Why Have People Who Should Have Written A Book Never Done So

[Pete S]

Richard Searling, Ian Levine, Mick Smith, John Anderson and so on - all got so many stories to tell - surprised nobody's offer to help them write a book.  Mick always tells me stories and says "That'll be going in the book" but he'll never do it..

[jocko]

I believe Richard Searling is writing one, and I also believe John Anderson has turned down offers for people to write with him, Maybe Mr Welding or people who know better can confirm that or otherwise

 

As to why people haven't is

 

(a) procrastination, the norm rather than the exception

 

(b) Because they can't, telling a story is not the same as writing. And frankly despite what people think you need to put some real thought and effort into the logistics, never  mind the actual writing. One of the reasons I generally always support this, despite the often dissapointment in the end result. Its not easy I would suspect.

 

Mark Windles recent effort shows that with hard work it can be done, but about artists would be easier (relatively) than one persons story to make a coherent book I feel.

 

As to why people shouldn't

 

Well B above is a good starter, but join that onto the fact that while writing should obviously be personal, injecting only the side you want to present often dissapoints, like most artists books they are interesting but generally fatally flawed as a stand alone peice of work, the generally read like a conversation in a bar and miss real substance. Again that is probably about talent to write, hence why your idea of someone writing is better.

 

However even then, without strong editing, it would sound like above.  And for at least 2 of the people you mention, it would take a brave editor/writer to try and take control. Never going to happen.

 

Record bar stories would be difficult to translate into books,  but I agree some select people should. Anderson's story would be a must, Searlings I suspect would be self indulgent, but interesting if edited well.  A couple of interesting ideas are out there, Andy Dysons being the one I am most looking forward to (and maybe Mr T??) and hopefully they come to fruition. Funny I talked about one a few years ago focusing on the main dealers but their stories. I was told by people much better placed than me it was a nogoer due to individual egos clashing and Mr A's reluctance to talk. Hopefully Andy D's and Nicola's will plug some of these gaps.

 

Being blunt, far more people think they can write than actually can. Given the captive audience for this, I suspect that would and should be ignored down to fact based books, but it would be nice to have a talented structured writer put together something that would sell to just music fans, not Northern, on its quality alone.

 

Gareth over to you, or maybe someone else out in wings, very handsome and very creative, with a lust for writing,  just needs a benefactor and a guaranteed audience with John A to get it started.

 

Wonder who that could be.....

[Wiganer1]

one story id love to read is KEITH MINSHULL  -djed at every major venue on the scene - 

[Kev Cane]

Bang on Jock, see what you are getting at, it needs a neutral perspective I think to get any story over, positive and negative contribution from a neutral source to achieve an authentic read. Andy and Nicola's is a much anticipated read, I for one can't wait for its release, am sure they won't release it until its exactly right

 

Kev

[Steve G]

Can confirm that Richard was writing a book as I spoke to him about it......but as someone who is also writing a (fact) book, I think it's all too easy to underestimate what the sheer effort it takes. And patience, tons of it. 

 

As for "scene" related books, I guess it's a bit easier if you are writing about yourself and your experiences, but even so checking dates, facts etc takes time and effort. John has always been a guy that doesn't like to be in the limelight. Snowboy did a fabulous interview with him in Daddy Bones some years ago, but it just about scratched the surface on a few things. He has plenty of fantastic stories to tell - an hour with him at Cleethorpes you'll learn stuff about soul music and records for sure.  

[John Reed]

as someone who is also writing a (fact) book, I think it's all too easy to underestimate what the sheer effort it takes.

 

Is there an ETA on your one, Steve?

[Quinvy]

Same reason as the people who have the best collections don't seem to Dj, probably. 

[Steve G]

Is there an ETA on your one, Steve?

 

Hi John, it's essentially written - 250,000 words!!! I am still wrapping up a few final interviews, and need to read and do a bit of minor editing, inevitable with something of this size....It's going to be a monster when I have added the illustrations etc...Probably 600 pages ha ha! Next stage for me is to get a literary agent sorted and then we look for publishing options.  

 

I was hoping for release this year in time for Xmas, but it may be put back to the Spring realistically. The challenge is every piece of string you unravel leads you to another contact, another phone call, another lead another dimension to the story etc etc. but I do now know that there's a lot of things written about the label which just ain't right. steve

[John Reed]

if you need another proof reader, give me a call.....

[Lfcjunkie]

If there's one guy who seems to be overlooked and who would surely have some great stories that would be Garry Cape think of the artists hes met and the records he's turned over and the unissued things he's found!

Great bloke too!

Good thread and im sure there'll be more names to add yet

Dave Longy

[Kev Cane]

If there's one guy who seems to be overlooked and who would surely have some great stories that would be Garry Cape think of the artists hes met and the records he's turned over and the unissued things he's found!

Great bloke too!

Good thread and im sure there'll be more names to add yet

Dave Longy

Good call Dave, Paul Mooney from up here in the NE, who I know has been pals (and businness associates I think) with Gary for years could also contribute massively through his managerial and studio experiences with many artists over the last 30 odd years, and is still operational in this nature of work today

 

Kev

[Soulhawk1960]

Richard Searling, Ian Levine, Mick Smith, John Anderson and so on - all got so many stories to tell - surprised nobody's offer to help them write a book.  Mick always tells me stories and says "That'll be going in the book" but he'll never do it..

If Mick writes a book I'll deffo buy it Pete.

Top bloke is Mick.

[Guest manusf3a]

From another perspective what about a non dj who was around and very much part of the scene I seem to remember Swish was in the process of writing a book ,myself I would like to read one say written by Brian Taylor,Matchie or one of the other very well known people influential to the scene.I reckon Terry could do a good one too.Sure such accounts may contain lots and lots of what some these days seem to internaly censor themselves from discussion and of course they may have reasons for doing so but what some would call blots on the scene from back then I and many others I am sure would call diamonds.I saw Brian on a documentary a few years ago on the tele and he was most entertaining and I am sure many would like to read someone like his account of the early all nighter scene.

Edited June 19, 2013 by manusf3a

[Sceneman]

try getting a publisher to publish it ,not easy when sales are slow and they are reluctant unless its a big name with guaranteed sales .in todays climate it can take years or never at all

[Pete S]

try getting a publisher to publish it ,not easy when sales are slow and they are reluctant unless its a big name with guaranteed sales .in todays climate it can take years or never at all

 

It's so easy to self publish now though, you can have a run of 1 or a run of 1000 depending on what you can afford - that's how they did the latest edition of Boss Sounds and also Mark R on here's book was done that way

[Dazdakin]

one story id love to read is KEITH MINSHULL  -djed at every major venue on the scene - 

No he has not, not done Nuneaton 

[Dekka]

Hi pete

Maybe if I could ask a question with a question

Would you want to write a book?

Maybe some people, just don't see themselves as special, people with humility,

unlike some people, even on here who seem to be living 9 lives consequtively, who then appear to be boorish and a braggart,

Trouble is, through our humility we don't perceive ourselves as special, throughout history there are many heroes who shun the limelight.

That is a shame but I understand that perhaps they just see themselves as ordinary and just want to get on with their lives,

humility at it's very best, is a god given gift.

Edited June 19, 2013 by dekka

[Pete S]

Hi pete

Maybe if I could ask a question with a question

Would you want to write a book?

Maybe some people, just don't see themselves as special, people with humility,

unlike some people, even on here who seem to be living 9 lives consequtively, who then appear to be boorish and a braggart,

Trouble is, through our humility we don't perceive ourselves as special, throughout history there are many heroes who shun the limelight.

That is a shame but I understand that perhaps they just see themselves as ordinary and just want to get on with their lives,

humility at it's very best, is a god given gift.

 

Yeah I'd love to but it wouldn't be about me - it would be about records/labels in one way or another - the people I mentioned at the start have really great tales to tell of record finds,   incidents, anecdotes, artists etc - I'm more of a label/catalogue number kind of person.

[Godzilla]

One of the reasons I generally always support this, despite the often dissapointment in the end result. Its not easy I would suspect.

 

 

One glance at Jocko's muddled syntax demonstrates that although some people can make excellent contributions to an internet forum, they should be subject to a restraining order forbidding them from being within 50 yards of a printing press...

[Dekka]

Yeah I'd love to but it wouldn't be about me - it would be about records/labels in one way or another - the people I mentioned at the start have really great tales to tell of record finds,   incidents, anecdotes, artists etc - I'm more of a label/catalogue number kind of person.

I understand pete

and that's exactly what i'm talking about, 'it's not all about me'

and that's what seperates people.

I understand your thread though, it's the people that don't who would have the most fantastical tale to tell.

I think peeps like Ted Massey would have a lovely tale to tell, or even yourself or terry, or Paul aka MrC,

but maybe that's just me.

For instance most peeps don't know about the poker room for the wolves lads to the side of the stage at wigan

atb

dekka

[Geeselad]

Can confirm that Richard was writing a book as I spoke to him about it......but as someone who is also writing a (fact) book, I think it's all too easy to underestimate what the sheer effort it takes. And patience, tons of it. 

 

As for "scene" related books, I guess it's a bit easier if you are writing about yourself and your experiences, but even so checking dates, facts etc takes time and effort. John has always been a guy that doesn't like to be in the limelight. Snowboy did a fabulous interview with him in Daddy Bones some years ago, but it just about scratched the surface on a few things. He has plenty of fantastic stories to tell - an hour with him at Cleethorpes you'll learn stuff about soul music and records for sure.  

think the peice in grand lam? was done over two issues, as you say great taster for what would make an amazing book.

[Steve G]

think the peice in grand lam? was done over two issues, as you say great taster for what would make an amazing book.

 

Yes, that's right Grand Slam Daddy Bones magazine.....

[Wiganer1]

No he has not, not done Nuneaton 

ah ure right there daz lol - come to think of it my 31 years on the scene have been quite eventful...................

[Trev Thomas]

if only butch put his knowledge into print......

[Guest Paul]

Interesting subject.

 

If I ever have time to write a book, a book about music, it would only be about people who made the music so it would focus on the US and of course many of the subjects are already deceased and many good books have already been written about music history, music people, music business and audio technology etc.

 

Personally I can't see much viability for too many books about the UK soul scene without covering ground which has already been covered or without being too narrow or self-indulgent but I suppose we all have stories so I can imagine a few books about the history and culture of soul DJs, dealers and collectors etc.

 

But I'd imagine most of them would need to be self-published or issued by small specialist publishers. Ebooks are obviously an easy and affordable alternative but I think they have limitations, especially for graphics which are important in music books.

 

And that leads me to the next point: other than graphics, the biggest obvious advantage would be for a music "book" to include audio so the subject music can actually be featured or heard in the background.

So I'm not talking about "books" any more, I'm talking about multi media platforms so our reports and stories become audio visual documentaries etc. They come to life.

I've been writing and researching, mostly about music, for more than forty years but I've always focused on traditional print media and it becomes a habit. For a year or so I've researched a particular case (not music related) which is ongoing so it's a work in progress which can't be made public until it reaches a conclusion. I thought it might one day make £500 or so from a newspaper or magazine (a small return for such a lot of work) but the story is now too big for a news report or feature yet too small for a book. I thought that was a problem until a BBC producer told me it will make a good TV or radio documentary when the case is over. Like a fool I hadn't even thought about TV or radio because I was so focused on print.

So yes we can all be writers now, we all have stories to tell, but we really need to think of ourselves as scriptwriters or film makers, rather than just writers, and take advantage of the technology and the platforms.

 

That's how I see more specialist stories being better told.

 

Paul

[Dekka]

I think following on from Paul's post, probably a good story about the ordinary joe's on the scene would perhaps be to regionilize a collective, i.e The Wolverhampton Story, this could be on the lines of say the book Pete Townsend used for quadrophenia, which tells the story of Newark mods.

This would introduce the characters and would tell their stories individually and also collectively as well as giving a good insight into the Northern soul scene through the eyes of ordinary people with some quite unbelievable tales to tell

I think one book or film or documentary about one person would perhaps not capture peoples attention or interest as well as a collective.

The truth is always stranger and more interesting than fiction, don't you agree?

[Dave Moore]

 

 

But I'd imagine most of them would need to be self-published or issued by small specialist publishers. Ebooks are obviously an easy and affordable alternative but I think they have limitations, especially for graphics which are important in music books.

 

And that leads me to the next point: other than graphics, the biggest obvious advantage would be for a music "book" to include audio so the subject music can actually be featured or heard in the background.

So I'm not talking about "books" any more, I'm talking about multi media platforms so our reports and stories become audio visual documentaries etc. They come to life.

Paul

 

Hi Paul,

 

I've investigated this also but have found that at the moment the cost negates any chance of it happening soon. Graphics however are a different story. Funny how record companies will allow you to show their record labels in order to promote their wares but won't allow you to place snippets of their goods (songs), in multi media to support any promotion of it.

 

For instance...how much would you charge for a snippet (one minute, say), of the Harthon catalogue 45s?

 

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[Roburt]

The use of visuals in books also seems to be a bit of a minefield.

Obviously a photo taken by a 'celebrity or paparazzi photographer' has to be licensed (with fees paid) before it can be used by anyone else 'for profit'.

But what about promo artist photos, label scans, record company ads placed in a music mag, club flyers or newspaper ads for concerts. Who owns those and holds the intellectual rights covering their use.

The usage of an ad published in say an old edition of Cashbox or Blues & Soul will in theory be copyrighted by that publication even though it would have been the label's publicity department that drew it up originally and that ad could have been placed in a number of publications at the time it was drawn up.

A book published in the recent past seemed to lift loads of its 'visuals' from Blues & Soul (page after page seemingly being reproduced just as in the original mags). Obviously some deal was done to allow this to happen but I don't really understand the logistics of such a move.

Anyone out there investigated (from a legal point of view) just what 'old material' can be used (as its in the 'public domain') and what has to be granted permission before it can be utilised ?

If permission has to be sought, just who do you approach to gain such permission (surely a record company needn't be asked if a label scan or copy of an old promo photo or old record ad can be printed in a new publication) ?

It is obvious that you can't just copy an old newspaper / magazine article and re-print that in a new publication. The same goes for using an audio clip of a record or a video clip from a film or TV programme. But when it comes to the use of other 'visuals', I'm still highly confused about what the ground rules are.  

Edited June 20, 2013 by Roburt

[Guest Paul]

Hello Dave,

 

Some publishers and record companies will allow portions of music to be featured in context (especially in the background) as "fair use" on free or cheap terms - especially if some music was being played in the background as the footage was shot. I'm talking more of TV and DVD documentaries here, rather than high-budget feature films which can attract bigger fees.

For most TV or DVD documentaries you don't actually need specific publisher clearance, by the way, just statutory notifications for the songs and and master-use licenses if the use is commercial.

As an example I issued a block of ten licenses for a particular commercial DVD documentary using portions of tracks and I only charged a nominal fee of £100 per master because the documentary was of historic value and they used a lot of tracks in total. 

Major publishers and record companies can be cost prohibitive sometimes but you'll find most specialist companies will do all they can to help because they value the exposure your project can give to the music.

 

Paul
 

 

P.S.  I should have added that if you made an online mini-documentary or an advert for free issue to plug a book you should expect music clearance at no cost

Edited June 20, 2013 by Paul

[jocko]

Interesting subject.

 

If I ever have time to write a book, a book about music, it would only be about people who made the music so it would focus on the US and of course many of the subjects are already deceased and many good books have already been written about music history, music people, music business and audio technology etc.

 

Personally I can't see much viability for too many books about the UK soul scene without covering ground which has already been covered or without being too narrow or self-indulgent but I suppose we all have stories so I can imagine a few books about the history and culture of soul DJs, dealers and collectors etc.

 

But I'd imagine most of them would need to be self-published or issued by small specialist publishers. Ebooks are obviously an easy and affordable alternative but I think they have limitations, especially for graphics which are important in music books.

 

And that leads me to the next point: other than graphics, the biggest obvious advantage would be for a music "book" to include audio so the subject music can actually be featured or heard in the background.

So I'm not talking about "books" any more, I'm talking about multi media platforms so our reports and stories become audio visual documentaries etc. They come to life.

I've been writing and researching, mostly about music, for more than forty years but I've always focused on traditional print media and it becomes a habit. For a year or so I've researched a particular case (not music related) which is ongoing so it's a work in progress which can't be made public until it reaches a conclusion. I thought it might one day make £500 or so from a newspaper or magazine (a small return for such a lot of work) but the story is now too big for a news report or feature yet too small for a book. I thought that was a problem until a BBC producer told me it will make a good TV or radio documentary when the case is over. Like a fool I hadn't even thought about TV or radio because I was so focused on print.

So yes we can all be writers now, we all have stories to tell, but we really need to think of ourselves as scriptwriters or film makers, rather than just writers, and take advantage of the technology and the platforms.

 

That's how I see more specialist stories being better told.

 

Paul

 

I think the history of the artists and music is always more of interest to me. And there is so much more untold. It is something we are lucky to have some interesting obscurish books that really give insight into the world that was then and that inspired the scene, Mr G's  tome on Wand being a great example, but there is so much still to tell; that many of the original tellers are dead is I suspect an issue and therefore it would be great if we could capture as much as possible before, bluntly, its too late. I know there is lots on internet but a coherent book, whether printed or online, makes it much more accessible for me.

 

Thats not to say books on the scene are a no no, I think there is lots to tell still, particularly about the lost years, but its one I would like to hit the spot perfectly. I would however buy each and every one produced, as I think I have to date.

[Guest Paul]

The use of visuals in books also seems to be a bit of a minefield.

Obviously a photo taken by a 'celebrity or paparazzi photographer' has to be licensed (with fees paid) before it can be used by anyone else 'for profit'.

But what about promo artist photos, label scans, record company ads placed in a music mag, club flyers or newspaper ads for concerts. Who owns those and holds the intellectual rights covering their use.

The usage of an ad published in say an old edition of Cashbox or Blues & Soul will in theory be copyrighted by that publication even though it would have been the label's publicity department that drew it up originally and that ad could have been placed in a number of publications at the time it was drawn up.

A book published in the recent past seemed to lift loads of its 'visuals' from Blues & Soul (page after page seemingly being reproduced just as in the original mags). Obviously some deal was done to allow this to happen but I don't really understand the logistics of such a move.

Anyone out there investigated (from a legal point of view) just what 'old material' can be used (as its in the 'public domain') and what has to be granted permission before it can be utilised ?

If permission has to be sought, just who do you approach to gain such permission (surely a record company needn't be asked if a label scan or copy of an old promo photo or old record ad can be printed in a new publication) ?

It is obvious that you can't just copy an old newspaper / magazine article and re-print that in a new publication. The same goes for using an audio clip of a record or a video clip from a film or TV programme. But when it comes to the use of other 'visuals', I'm still highly confused about what the ground rules are.  

 

 

Visuals can also be a minefield, as you say, and in theory you sometimes need permission from subjects / copyright owners / trade mark owners and photographers etc but many books are published without getting clearance and if challenged they hope they can evade action by claiming fair use in context of the subject.

It seems quite safe for small-time specialist things but some countries - most notably the USA - have different laws and predator lawyers who look for opportunities to get heavy with people. Sometimes they might be justified but most often they're just looking for easy money.

I did some licensing on a film which was okay in the UK and EU but when they made a deal for the USA it had to be abandoned because lawyers tried to get unreasonable large payments even for session musicians who had played minor parts in tracks which were featured in small portions in the background. It would have added at least $100,000.00 to the budget and increased liabilities for other claims (because the deals were made on "most favoured nations" terms) so the US distributors pulled out.

Some lawyers seem to think every film is a 'Star Wars' blockbuster.

At least rely on honest "fair use" wherever you can and always try to give fair credit to sources.

Paul

[jocko]

One glance at Jocko's muddled syntax demonstrates that although some people can make excellent contributions to an internet forum, they should be subject to a restraining order forbidding them from being within 50 yards of a printing press...

 

Ohh Godz, you are so last century, you will be getting a reputation as a bit of a dinosaur with comments like that. Greenberg is dead. Printing press, Pah!

 

I am more a contemporary literature fan, therefore Syntactic rules are for wimps! And I am reading Leroi Jones short stories in which there are more punctuation marks than words! And thats my excuse and I am sticking to it. 

[jocko]

Bang on Jock, see what you are getting at, it needs a neutral perspective I think to get any story over, positive and negative contribution from a neutral source to achieve an authentic read. Andy and Nicola's is a much anticipated read, I for one can't wait for its release, am sure they won't release it until its exactly right

 

Kev

 

I am not sure I meant neutral, I have always said a book about the 80's scene should be very pointed and political, written with an attitude that befits the times. I don't think there is a problem with books written from a skewed point of view, as long as the writer is skilled enough to explain it is their point of view and why that point of view is relevant, which is the bit that I was meaning about it being objective, probably wrong word to use.

 

Artists books however should always be written by someone other than the artist and provide an objective view, pretty difficult to get most artists to agree I suspect, and also to be fair David Ritz's Marvin Gaye book is still the greatest artist book I have ever read, and is hardly objective!

 

Maybe I actually don't know what I am saying after all

 

To misquote someone I suppose it should be publish and be damned I say, I genuinely do take my hat off to anyone who tries despite my desire for the perfect book!

Edited June 20, 2013 by jocko

[stokesoulboy]

What about TIM ASHIBENDE ?? Now he has got some amazing tales of the artist/label owners etc, plus all the nighters he visited etc, and of course some of the records he tracked down!.

 

Now i would buy that in a flash

[Guest gordon russell]

A ghost written book by a collection of nighter people (who,ve been about a bit) would be good reading.Tales i,ve heard over the years have been fantastic...there are plenty out there with loads of great tales of nighter escapades....woven in with equaly good tales of american record hunts....this book would do well methinks.....as long as it,s warts and all/tell it how it is.....even right up to whats happening at some venues now.

Edited June 20, 2013 by gordon russell

[KevH]

Maybe a book should be written in the style of William Burroughs' cut technique.After all,nothing has come close to the Beat generation.  

[jocko]

 

Maybe a book should be written in the style of William Burroughs' cut technique.After all,nothing has come close to the Beat generation.

 

I would have gone for Kerouacs speed approach rather than Burroughs smack, but that is actually a great idea. An original fictional account, again would take some skill but a fantastic idea.

To be fair the couple of fictional books, Cracking Up and Who's Frank Wilson aren't bad attempts, in their own genre, if a little lightweight but both had good ideas behind them with the FW actually a decently written book.

I sense a new genre for the next decade, Northern Fiction, gritty, fast and old...

[Winnie :-)]

Hi John, it's essentially written - 250,000 words!!! I am still wrapping up a few final interviews, and need to read and do a bit of minor editing, inevitable with something of this size....It's going to be a monster when I have added the illustrations etc...Probably 600 pages ha ha! Next stage for me is to get a literary agent sorted and then we look for publishing options.  

 

I was hoping for release this year in time for Xmas, but it may be put back to the Spring realistically. The challenge is every piece of string you unravel leads you to another contact, another phone call, another lead another dimension to the story etc etc. but I do now know that there's a lot of things written about the label which just ain't right. steve

And you used to call Rich Chorley wordy...... LOL

 

Look forward to reading it Steve 

[Guest manusf3a]

A ghost written book by a collection of nighter people (who,ve been about a bit) would be good reading.Tales i,ve heard over the years have been fantastic...there are plenty out there with loads of great tales of nighter escapades....woven in with equaly good tales of american record hunts....this book would do well methinks.....as long as it,s warts and all/tell it how it is.....even right up to whats happening at some venues now.

Ive suggested earlier in the thread that you could do a good one .

[KevH]

 

 

I would have gone for Kerouacs speed approach rather than Burroughs smack, but that is actually a great idea. An original fictional account, again would take some skill but a fantastic idea.

To be fair the couple of fictional books, Cracking Up and Who's Frank Wilson aren't bad attempts, in their own genre, if a little lightweight but both had good ideas behind them with the FW actually a decently written book.

I sense a new genre for the next decade, Northern Fiction, gritty, fast and old...

 

edit:off topic.

Edited June 20, 2013 by KevH

[Orotava]

For my money, I`ve read quite a few books on the Northern Soul scene and have to admit the ones written from a personal perspective all seem to follow a well worn path - first time they discovered the music, first trip to an Allnighter, taking speed, eventful journeys crossing half the country etc.

 

As others have said I`d love to read about the music from the perspective of folks like John Anderson, Richard Searling, Ian Levine etc. who were at the real coal face - discovering sounds, being at the right place at the right time, ones that got away, breaking certain records etc.  

[Steve G]

Jock suggests a book about the 80s scene. I think that's a good idea, since there are so many who still don't know or understand what happened in that decade. I know Glyn was thinking of doing something on the modern scene in the 80s, which would have been good too, and not sure if he is still working on that project. A northern one would also be good - title "The day after WIgan died"

 

As for these personal biographies, of all the names mentioned really only think John, Richard and Ian have enough of interest to make a commercially sellable book that people would buy....But as Dekka said not everyone wants to blow their own trumpet about their life.....and any book would have to be well written......

Edited June 20, 2013 by Steve G

[Guest gordon russell]

 

Ive suggested earlier in the thread that you could do a good one .

Hello mate,how are ya,good l hope.......yeh i,ve tales and escapades aplenty,but not enough, need to be added to by the many characters that have been and in quite a lot of cases are still on the scene.Then you'd have a good read lol.People l know who'd have some stories to tell both funny and scary and dark......

[Guest gordon russell]

 

Jock suggests a book about the 80s scene. I think that's a good idea, since there are so many who still don't know or understand what happened in that decade. I know Glyn was thinking of doing something on the modern scene in the 80s, which would have been good too, and not sure if he is still working on that project. A northern one would also be good - title "The day after WIgan died"

 

As for these personal biographies, of all the names mentioned really only think John, Richard and Ian have enough of interest to make a commercially sellable book that people would buy....But as Dekka said not everyone wants to blow their own trumpet about their life.....and any book would have to be well written......

To be fair steve....john,richard and ian's stories would be about records in the main...people want to read real life nighter tales from the WHEEL days to now, you know....seedy underbelly stuff with these crate digging tales woven in.....who played what,when,where and first are boring boring boring Edited June 20, 2013 by gordon russell

[Kev Cane]

Andy Dyson and Nicola's work in progress about peoples record digging stories is a fantastic idea, just in conversations going to venues over the years I have heard some fantastic tales, so just imagine what the book will be like, and when you think about how many people have made trips and some people, multiple trips, then the scope is practically a bottomless pit, have contributed myself with my fellow collector Gaz Simon, and we had a ball whenever we went, so I can,t wait to hear other folks experiences, in effect, they are collating it, there are potentially hundreds of authors

 

Kev

[Steve G]

 

To be fair steve....john,richard and ian's stories would be about records in the main...people want to read real life nighter tales from the WHEEL days to now, you know....seedy underbelly stuff with these crate digging tales woven in.....who played what,when,where and first are boring boring boring

 

Hello Terry, 

Horses for courses I guess. Some people would like that I am sure. Others want to hear about artists and their lives and from the record tales it's not all about I found this there on that date. Stories of having guns pulled on yer, of having to hide under blankets while a mob has gathered outside the record store to find out what these "white boys" are doing in their town etc....Certainly plenty of scope out there for both types I'd say. 

[Orotava]

Unless I`ve missed it, no-one seems to have mentioned Mr Manship - now there`s a man who should have a few tales to tell??

[Chalky]

Jock suggests a book about the 80s scene. I think that's a good idea, since there are so many who still don't know or understand what happened in that decade. I know Glyn was thinking of doing something on the modern scene in the 80s, which would have been good too, and not sure if he is still working on that project. A northern one would also be good - title "The day after WIgan died"  As for these personal biographies, of all the names mentioned really only think John, Richard and Ian have enough of interest to make a commercially sellable book that people would buy....But as Dekka said not everyone wants to blow their own trumpet about their life.....and any book would have to be well written......

Once I've done with the podcasts I'm doing for the Stafford Story I'm hoping to get something down in writing with the help of Dave (hopefully) and as many others as possible. It would probably incorporate the later 80's as well as the ethos and attitude was still there.

[Guest gordon russell]

 

Hello Terry, 

Horses for courses I guess. Some people would like that I am sure. Others want to hear about artists and their lives and from the record tales it's not all about I found this there on that date. Stories of having guns pulled on yer, of having to hide under blankets while a mob has gathered outside the record store to find out what these "white boys" are doing in their town etc....Certainly plenty of scope out there for both types I'd say.

Exactly mate....both.....the crate digging is not really about the scene in this country.....as l said woven in.

As we're talking about crate digging.....the mighty steve cooper from bedford will have a bucket full of tales bin going to the states since early 70's...has met lynn vernado.miles graysn,len jewell and many more....he,s told me many a hairaising tale and some real funny ones as well.....like meeting the owner of SOULIN records who sat down for a meeting with his gun on the table.His meetings at pathway records. Remember the time IAN CLARKE first played the CAPITOLS on OMEN....went round steves the next morning...sung him a bit ...and he came downstairs with a lovely MINT GREEN ISSUE that he got from MYLES GRAYSON and had, had for TWO YEARS!!....sold me it for £26.00....and hardly anyone on the scene knows steve.

Edited June 20, 2013 by gordon russell

[Steve G]

Once I've done with the podcasts I'm doing for the Stafford Story I'm hoping to get something down in writing with the help of Dave (hopefully) and as many others as possible. It would probably incorporate the later 80's as well as the ethos and attitude was still there.

 

Good. If you need em I can certainly lend you stuff from the old Blackbeats - Guys Goodies etc....