The Trammps Scruboard/hold Back The Night

[SHEFFSOUL]

just listening to the excellent pt2 Torch podcast by Colin Curtis. Was surprised to see the inclusion of 'Hold back the night'..i thought my memory was playing tricks, so i checked the net. Sure enough,as i thought the track first saw a release on the 'Zing' album in 1975 about 2 years after the Torch closed..so, dredged the memory again..and the first time i ever heard the vocal (to the 1972 released and Torch sound scruboard) was 1975 at Wigan Casino, more specifically Mr M's, spun by Mansfield DJ Derek Banner.He had the 'Zing album on import, a recent release..was anyone else spinning this or was DB the first..i know it gravitated to the main room shortly after, but was not rare enough to sustain its popularity..anyone else shed further light?

[Ian Dewhirst]

just listening to the excellent pt2 Torch podcast by Colin Curtis. Was surprised to see the inclusion of 'Hold back the night'..i thought my memory was playing tricks, so i checked the net. Sure enough,as i thought the track first saw a release on the 'Zing' album in 1975 about 2 years after the Torch closed..so, dredged the memory again..and the first time i ever heard the vocal (to the 1972 released and Torch sound scruboard) was 1975 at Wigan Casino, more specifically Mr M's, spun by Mansfield DJ Derek Banner.He had the 'Zing album on import, a recent release..was anyone else spinning this or was DB the first..i know it gravitated to the main room shortly after, but was not rare enough to sustain its popularity..anyone else shed further light?

 

"Scrub Board" (the instrumental to 'Hold Back The Night') was huge at the Torch in 1972. When "Hold Back The Night" (the vocal to 'Scrub Board') appeared on "The Legendary Zing Album' some three years later as a new import we were all over it. It was a monster at Blackpool Mecca and Cleethorpes Pier. In fact, the Trammps were booked at Cleethorpes as a direct result. That was some concert I can tell you.......

 

Ian D   

[Guest Polyvelts]

Quite a few years later from this 'Scrub Board' was reactivated at Leicester Notts Oddfellows allnighters, great clapping in the Silent bit as I remember.

[Dave Pinch]

The buddah stuff is all 1972.. They were on Philly int from late 73 to late 75 then onto Atlantic after that I think

[Dave Pinch]

The zing 45 was originaly issued on the UK in 1972 on the black buddah label distributed by polydor. Then reissued on the pye distributed brown buddah in 1974 when it was a hit

[Stubbsy]

Hold Back The Night - one of the greatest soul music songs ever (IMO)!

[Dave Pinch]

Hold Back The Night - one of the greatest soul music songs ever (IMO)!

Amazing how it was unreleased for 3 years as a vocal until it appeared on the album.. Yet the instrumental appeared as a b side

[Ian Seaman]

i bought a Buddah demo 45 off flea bay and it turned up as a Tom Moulton re mix from 75 with the extra run in, nice !

Edited October 28, 2014 by Ian Seaman

[Kev Cane]

Hold Back The Night - one of the greatest soul music songs ever (IMO)!

Way to go Stubbsy  just listen to the late and great Jimmy Ellis giving his all, somebody touched on it earlier though, not rare enough for some folk who IMO totally don't and never will get it

 

Kev

Edited October 28, 2014 by kev cane

[Ric-tic]

Way to go Stubbsy  just listen to the late and great Jimmy Ellis giving his all, somebody touched on it earlier though, not rare enough for some folk who IMO totally don't and never will get it

 

Kev

but it IS rare on a u.k demo...

[Kev Cane]

but it IS rare on a u.k demo...

Well, if thats the reason someone would buy it they are still not getting it for me, as Stubbsy so rightly says, it is SOME soul record, rare or not rare, chart hit or not chart hit, I think we know what I am driving at 

[barney]

well I think its commercial drivel but hey ho, the tramps, bay city rollers in black ,. : )

[spot]

"Scrub Board" (the instrumental to 'Hold Back The Night') was huge at the Torch in 1972. When "Hold Back The Night" (the vocal to 'Scrub Board') appeared on "The Legendary Zing Album' some three years later as a new import we were all over it. It was a monster at Blackpool Mecca and Cleethorpes Pier. In fact, the Trammps were booked at Cleethorpes as a direct result. That was some concert I can tell you.......

 

Ian D   

I remember it well Ian, Gail & I were on about a while ago & if I'm not mistaken Mary kept it secret until the curtains opened & everyone thought wtf until they realised what was happening. I see Barney's still got his Soul tolerance hat on.    

Spot.   

[barney]

can honestley say its never been my cup of tea ,along with red light and car wash its constantly played in town centre over 25,s places the length and breadth of this country like chicago rock in Barnsley.

Edited October 28, 2014 by barney

[Ian Dewhirst]

can honestley say its never been my cup of tea ,along with red light and car wash its constantly played in town centre over 25,s places the length and breadth of this country like chicago rock in Barnsley.

 

It's just another in a long line of Northern Soul records which crossed over to the mainstream market AFTER they were discovered by the scene, like the Fascinations, the Formations, the Tams, R. Dean Taylor. Dean Parrish, Rodger Collins etc, etc. I'd say it was a Top 5 Northern record several weeks before it crossed over to the masses. I don't see it anywhere near 'Car Wash' or 'Red Light' personally.....

 

Ian D 

[Phil]

The Zing album was a new import release at the time i worked in a great record shop in Mansfield(Syd Booths) we got most of new releases from Record Corner in Balham i played the album and found the vocal to "Scruboard on the album played it to death at The Swan in Mansfield with my Co - Pilot Derek Banner.He went on to Dj at Mr Ms & Samanthas at the time everyone wanted  the album  at the time cos it was not available on single  till later great album from a fab philly group

 

Phil K.

[Guest Carl Dixon]

'Hold back' and 'Both ends against the middle' have a similar groove. I do like to hear them because the finesse these Philly tracks have give my ears a break from the more deeper 60's stuff. Some 60's cuts are played too frequently and I would like to 'slow down' a little to a few eloquent tracks now and then (as I am old!)...like that 'At Last by the Temprees. Never hear it. When HBTN comes on its a welcome break. I would be extremely happy to hear and dance to things like 'Got to get you back'/Sons of Robin Stone, Mighty Clouds of Joy/MCOJ, 'Look me up'/Blue Magic, Most of 'First Choice' catalogue...I would even have a spin to the 'Central Park Arrest/Thunderthighs lol, for a break, but I guess these tracks are not traditional Northern?

Edited November 2, 2014 by Carl Dixon

[Ian Dewhirst]

'Hold back' and 'Both ends against the middle' have a similar groove. I do like to hear them because the finesse these Philly tracks have give my ears a break from the more deeper 60's stuff. Some 60's cuts are played too frequently and I would like to 'slow down' a little to a few eloquent tracks now and then (as I am old!)...like that 'At Last by the Temprees. Never hear it. When HBTN comes on its a welcome break. I would be extremely happy to hear and dance to things like 'Got to get you back'/Sons of Robin Stone, Mighty Clouds of Joy/MCOJ, 'Look me up'/Blue Magic, Most of 'First Choice' catalogue...i would even have a spin the 'Central Park Arrest/Thunderthighs lol, for a break, but I guess these tracks are not traditional Northern?

 

As an aside to the thread, I LOVE that Thunderthighs record. One of the nearest things to a Phil Spector or Shadow Morton production ever out of the UK.......

 

Ian D 

[Quinvy]

It's just one of those records that has "it" in every department. No matter how many times I hear it, it never ceases to make me wanna dance.

[SHEFFSOUL]

"Scrub Board" (the instrumental to 'Hold Back The Night') was huge at the Torch in 1972. When "Hold Back The Night" (the vocal to 'Scrub Board') appeared on "The Legendary Zing Album' some three years later as a new import we were all over it. It was a monster at Blackpool Mecca and Cleethorpes Pier. In fact, the Trammps were booked at Cleethorpes as a direct result. That was some concert I can tell you.......

 

Ian D   

Yes Ian, i remember the concert and have some photos from it..i was wondering who spun it first..as i said DB was quick out of the trap..

[SHEFFSOUL]

The Zing album was a new import release at the time i worked in a great record shop in Mansfield(Syd Booths) we got most of new releases from Record Corner in Balham i played the album and found the vocal to "Scruboard on the album played it to death at The Swan in Mansfield with my Co - Pilot Derek Banner.He went on to Dj at Mr Ms & Samanthas at the time everyone wanted  the album  at the time cos it was not available on single  till later great album from a fab philly group

 

Phil K.

 

The Zing album was a new import release at the time i worked in a great record shop in Mansfield(Syd Booths) we got most of new releases from Record Corner in Balham i played the album and found the vocal to "Scruboard on the album played it to death at The Swan in Mansfield with my Co - Pilot Derek Banner.He went on to Dj at Mr Ms & Samanthas at the time everyone wanted  the album  at the time cos it was not available on single  till later great album from a fab philly group

 

Phil K.

thanks Phil, that answers my question..i was a swan regular in 74 when i lived there..and spent my day off in Syd Booths..remeber DB well..i knocked around with Marilyn Dale who later married Sid Hopper, also 'Yank', 'Arnie, and few others who's names i forget..great days...

[25miles]

"Scrub Board" (the instrumental to 'Hold Back The Night') was huge at the Torch in 1972. When "Hold Back The Night" (the vocal to 'Scrub Board') appeared on "The Legendary Zing Album' some three years later as a new import we were all over it. It was a monster at Blackpool Mecca and Cleethorpes Pier. In fact, the Trammps were booked at Cleethorpes as a direct result. That was some concert I can tell you.......

 

Ian D   

fink you are bang on "frank"...............that's the way I remember it !!

[scunnyjack]

Yes Ian, i remember the concert and have some photos from it..i was wondering who spun it first..as i said DB was quick out of the trap..

Can remember Pep playing it at The Winter Gardens and this was the first time I had heard it played, although it could easily have been played elsewhere.

[Stubbsy]

It's just another in a long line of Northern Soul records which crossed over to the mainstream market AFTER they were discovered by the scene, like the Fascinations, the Formations, the Tams, R. Dean Taylor. Dean Parrish, Rodger Collins etc, etc. I'd say it was a Top 5 Northern record several weeks before it crossed over to the masses. I don't see it anywhere near 'Car Wash' or 'Red Light' personally.....

 

Ian D 

Exactly Ian. Just because it became a commercial success doesn't make it drivel does it!

[Swifty]

Yes Ian, i remember the concert and have some photos from it..i was wondering who spun it first..as i said DB was quick out of the trap..

Was there meself , great times indeed 

[Autumnstoned]

I posted this clip on here earlier this year. It's great!

 

[45cellar]

 

[Tobytyke]

jimmy ellis one of the great voices of soul. pray all you sinners/ rubberband buddah single early seventies is another great single. then all the releases on golden fleece and phil int. also prior to all this werent they the volcanoes?

[Jim G]

jimmy ellis one of the great voices of soul. pray all you sinners/ rubberband buddah single early seventies is another great single. then all the releases on golden fleece and phil int. also prior to all this werent they the volcanoes?

 

They were indeed the Volcanoes and then The Moods ("Rainmaker" on Wand)

[Constellation161]

Great thread, just love the Trammps, thanks for posting video clip.

                Mick Perrins.

[Guest Carl Dixon]

Trivia time -

 

Of course I have mentioned they are actually singing 'Hold back tonight', as I guess that was the original title.

The video above shows Earl Young up front singing when he played the drums I guess on the studio session

Bobby Eli was one of the founding Trammps, back in the day

 

Ian, that Thunderthighs track! Top. Met Lyndsey de Paul and chatted about it. She was on the session playing the piano! She asked me whether it sounded American enough ha ha.

[Bazza]

I loved Scruboard, but when the vocal came out it was just to poppy spoiled it ,never liked it 

 

Bazza  

[Soulstu]

The Zing album was a new import release at the time i worked in a great record shop in Mansfield(Syd Booths) we got most of new releases from Record Corner in Balham i played the album and found the vocal to "Scruboard on the album played it to death at The Swan in Mansfield with my Co - Pilot Derek Banner.He went on to Dj at Mr Ms & Samanthas at the time everyone wanted  the album  at the time cos it was not available on single  till later great album from a fab philly group

 

Phil K.

"Best for all records, cassettes and cartridges" - I can see the black and white plastic bags now!... What a great shop - bottom of Queen Street!... probably bought my first records off you when I was a kid.

 

Scrub Board is such a great track!... wish I'd bought that instead of Graham Parker's version.

[Phil]

Yes Stu still cart a carrier bag great times At Syds in the 1970ts loads of import originals from various suppliers 

 

Phil K.

[KevH]

Yes Stu still cart a carrier bag great times At Syds in the 1970ts loads of import originals from various suppliers 

 

Phil K.

 

Still got a paper bag Phil.?

[Dim]

Scrub board was played at Bletsoe Allnighter 71/72 by Northants dj Glenn Bellamy.

Unusually, so the story goes, the instrumental came first. It is said that a sound engineer at the recording  suggested that it would be great if a vocal was added to it. Plausible I think and may go some way to explain the time delay between the release of the two records.

Edited September 30, 2017 by damiancon