Mr Smithy Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 Anyone know anything about this? Thoughts, opinions, year, value, who Isiah (Ike) Johnson was? Never seen it or the label before. The address is now mostly toy distributors and the like. I put up both sides in Refosoul but not sure how to put a link here. Thanks in advance.
Mr Smithy Posted February 21, 2011 Author Posted February 21, 2011 I know it's not a world shaker but nobody knows anything? T
boba Posted February 21, 2011 Posted February 21, 2011 i asked in another thread about the excels on abtone (which is a new york studio) and nobody replied. maybe it's the same group?
Mr Smithy Posted February 21, 2011 Author Posted February 21, 2011 No idea but if they're both NY, could be. Does it sound like them? I can't find out anything about Grajon or these Excels
Guest Posted February 21, 2011 Posted February 21, 2011 Anyone know anything about this? Thoughts, opinions, year, value, who Isiah (Ike) Johnson was? Never seen it or the label before. The address is now mostly toy distributors and the like. I put up both sides in Refosoul but not sure how to put a link here. Thanks in advance. Excels - Let me love you / You've fallen in love - Grajon
Mr Smithy Posted February 21, 2011 Author Posted February 21, 2011 Ta very much Ken BTW I just noticed I put 101 when it should be 001, not that it makes a difference I'd be surprised if there was a 2 T
Dysonsoul Posted February 21, 2011 Posted February 21, 2011 I pulled both 45's out ,the Abtone release has a Broadway addy,but shares the same release number and times etc.. I'll play check the two later but i'm pretty sure they're the self and same 45.Other than not i'm in the dark as to any info about the set up and why it got 2 releases,both sides are pretty good - infact sound a lot better than what they did 15 years when i found em..infact strangely enough i found em both in same place same day !
Mr Smithy Posted February 21, 2011 Author Posted February 21, 2011 Got a pic of the Abtone? 2 releases, wonder which one was 1st? Did you find them in US or UK? T
boba Posted February 21, 2011 Posted February 21, 2011 hi andy. what is the abtone label #? thanks in advance.
Gaz Simon Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 . Hi Fellas i have GRAJON - 002 - THE EXCELS FEATURING ISAIAH (IKE) JOHNSON -- JUST ANOTHER NAME / LAST LETTER J - 002 & L - 002 The label design is identical to the one above but orange. i got it in the States around 90/91 from Allentown, Pennsylavania...and i remember the guy i bought it off told me that it was limited press and that the group were local to the Allentown area...... i did have two copies and mustve sold one, either to one of my mates or at the Wilton or some other nighter.. (did you get it Andy?). The 'just another name 'side is pretty good mid to uptempo,,better sounding than the one above imo but wouldnt cut the mustard at northern venues. the flip 'last letter' is a Wilson Pickett-ish vietnam mid paced ballad and also pretty good. My scanner is knackered at the moment but i could upload a photo and a soundfile later this week if anyone is really interested Dont know where this release stands with Abtone?...the plot thickens....... hope this info helps you Mr Smithy. Gaz .
Mr Smithy Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 Ta Gaz Thicken it do. I'm surprised there is a 2 but stranger things have happened. Allentown to NY - long way to go for it. Sound file would be nice if you can be assed but as with the other I'm sure it's not a worldshaker. I was really just curious if they did more and it seems they did. I think they had a certain amount of potential, like many others never realised. Out of all this the Grajon 1 & Abtone is the most curious though, two goes with the same thing, both on locals. I don't think it's gonna get a lot of needle time but it is good to know a little something T
Gaz Simon Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Mr Smithy Allentown to NYC is around 100 miles so less than 2 hours drive, in USA terms it is next door................ .like i say the guy i bought the 002 record from appeared quite knowledgable about this release and definitely said it was a local release. My guess is that Ike was local to Allentown but the records where recorded / pressed in New York.... Gaz
Dysonsoul Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Bob, i've been away.but will sort a scan of the abtone release.it is same as the grajon from checking the other day-the label is a burgandy colour.bare with me i'll sort for you.
Dysonsoul Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 can anyone supply the abtone release number? 001 , same run times etc..
Mr Smithy Posted February 23, 2011 Author Posted February 23, 2011 Allentown to NYC is around 100 miles so less than 2 hours drive, in USA terms it is next door................ I live in NYC so to me it isn't next door, we don't tend to go that far, but the other way, sure. What I meant was there were a couple of small studios in Allentown that could have done the job and there's a huge plant in Pennsylvania that would have knocked them out (name escapes me for the mo) probably cheaper. I'm sure there must have been a reason though. NY musicians / Penn singer ? ( PS It was probably better back when but it's more like 3 hours now, state of the roads and the tunnel, I go to the show in Allentown and that's what it takes me - progress!!??) Dysonsoul ( Andy?) Did you find them in the US or did a couple make it across the water? T
solidhit Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Allentown to NYC is around 100 miles so less than 2 hours drive, in USA terms it is next door................ I live in NYC so to me it isn't next door, we don't tend to go that far, but the other way, sure. ( PS It was probably better back when but it's more like 3 hours now) It's about 90 miles from Allentown to NYC and it's the LONGEST 90 miles you'll ever drive. You should definitely leave 3 hours to drive from NY to Allentown. I need 2 hours from Hoboken, which is just across the river from NY. If you live in Brooklyn, add an hour just to get across Manhattan.
Mr Smithy Posted February 23, 2011 Author Posted February 23, 2011 I live in Manhattan- give it an hour to get to the bloody tunnel
Dysonsoul Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Allentown to NYC is around 100 miles so less than 2 hours drive, in USA terms it is next door................ I live in NYC so to me it isn't next door, we don't tend to go that far, but the other way, sure. What I meant was there were a couple of small studios in Allentown that could have done the job and there's a huge plant in Pennsylvania that would have knocked them out (name escapes me for the mo) probably cheaper. I'm sure there must have been a reason though. NY musicians / Penn singer ? ( PS It was probably better back when but it's more like 3 hours now, state of the roads and the tunnel, I go to the show in Allentown and that's what it takes me - progress!!??) Dysonsoul ( Andy?) Did you find them in the US or did a couple make it across the water? T I had to think very hard ,but the Abtone and Grajon release came from a guy who had a lock up just off Fairmount avenue (Philladelphia) ,from memeory it was a industrialised area with lots of lorries,containers and storage units.It was really lucky infact how i stumbled on the place ,i'd been to a place called Blue Chip (me and roger banks had been there a year or so earlier) and got quantity on stuff like passionettes - path etc.. so i'd called back there and managed to get lost on my way to stay with john moore- a guy was unloading by hand boxes of 45's so i pulled up and ended up there for 3 days.The two 45's in question i found within a few minutes of each other...
Mr Smithy Posted February 24, 2011 Author Posted February 24, 2011 Thanks - Just wondered if they wandered over the water unaided by a collector. That would have been a stretch. I know where Fairmount is, down near the end by the water there was an old guy who had a lot of NOS parts for my DeSoto in his garage, all in neat clean little boxes just like in the store but that was 20+ yrs ago who knows what it's like now. Never looked for 45s around there, but they are / used to be everywhere. That must have been a blast. T
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