the editorial in BM 15.Two pages are devoted to readers letters concerning the expose in the previous issue. Martin Clark of Sheffield accuses Tony Cummings of deliberately starting a feud between Blackpool and Wigan. John Maddock of Nottingham accuses Russ Winstanley of playing only sounds that he likes himself. A certain Dave Evison pleads for the return of the harmony that's always surrounded the scene, and John Vincent corrects several inaccuracies that make last months article look very silly indeed. Alan Rhodes protests at being called a 'second rate DJ (i.e. anyone who isn't Winstanley, Levine or Curtis) and Ian 'Frank' Dewhurst puts forward the cases for both venues.

The month's new UK singles included a belated release for Snoopy Dean's Shake And Bump, a reissue of Jackie Lee's The Duck (why?) and Sister Sledge's pop dancer Love Don't Go Through No Changes On Me, while in the States there were new releases by Graham Central Station - Feel the need in me, Margo Thunder - Expressway To Your Heart, and one of the biggest sounds of the years newies, Paul Humphrey's - Cochise. 1000 Giants of black Music featured Leon Haywood, Hesitations, Donald Height and Monk Higgins. Sanantha's in Sheffield was now running regulars all-nighters, and there were dayers in Coalville and Nottingham. Current big sounds were Mandrill, Billy Prophet, Gary Lewis, and Eddie & Ernie. New pressings from Selectadisc this month included Laura Greene, Los Canarios and Soussans Love Sitars. March 75 kicked off with a letter from an angry young lady from Birmingham who pleaded that Northern Soul shou1d be kicked out of the magazine because 'the people at Wigan and the Mecca are a bunch of hypocrites and false prophets whose only aim is to exploit black artists".

There were several new singles this month in the UK including Eddie & Ernie, Lada Edmund Jr, Sons Of Moses, Steve Karmen, Rex Garvin and Jimmy Breedlove.

There was an interesting piece on Frankie Crocker's Ton Of Dynamite (my second Emidisc),by the way b/w I'm Your Pimp - Skullsnaps) in which the real truth behind the disc is told i.e. Crocker sings on the A side whereas Dynamite is in fact by Lonnie Youngblood with Willie & The Mighty Magnificents. Soul Sam wrote in to call BM's recent N.Soul feature 'biased drivel' while Ian Levine actually reviewed some decent records in his 'Sounds' column including 'Harold Melvin, Topics, Marvin Holmes, Modern Redcaps and George Clinton. Just out in the States, Prince Johnny

'Robinson-That Girl Is Rated X, and Gwen Owens- You Better Watch Out, while in the UK Selectadisc had pressings of Rita Dacosta, Wombat, Carstairs, AI Wilson and Dean Courtney. The next issue had a batch of replies to last months 'hypocrites' slur, but more importantly it carried the first ever advertisement for 'three button high wasted cord baggies with 30 inch bottoms'! Two of the worst records ever played on the scene came out on Pye, the Fugitives-Human Jungle and the diabolical Kenny Bernard-What Love Brings. Disco Demand's Solid Soul Sensat- ions album was reviewed this month and received a three star rating, and Ron Holden, Holidays, Cissie Houston and Eddic Holman were among this month giants. The newly established 'Northern Soul' page featured Johnny Bragg and Lada Edmund Jr, and also had an interview with Kenny Bernard whose best quote was "I saw Wayne Gibson on Top Of The Pops and I thought, man, wouldn't it be great if 1 could get an oldie release like that...and now I have". Tough luck Ken, should've tried to get CBS to reissue Pity My Feet. Ian Levine described Diane Jenkins' Towaway Zone (Creative Funk) as "the record to end all records", and also reviewed Robby Lawson-Burning Sensation (Kyser), Stingers--I Refuse to Be Lonely (Stax), plus 70's stuff from Johnny Robinson, the Virtues and LTG Exchange. Hot stuff saw new releases from Na Allen-Open The Door To Your Heart and the dreadful Mare Copage double sider Who Can I Turn To/Will It Be Me, Plus Bataan's instrumental of The Bottle. Again there were no shortage of soul do's, with places such as Burnley Circulation Club, the fondly remembered Halesowen Tiffs, Derby Cleos, Yate Sterling Suite (with dj 'King Kojak') and a dayer at Leicester with Paul Rudzitis at the decks. Onto May 1975 and BM 18, and this months Selectadisc specials showcased their new black Magic label, kicking off with a double sider' from Paula Roussell / Bob Relf, and the infamous Sharonettes-Papa Ooh Mow Mow. If you thought those were bad, this month also saw the release of Wigan's Ovation's Skiing In The Snow, and I had the misfortune to see them play live at a Northern night at W'ton Civic at the time. Levine was there that night; I wonder what he made of them? There were loads of new singles this month including Mitch Ryder, Dean Courtney, Devonnes, J.J.Barnes, Sax Of Soul-Sea Cruise (I bought that one!) and the nauseating Sliced Tomatoes by Sounds Of Lancashire. Disco Demand had a busy month because they also released the album Great Disco Demands, a compilation of some, of their singles. New singles in the US included Major Harris' After Loving You and Lily Fields- Love Has So Many Meanings. The Northern Soul Page carried an interview with 'Cochise'man Paul Humphrey, and Ian Levine Amazed everyone by writing another good column with reviews of Holly Maxwell, Symphonics, Al Gardner, Tony Hester, Little Dooley and finally The Trip by Dave Mitchell and the Sceamers of which Levine wrote

."If only Wigan could get their hands on this". (Which they did almost immediately). June 1975's new releases: and this was bad; a disco version of

Dance Dance Dance by a group called Liquid Smoke on Roulette, plus an answer version to Prince Johhny Robinson in the shape of Ann Byers' This Man Is Rated X. There was also the latest aberration from Disco Demand with the Sha-Na-Nettes version of Just Like Romeo & Juliet and a newie/oldie from the Exciters with Love You Baby. Sandra Phillips, whose disc World Without Sunshine had been huge a few months earlier, was featured in the Northern Soul column, along with the 'other' George Clinton of Please Don't Run fame.

Levine's choices this month were the brilliant I'm Spellbound by Tamiko Jones (Golden World), Leroy Britton- You 're Never Too Young (Sound), Jimmy Mack-My World Is On Fire (Palmer), Free Form Experiment -There Will Be Light (Inner Ear-same label as The Crow), plus the Anderson Brothers-I Can See Him Loving You (GSF), Melvin Carter-Midnight Brew (Trip Universal) ex Johnny Jackson Experience-Let's Shing A Ling At The Go Go cover up; and finally Ernest Mosley's Stubborn Heart (La Cindy). Hot Stuff carried a review of a current biggie, the Brothers-Are You Ready For This (RCA) and described it as "a couple of fragments of tape salvaged from the Sigma Sound waste bin".

Also out in the States was a similar sounding instrumental effort by 3rd Time Around-Soon Everything Will Be Alright (Denine). More letters concerning BM's anti-Northern attitude kicked off issue 20 (July 75). Dane Smith from Northants: "Why do You not include sounds like the Philly Devotions, Johnny C, Capitols and Deon Jackson under the Northern section of your new releases? Is it because you like these records? And why include records like Sounds Of Lancashire when you darn well know that we Northern Soul freaks don't dance or listen to such crap?" Good point, and oddly enough this months singles were given much better reviews.

The Temprees - At Last was "Marvellously swaggering", Jimmy James 'Help yourself 'belts along", Tony & Tyrone - PIease Operator was "lovely, noisy, tinny, vintage mid-60's soul." Lorraine.Chandler - Love You Baby was Black Magics best yet" (not too difficult a task) and Gene Latter's Sign On The Dotted Line was "Among the

best of it's type". Tony Cummings wrote a short biography of Lorraine Chandler for the Northern Soul column, and Ian Levine reviewed some obscure newies with the exception of George Benson-Supership and Diane Jenkins - I Need You. The Other Levine sounds were by Crossfire, Barrett Strong, Cortez Greer, Chris Campbel1 and Kevin Drinkard. Feature of the month however was a special on Van.McCoy, then currently high in the charts with the excruciating Hustle. The article mentioned his work with many Northern favourites including Chuck Jackson, Shirelles, Drifters, Jay & The Americans, Barbara Lewis, Sweet Things, Spellbinders, Sandi Sheldon, Chris

Bartley, Jackie Wilson and Brenda & The Tabulations. Incidentally, did you know that the lead singer from the Sweet Things, Francine Baker, teamed up with another Northern favourite Herb Ward to become Peaches & Herb? You did? Oh well. August 1975 kicked off with a full-page ad for three new UK Capitol releases from Earl Wright ("Back in the shops due to fantastic public demand" - it had never been in the UK shops before!), Jodi Mathis and. the Reflections. Top sounds pressed by/ for Selectadisc were Don Thomas, Nanette Workman, Capreez Ede Robin and Debbie Fleming. Black Magic released their next two singles, Dobie Gray-Out On The Floor and another Soussan recording, the abysmal Runaway by the Chantelles. Of the aforementioned Capitol releases, Thumb A Ride was described as "put together in five minutes by a bunch of tired West Coast session men". This was in stereo and slightly

remixed. Jodi Mathis' Don't You Care Anymore was pressed with the slowie b-side "mama" as the A-side! Chuck Jackson's brilliant Chains Of Love was described as "painfully dated and lacking in grace and subtlety" but Maxine Brown's One In A Million, T.D.Valentine - Love Trap, and the Cooperettes-Shing A Ling all got surprisingly unbiased reviews. The Fabulous Blades-Jerk Baby Jerk and Lenis Guess-Just Ask Me also got belated UK releases

. Over in the States there were Northern spins for new releases by

Esther Phillips-What A difference, Boogie Man Orchestra-Lady Lady Lady,

Eric Mercury - Pours When It Rains, and the Superlatives-I Still Love you (that's what it says here anyway, August 75's Hot Stuff lists the Superlatives on Uptite as a new release. Maybe it was a legitimate repressing?) Bob Relf and George Benson featured in Northern Soul this month, and Levine's new spins were as follows: Tobi Bowe-Groovy Feeling (Patheway), Vessie Simmons-Shiftless Shady (Simco), David Lenyard-It Could Have Been You (Flying Eagles), Black Truth Band-Butter Nut (Black Truth), Nat Foss-Too Many Skeletons In The Closet (How Big) (cover-up I think), Creative Funk-Moving World (Creative Funk), Famous Chromes-Teach Me (Drive), Jessie Fisher- You 're Not Loving A Beginner (Way Out), and finally Scott Brothers-We Like Girls (Zachron). Certainly looks as if Levine had decided to almost 100% 70's newies by this time. The Yate all-nighters were well established by this time, primarily run by the Inter City Soul Club who also had gigs going in Newquay, Leeds Cats Whiskers and Leicester Palais. In September 1975 Dave Godin launched his Right On label and kicked it off with a couple of goodies, the Jelly Beans- You Don't Mean Me No Good and the Crow- Your Autumn Of Tomorrow, a record which was unfortunately too far ahead of it's time in 1975 to be massive but has certainly grown in stature over the years - due for revival maybe? Major Lance's Live At The Torch was released and Black Music described it as "the ultimate insanity" but awarded it two stars for "important historical value". Doni Burdick, Dave Mitchell and Ollie Jackson were all pressed this month, while Rita Decosta got a belated UK release on Contempo. There was a mild controversy over the new single by comedy trio the Goodies, the chorus of which went something like ' Black pudding Bertha, she's the queen of Northern Soul" - it had come to this! The Mecca playlist around this time included Mistura-Life Is A Song Worth Singing, Loletta Holloway-The World Don't Owe You Nothin', Conquistadors-Sadness and Madness, 35th Street Gang-I Spy, Tax Free- Love Has Gone, Ballads - Lovin' You Isn't Enough and Wade Flemons-Jeanette. Over at the Casino however, they were spinning Frankie Crocker-Ton Of Dynamite, World Column-So Is The Sun, Jeanette Harper-Put Me In Your Pocket, Willie Mitchell-Champion, Jades-I'm Where It's At, 8th Avenue Band-Whole Thing and even Billy Woods-Let Me Make You Happy. Tony Cummings reported on Black Magic act the Sharonettes and asked "exactly who are they" Well, first reports (from Simon Soussan actually) said that the Sharonettes comprised a 17 year old Soussan discovery named Paula Roussell, plus Northern heroines Patrice Holloway and Clydie King, with Sherlie Matthews thrown in for good measure. It eventually transpired that the group really consisted of Sherlie Matthews, a girl called Becky Lewis and Carolyn Willis,

Whose That Beat And Rhythm had been a hit for Soussan using the old Cigarette Ashes backing track? Both Sharonettes discs, Papa Ooh Mow Mow and Going To A Go-Go, made the UK charts. BM October.1975, and new releases from the States, which got plays on the scene, Were Revelation-Get Ready For This, and the Men From Macon-Salvation. In the UK, releases included Jackie Lee-Shotgun & The Duck, Mike Post-Afternoon Of The Rhino, Mr.Floods Party-Compared To What, RB Freeman-I'm Shaft and Debbie Fleming-Long Gone. Ian Levine's tips included True Pages Of Life-Truth And Love (Creative Funk), Val Palmer-Back In My Arms Again (Twin Hits), Rising Sun- You 're Never Too Old To Learn (Kingston), Jaywalkers-Can't Live Without You (Swan), Carlena Williams-I Won 't Be Completely Happy (Erica), Joseph Moore-I Still Can't Get ' You (Marvlus), Jimmy Burns-I Really Love You (Erica)(which didn't go big til late 77) and Shelley Fisher-Girl I Love You (Dalya. The latest batch of Soul Galore releases featured Gloria Parker, Jimmy Mack and Keanya Collins.

September 1975 saw Wigan Casino's second anniversary take place, with guest stars Tommy Hunt, the Chi-Lites and Otis Leavill booked to appear. Northern Soul-After The Goldrush was the title of BM's final big expose on the world of N.Soul, written basically because all the fuss from January's piece had died down, and no doubt circulation had fallen! First off, the customary visit to the Casino, and the first put-down: "Rail workers from Crewe, packers from Preston, steel workers from Sheffield and factory hands from Burnley." - suggesting that everyone who attends Wigan is a thick manual worker. No doubt there are a few brain surgeons dancing at the Mecca meanwhile. After the usual white stomper slag-offs and drug references,

there is a lengthy piece concerning tailor-made Northern sounds, and the relative merits of Soussan, Pye, Spark and Ian Levine. No prizes for guessing who comes out smelling of roses! Now it's over to the Mecca where Cummings explains just why Blackpool had to switch to obscure new releases rather than keep plodding along with the old type sounds, but then totally blows the piece by quoting the latest Mecca biggie as being the Idle Few -People That's Why (a cover of a PJ proby LP track). Cleethorpes is next on the agenda, and the place actually gets a good write-up, maybe because it provides a happy medium between Blackpool and Wigan. Biggest sounds over on the East Coast were Danny Monday- Baby Without You (Modern), Five & A Penny- You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies (UK Polydor), Rodger Collins - You Sexy Sugar Plum (Fantasy) and Len Jewell-All My Good Lovin' (Pzazz). The Inter City Soul Club held a soul convention in Blackpool,

spread over three days. For £29.50 You got hotel accommodation, a soul exhibition (?), and a soul dance night, followed by a five-a-side football competition the next morning and a soul forum with guest speakers Mary Chapman (Cleethorpes organiser), Dave Godin, Andy Peebles and Tony Cummings. At 8'o'clock, a soul concert featuring the Armada Orchestra, Chris Bartley,

Fantastic Four, Tamiko Jones, Bessie Banks, Otis Leavill, Sam Nesbitt, Oliver Sain and Ultra Funk (in other words, the Contempo roadshow).

Did all this actually take place, I can't remember. If any reader attended this weekender maybe they could write in and tell us what it was like. Here's one for you: did you that Little Dooley of You Better Be Ready fame was the same guy who did Game Players as Dooley Silverspoon? Just one of the interesting facts in BM October 75. Very little new product released in the UK this month: Johnny Williams - You 're Something Kinda Mellow, Sisters Love -Learning To Trust My Man

Tommy Hunt's cover version of Cracking Up Over You. In the States There was Barnaby Bye - Can't Live This Way, Anacostia - All I Need the Miracles - Love Machine.

On the pressings front, Terry Jackson Soul of Leicester had copies, or one copy as the case may be, of Robbie Lawson, candi Staton, Flower Shoppe, Three Degrees, Bunny Sigler and

Al Foster band. On the fashion front, no soulie was without his three button, high waist, side pocket 30" Karma Ghia cords along with bowling shirt and leather bomber jacket. I know - I was that soulie. Ewell it's now December 1975 and we come to the last Black Music to be featured in this article. In fact, this issue is perhaps the most interesting to record collectors as it contains a discography of every Northern sound currently available at that time in the UK. According to the unaccredited writer of the feature all of the following discs were played on the scene At some time:

5000 Volts-I'm on fire, Chantelles - Runaway, Offenbach-Judy In Disguise,

Northern Soul Inc-Something Keeps Calling Me Back, Jezzabells-Tainted Love,

Spix'n'Spax - Follow The Leader, Etta Thomas - Just Ask Me,

and many more of the same calibre. Here's the pick of the reviews:

Shakers - One Wonderful Moment (''Dire stomp stomp"),

Jackie Lee - Temptation Walk ("The epitome of Northern Soul"),

Graham Bonney - Supergirl ("Thoroughly obnoxious pop disc" -here, here),

Earl Wright - Thumb A Ride ("Repetitive, mindless"),

Lada Edmund Jr - La Rue ("Absurdly stereotyped"),

Sons Of Moses - Soul Symphony ("Inept"),

Danny White - Cracked Up Over You (''Primitive''),

Mr. Floods Party - Compared To What ("Dull instrumental").

That just goes to show how well they listened to these records, the fact that Compared To What is a vocal track! The list goes on anyway. Just think though, in December 1975 You could have gone into any major record shop and picked up records of quality by Sapphires, Soul Brothers Six, Dobie Gray, Hoagy Lands, Williams & Watson, Major Lance, Sheila Anthony, Dean Courtney, Ila Van, Yvonne Baker, Incredibles, Bettye Swann, Dean Parrish, Homer Banks, Poets, Bunny Sigler, Lada Edmund, Jerry Williams, and on and on and on. It certainly was an exciting time to be discovering Northern Soul as I well remember, with new records to hear every week, new venues and new friends. I hope you've enjoyed reading about the monthly life of the Northern Soul scene in 1974-75.

[macca]

Well done Troid. An epic post. Didn't know that 'Ton Of Dynamite' was Lonnie Youngblood with Willie & The Mighty Magnificents. Dave Godin's first two releases for Right On were crackers too.

A lot of people sniffed at all the stuff that became available on 'general release' through 75/76 but for many a wide-eyed 15 year old, they were his/her only affordable route to owning sounds. People didn't get sniffy over grapevine though, funnily enough.

[Jerry Hipkiss]

Good stuff - isn't that copied in from one of Pete S's old pages?

[Agentsmith]

Below is an interesting article I found about the soul scene in late 74 until late 75 I've tried to remove some of the personal issues & the profanities that the author had written without taking away the issues of the time. It may bore some but others will find it a good read even though it may seem a little long winded.

The big split took place in February 1975 and the scene would never be the same again. Onto our next issue of BM, and there's no let-up in the media coverage of Northern Soul. "How far have we really come from the bad old days of rip-off and plagiarism when the only 'Northern Soul' records to rake a big impact on the pop chart are by second rate British acts, while the black originators remain in obscurity'' protests the editorial in BM 15.Two pages are devoted to readers letters concerning the expose in the previous issue. Martin Clark of Sheffield accuses Tony Cummings of deliberately starting a feud between Blackpool and Wigan. John Maddock of Nottingham accuses Russ Winstanley of playing only sounds that he likes himself. A certain Dave Evison pleads for the return of the harmony that's always surrounded the scene, and John Vincent corrects several inaccuracies that make last months article look very silly indeed. Alan Rhodes protests at being called a 'second rate DJ (i.e. anyone who isn't Winstanley, Levine or Curtis) and Ian 'Frank' Dewhurst puts forward the cases for both venues.

The month's new UK singles included a belated release for Snoopy Dean's Shake And Bump, a reissue of Jackie Lee's The Duck (why?) and Sister Sledge's pop dancer Love Don't Go Through No Changes On Me, while in the States there were new releases by Graham Central Station - Feel the need in me, Margo Thunder - Expressway To Your Heart, and one of the biggest sounds of the years newies, Paul Humphrey's - Cochise. 1000 Giants of black Music featured Leon Haywood, Hesitations, Donald Height and Monk Higgins. Sanantha's in Sheffield was now running regulars all-nighters, and there were dayers in Coalville and Nottingham. Current big sounds were Mandrill, Billy Prophet, Gary Lewis, and Eddie & Ernie. New pressings from Selectadisc this month included Laura Greene, Los Canarios and Soussans Love Sitars. March 75 kicked off with a letter from an angry young lady from Birmingham who pleaded that Northern Soul shou1d be kicked out of the magazine because 'the people at Wigan and the Mecca are a bunch of hypocrites and false prophets whose only aim is to exploit black artists".

There were several new singles this month in the UK including Eddie & Ernie, Lada Edmund Jr, Sons Of Moses, Steve Karmen, Rex Garvin and Jimmy Breedlove.

There was an interesting piece on Frankie Crocker's Ton Of Dynamite (my second Emidisc),by the way b/w I'm Your Pimp - Skullsnaps) in which the real truth behind the disc is told i.e. Crocker sings on the A side whereas Dynamite is in fact by Lonnie Youngblood with Willie & The Mighty Magnificents. Soul Sam wrote in to call BM's recent N.Soul feature 'biased drivel' while Ian Levine actually reviewed some decent records in his 'Sounds' column including 'Harold Melvin, Topics, Marvin Holmes, Modern Redcaps and George Clinton. Just out in the States, Prince Johnny

'Robinson-That Girl Is Rated X, and Gwen Owens- You Better Watch Out, while in the UK Selectadisc had pressings of Rita Dacosta, Wombat, Carstairs, AI Wilson and Dean Courtney. The next issue had a batch of replies to last months 'hypocrites' slur, but more importantly it carried the first ever advertisement for 'three button high wasted cord baggies with 30 inch bottoms'! Two of the worst records ever played on the scene came out on Pye, the Fugitives-Human Jungle and the diabolical Kenny Bernard-What Love Brings. Disco Demand's Solid Soul Sensat- ions album was reviewed this month and received a three star rating, and Ron Holden, Holidays, Cissie Houston and Eddic Holman were among this month giants. The newly established 'Northern Soul' page featured Johnny Bragg and Lada Edmund Jr, and also had an interview with Kenny Bernard whose best quote was "I saw Wayne Gibson on Top Of The Pops and I thought, man, wouldn't it be great if 1 could get an oldie release like that...and now I have". Tough luck Ken, should've tried to get CBS to reissue Pity My Feet. Ian Levine described Diane Jenkins' Towaway Zone (Creative Funk) as "the record to end all records", and also reviewed Robby Lawson-Burning Sensation (Kyser), Stingers--I Refuse to Be Lonely (Stax), plus 70's stuff from Johnny Robinson, the Virtues and LTG Exchange. Hot stuff saw new releases from Na Allen-Open The Door To Your Heart and the dreadful Mare Copage double sider Who Can I Turn To/Will It Be Me, Plus Bataan's instrumental of The Bottle. Again there were no shortage of soul do's, with places such as Burnley Circulation Club, the fondly remembered Halesowen Tiffs, Derby Cleos, Yate Sterling Suite (with dj 'King Kojak') and a dayer at Leicester with Paul Rudzitis at the decks. Onto May 1975 and BM 18, and this months Selectadisc specials showcased their new black Magic label, kicking off with a double sider' from Paula Roussell / Bob Relf, and the infamous Sharonettes-Papa Ooh Mow Mow. If you thought those were bad, this month also saw the release of Wigan's Ovation's Skiing In The Snow, and I had the misfortune to see them play live at a Northern night at W'ton Civic at the time. Levine was there that night; I wonder what he made of them? There were loads of new singles this month including Mitch Ryder, Dean Courtney, Devonnes, J.J.Barnes, Sax Of Soul-Sea Cruise (I bought that one!) and the nauseating Sliced Tomatoes by Sounds Of Lancashire. Disco Demand had a busy month because they also released the album Great Disco Demands, a compilation of some, of their singles. New singles in the US included Major Harris' After Loving You and Lily Fields- Love Has So Many Meanings. The Northern Soul Page carried an interview with 'Cochise'man Paul Humphrey, and Ian Levine Amazed everyone by writing another good column with reviews of Holly Maxwell, Symphonics, Al Gardner, Tony Hester, Little Dooley and finally The Trip by Dave Mitchell and the Sceamers of which Levine wrote

."If only Wigan could get their hands on this". (Which they did almost immediately). June 1975's new releases: and this was bad; a disco version of

Dance Dance Dance by a group called Liquid Smoke on Roulette, plus an answer version to Prince Johhny Robinson in the shape of Ann Byers' This Man Is Rated X. There was also the latest aberration from Disco Demand with the Sha-Na-Nettes version of Just Like Romeo & Juliet and a newie/oldie from the Exciters with Love You Baby. Sandra Phillips, whose disc World Without Sunshine had been huge a few months earlier, was featured in the Northern Soul column, along with the 'other' George Clinton of Please Don't Run fame.

Levine's choices this month were the brilliant I'm Spellbound by Tamiko Jones (Golden World), Leroy Britton- You 're Never Too Young (Sound), Jimmy Mack-My World Is On Fire (Palmer), Free Form Experiment -There Will Be Light (Inner Ear-same label as The Crow), plus the Anderson Brothers-I Can See Him Loving You (GSF), Melvin Carter-Midnight Brew (Trip Universal) ex Johnny Jackson Experience-Let's Shing A Ling At The Go Go cover up; and finally Ernest Mosley's Stubborn Heart (La Cindy). Hot Stuff carried a review of a current biggie, the Brothers-Are You Ready For This (RCA) and described it as "a couple of fragments of tape salvaged from the Sigma Sound waste bin".

Also out in the States was a similar sounding instrumental effort by 3rd Time Around-Soon Everything Will Be Alright (Denine). More letters concerning BM's anti-Northern attitude kicked off issue 20 (July 75). Dane Smith from Northants: "Why do You not include sounds like the Philly Devotions, Johnny C, Capitols and Deon Jackson under the Northern section of your new releases? Is it because you like these records? And why include records like Sounds Of Lancashire when you darn well know that we Northern Soul freaks don't dance or listen to such crap?" Good point, and oddly enough this months singles were given much better reviews.

The Temprees - At Last was "Marvellously swaggering", Jimmy James 'Help yourself 'belts along", Tony & Tyrone - PIease Operator was "lovely, noisy, tinny, vintage mid-60's soul." Lorraine.Chandler - Love You Baby was Black Magics best yet" (not too difficult a task) and Gene Latter's Sign On The Dotted Line was "Among the

best of it's type". Tony Cummings wrote a short biography of Lorraine Chandler for the Northern Soul column, and Ian Levine reviewed some obscure newies with the exception of George Benson-Supership and Diane Jenkins - I Need You. The Other Levine sounds were by Crossfire, Barrett Strong, Cortez Greer, Chris Campbel1 and Kevin Drinkard. Feature of the month however was a special on Van.McCoy, then currently high in the charts with the excruciating Hustle. The article mentioned his work with many Northern favourites including Chuck Jackson, Shirelles, Drifters, Jay & The Americans, Barbara Lewis, Sweet Things, Spellbinders, Sandi Sheldon, Chris

Bartley, Jackie Wilson and Brenda & The Tabulations. Incidentally, did you know that the lead singer from the Sweet Things, Francine Baker, teamed up with another Northern favourite Herb Ward to become Peaches & Herb? You did? Oh well. August 1975 kicked off with a full-page ad for three new UK Capitol releases from Earl Wright ("Back in the shops due to fantastic public demand" - it had never been in the UK shops before!), Jodi Mathis and. the Reflections. Top sounds pressed by/ for Selectadisc were Don Thomas, Nanette Workman, Capreez Ede Robin and Debbie Fleming. Black Magic released their next two singles, Dobie Gray-Out On The Floor and another Soussan recording, the abysmal Runaway by the Chantelles. Of the aforementioned Capitol releases, Thumb A Ride was described as "put together in five minutes by a bunch of tired West Coast session men". This was in stereo and slightly

remixed. Jodi Mathis' Don't You Care Anymore was pressed with the slowie b-side "mama" as the A-side! Chuck Jackson's brilliant Chains Of Love was described as "painfully dated and lacking in grace and subtlety" but Maxine Brown's One In A Million, T.D.Valentine - Love Trap, and the Cooperettes-Shing A Ling all got surprisingly unbiased reviews. The Fabulous Blades-Jerk Baby Jerk and Lenis Guess-Just Ask Me also got belated UK releases

. Over in the States there were Northern spins for new releases by

Esther Phillips-What A difference, Boogie Man Orchestra-Lady Lady Lady,

Eric Mercury - Pours When It Rains, and the Superlatives-I Still Love you (that's what it says here anyway, August 75's Hot Stuff lists the Superlatives on Uptite as a new release. Maybe it was a legitimate repressing?) Bob Relf and George Benson featured in Northern Soul this month, and Levine's new spins were as follows: Tobi Bowe-Groovy Feeling (Patheway), Vessie Simmons-Shiftless Shady (Simco), David Lenyard-It Could Have Been You (Flying Eagles), Black Truth Band-Butter Nut (Black Truth), Nat Foss-Too Many Skeletons In The Closet (How Big) (cover-up I think), Creative Funk-Moving World (Creative Funk), Famous Chromes-Teach Me (Drive), Jessie Fisher- You 're Not Loving A Beginner (Way Out), and finally Scott Brothers-We Like Girls (Zachron). Certainly looks as if Levine had decided to almost 100% 70's newies by this time. The Yate all-nighters were well established by this time, primarily run by the Inter City Soul Club who also had gigs going in Newquay, Leeds Cats Whiskers and Leicester Palais. In September 1975 Dave Godin launched his Right On label and kicked it off with a couple of goodies, the Jelly Beans- You Don't Mean Me No Good and the Crow- Your Autumn Of Tomorrow, a record which was unfortunately too far ahead of it's time in 1975 to be massive but has certainly grown in stature over the years - due for revival maybe? Major Lance's Live At The Torch was released and Black Music described it as "the ultimate insanity" but awarded it two stars for "important historical value". Doni Burdick, Dave Mitchell and Ollie Jackson were all pressed this month, while Rita Decosta got a belated UK release on Contempo. There was a mild controversy over the new single by comedy trio the Goodies, the chorus of which went something like ' Black pudding Bertha, she's the queen of Northern Soul" - it had come to this! The Mecca playlist around this time included Mistura-Life Is A Song Worth Singing, Loletta Holloway-The World Don't Owe You Nothin', Conquistadors-Sadness and Madness, 35th Street Gang-I Spy, Tax Free- Love Has Gone, Ballads - Lovin' You Isn't Enough and Wade Flemons-Jeanette. Over at the Casino however, they were spinning Frankie Crocker-Ton Of Dynamite, World Column-So Is The Sun, Jeanette Harper-Put Me In Your Pocket, Willie Mitchell-Champion, Jades-I'm Where It's At, 8th Avenue Band-Whole Thing and even Billy Woods-Let Me Make You Happy. Tony Cummings reported on Black Magic act the Sharonettes and asked "exactly who are they" Well, first reports (from Simon Soussan actually) said that the Sharonettes comprised a 17 year old Soussan discovery named Paula Roussell, plus Northern heroines Patrice Holloway and Clydie King, with Sherlie Matthews thrown in for good measure. It eventually transpired that the group really consisted of Sherlie Matthews, a girl called Becky Lewis and Carolyn Willis,

Whose That Beat And Rhythm had been a hit for Soussan using the old Cigarette Ashes backing track? Both Sharonettes discs, Papa Ooh Mow Mow and Going To A Go-Go, made the UK charts. BM October.1975, and new releases from the States, which got plays on the scene, Were Revelation-Get Ready For This, and the Men From Macon-Salvation. In the UK, releases included Jackie Lee-Shotgun & The Duck, Mike Post-Afternoon Of The Rhino, Mr.Floods Party-Compared To What, RB Freeman-I'm Shaft and Debbie Fleming-Long Gone. Ian Levine's tips included True Pages Of Life-Truth And Love (Creative Funk), Val Palmer-Back In My Arms Again (Twin Hits), Rising Sun- You 're Never Too Old To Learn (Kingston), Jaywalkers-Can't Live Without You (Swan), Carlena Williams-I Won 't Be Completely Happy (Erica), Joseph Moore-I Still Can't Get ' You (Marvlus), Jimmy Burns-I Really Love You (Erica)(which didn't go big til late 77) and Shelley Fisher-Girl I Love You (Dalya. The latest batch of Soul Galore releases featured Gloria Parker, Jimmy Mack and Keanya Collins.

September 1975 saw Wigan Casino's second anniversary take place, with guest stars Tommy Hunt, the Chi-Lites and Otis Leavill booked to appear. Northern Soul-After The Goldrush was the title of BM's final big expose on the world of N.Soul, written basically because all the fuss from January's piece had died down, and no doubt circulation had fallen! First off, the customary visit to the Casino, and the first put-down: "Rail workers from Crewe, packers from Preston, steel workers from Sheffield and factory hands from Burnley." - suggesting that everyone who attends Wigan is a thick manual worker. No doubt there are a few brain surgeons dancing at the Mecca meanwhile. After the usual white stomper slag-offs and drug references,

there is a lengthy piece concerning tailor-made Northern sounds, and the relative merits of Soussan, Pye, Spark and Ian Levine. No prizes for guessing who comes out smelling of roses! Now it's over to the Mecca where Cummings explains just why Blackpool had to switch to obscure new releases rather than keep plodding along with the old type sounds, but then totally blows the piece by quoting the latest Mecca biggie as being the Idle Few -People That's Why (a cover of a PJ proby LP track). Cleethorpes is next on the agenda, and the place actually gets a good write-up, maybe because it provides a happy medium between Blackpool and Wigan. Biggest sounds over on the East Coast were Danny Monday- Baby Without You (Modern), Five & A Penny- You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies (UK Polydor), Rodger Collins - You Sexy Sugar Plum (Fantasy) and Len Jewell-All My Good Lovin' (Pzazz). The Inter City Soul Club held a soul convention in Blackpool,

spread over three days. For £29.50 You got hotel accommodation, a soul exhibition (?), and a soul dance night, followed by a five-a-side football competition the next morning and a soul forum with guest speakers Mary Chapman (Cleethorpes organiser), Dave Godin, Andy Peebles and Tony Cummings. At 8'o'clock, a soul concert featuring the Armada Orchestra, Chris Bartley,

Fantastic Four, Tamiko Jones, Bessie Banks, Otis Leavill, Sam Nesbitt, Oliver Sain and Ultra Funk (in other words, the Contempo roadshow).

Did all this actually take place, I can't remember. If any reader attended this weekender maybe they could write in and tell us what it was like. Here's one for you: did you that Little Dooley of You Better Be Ready fame was the same guy who did Game Players as Dooley Silverspoon? Just one of the interesting facts in BM October 75. Very little new product released in the UK this month: Johnny Williams - You 're Something Kinda Mellow, Sisters Love -Learning To Trust My Man

Tommy Hunt's cover version of Cracking Up Over You. In the States There was Barnaby Bye - Can't Live This Way, Anacostia - All I Need the Miracles - Love Machine.

On the pressings front, Terry Jackson Soul of Leicester had copies, or one copy as the case may be, of Robbie Lawson, candi Staton, Flower Shoppe, Three Degrees, Bunny Sigler and

Al Foster band. On the fashion front, no soulie was without his three button, high waist, side pocket 30" Karma Ghia cords along with bowling shirt and leather bomber jacket. I know - I was that soulie. Ewell it's now December 1975 and we come to the last Black Music to be featured in this article. In fact, this issue is perhaps the most interesting to record collectors as it contains a discography of every Northern sound currently available at that time in the UK. According to the unaccredited writer of the feature all of the following discs were played on the scene At some time:

5000 Volts-I'm on fire, Chantelles - Runaway, Offenbach-Judy In Disguise,

Northern Soul Inc-Something Keeps Calling Me Back, Jezzabells-Tainted Love,

Spix'n'Spax - Follow The Leader, Etta Thomas - Just Ask Me,

and many more of the same calibre. Here's the pick of the reviews:

Shakers - One Wonderful Moment (''Dire stomp stomp"),

Jackie Lee - Temptation Walk ("The epitome of Northern Soul"),

Graham Bonney - Supergirl ("Thoroughly obnoxious pop disc" -here, here),

Earl Wright - Thumb A Ride ("Repetitive, mindless"),

Lada Edmund Jr - La Rue ("Absurdly stereotyped"),

Sons Of Moses - Soul Symphony ("Inept"),

Danny White - Cracked Up Over You (''Primitive''),

Mr. Floods Party - Compared To What ("Dull instrumental").

That just goes to show how well they listened to these records, the fact that Compared To What is a vocal track! The list goes on anyway. Just think though, in December 1975 You could have gone into any major record shop and picked up records of quality by Sapphires, Soul Brothers Six, Dobie Gray, Hoagy Lands, Williams & Watson, Major Lance, Sheila Anthony, Dean Courtney, Ila Van, Yvonne Baker, Incredibles, Bettye Swann, Dean Parrish, Homer Banks, Poets, Bunny Sigler, Lada Edmund, Jerry Williams, and on and on and on. It certainly was an exciting time to be discovering Northern Soul as I well remember, with new records to hear every week, new venues and new friends. I hope you've enjoyed reading about the monthly life of the Northern Soul scene in 1974-75.

EXCUSE ME..............ARE YOU..........THE MATRIX?

[Davetay]

EXCUSE ME..............ARE YOU..........THE MATRIX?

You should know, Agent Smith.

[Agentsmith]

You should know, Agent Smith.

FOOK! YOU'VE BLOWN ME COVER!!

[Guest]

Bob Relf?

Fathers Angels?

I think these might have been 75 ish but its soooo long ago.

Ang

[Paul R]

Bob Relf?

Fathers Angels?

I think these might have been 75 ish but its soooo long ago.

Ang

I would say more 72 at the Torch. Apart from the dire reworking of Bob Relf by Simon Sussan that would have been 75.

Paul