What's The Use - Chairmen Of The Board

[Neil Rushton]

Was very impressed to see an acetate off "What's The Use" - Chairmen Of The Board on John Manship Auction site, and very relieved too, as I thought I was going mad...

The tape of it was actually played to me at the Holland Brothers office in LA around 1981 and I did a deal on the spot to release it on Inferno.

I was visiting their office some time after the release of Invictus recordings by, Chairmen Of The Board, Freda Payne, Just Brothers and Eloise Laws on Inferno, probably went over to pay royalties. Anyway they were very happy with the sales on Inferno and the royalty statements, etc, and the day before I had to fly back, I was taken to a studio to meet Lamont Dozier and Paul Riser and then back to the HB office In Hollywood where a pile of unreleased tracks had been pulled out to listen to.

"What's The Use" blew my socks off, I could not believe how good it was, and it was arranged that the next day I would come back to collect a copy of the tape on my way to the airport. The following next morning I met Fred Darian, the guy who with Al DeLory co-wrote "Out Of The Floor" - Dobie Gray and owned the master, and did a deal with him to release that, which was great, but all the time I was thinking about "What's The Use"..

Then it was on to the HB office Trouble was the tape waiting for me was not "What's The Use" and due to the filing system no tape called "What's The Use" could be found there and then, or in subsequent weeks when I was back home . The guys at HB said I must have got it wrong, as they could not find anything with that or similair title, and that they had played everything and could not find any song with that hook or anything like it. I was absolutely gutted.

Over the years I have wondered if I had somehow got the title wrong, or somehow just imagined the whole thing, as I remember it being so catchy I just couldn't work out why it had not been released as a key single.

And now an actetate turns up. Amazing.

Edited December 7, 2012 by Neil Rushton

[Steve Foran]

Bloody good as well Neil.

[Steve L]

Just had a listen, don't you think that JM's description is a little over the top? Potential to be the scene's top tune?

Come on, its a decent enough record but its very give me just a little more time like - could you imagine Butch or Andy Dyson or any of the other top jocks playing it?

Could see it being big with Kev Roberts' clientele so I suppose if thats "the scene" then he's right

[Shinehead]

Just had a listen, don't you think that JM's description is a little over the top? Potential to be the scene's top tune?

Come on, its a decent enough record but its very give me just a little more time like - could you imagine Butch or Andy Dyson or any of the other top jocks playing it?

Could see it being big with Kev Roberts' clientele so I suppose if thats "the scene" then he's right

Got to agree with Steve not a bad record but its just another Chairmen record of its time .

[Shinehead]

Sold for over £600 amazing .

[Neil Rushton]

Been through some old paperwork.

It was February 1981 when I heard the tape.

[Steve G]

Neil did you get it in the end?