Popular Post Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Bit of a spin off from some of the points made on the Another repro thread. It would appear that many on here linger under the impression, that the only people who ever or have ever discovered records are DJ's. What a load of tosh, ok fair enough some have, Ian levine and Richard Searling spring immediately to mind, going to the states and actually finding their own sounds. There are probably a few others too. However, how many of the so called big Dj's actually take/have taken other peoples discoveries and play them out. How many have never actually found a dusty original. There are dozens of people, under the radar, who found records and recognised their potential. Gary Field, Greg Tormo, the London lads who used to bring new sounds to the Torch/Mecca and countless others, these people, hardly if ever, Dj'd anywhere. Even now do the top Dj's actually rummage, or do their contacts in the states find them and give them the heads up ?. I think its about time we exploded this myth, just because a DJ has a box full of extremely rare records it does not mean he discovered them. 5
Popular Post Ady Croasdell Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Good point Kecksy and I still don't think me and Mick get the credit for Lenny Gamble. 12
Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) Good point Kecksy and I still don't think me and Mick get the credit for Lenny Gamble. There are a lot of people on the scene who don't get the credit they deserve, that's basically my whole point. Its all about the DJ's. I had a CBS copy of Lynne Randell long before it was played out, I was too young and too far down the pecking order, to have any influence on the DJ's. The daft part is I found it on a market stall in Blackpool before a night at the Mecca and left it in the B&B when i went out. Although I quite liked it, when the stallholder played it, I didn't think it stood up to the likes of Eddie Parker or Johnny Sayles. Edited March 9, 2015 by Kegsy
Ady Croasdell Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 I was being flippant on Lenny of course, but I agree Tony Rounce, Dave Burton, Nick Washer and many others down here got sounds to the DJs. Ian Levine in particular knew all the collector/dealers and offered top prices when they got back from the States or found stuff in the Smoke.
Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 I was being flippant on Lenny of course, but I agree Tony Rounce, Dave Burton, Nick Washer and many others down here got sounds to the DJs. Ian Levine in particular knew all the collector/dealers and offered top prices when they got back from the States or found stuff in the Smoke. Ian's house on a Saturday afternoon was a veritable pandora's box of new sounds, loads of which were brought there by people from all over. 2
Len Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 I was under the impression that there were quite a few 'feeders' behind the D.J's 'in the olden days'. Isn't it true that Butch for instance was one of those 'feeders' (record bar people sounds better actually), and only D.Jed the first time because someone hadn't turned up - Pat Brady suggested it apparently. I agree that it's important to give credit where credit's due to people who have done the 'work'. I've always been interested in who discovered what, who played it first, who broke it ('sold' it to the dancers), and where something was first played (not always going together as is what your post is about) All the best, Len 2
Popular Post Kjw Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Look no further than John Anderson 4
Popular Post Julianb Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Whenever I took a 'new' sound to the Mecca I always gave it to Jebby to play. It was brilliant watching Ian Levine appear from nowhere wanting to know what it was and who owned it . This was quickly followed by ' I MUST have this 45 from you NOW!!' Wonderful times. 9
Popular Post Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Author Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Whenever I took a 'new' sound to the Mecca I always gave it to Jebby to play. It was brilliant watching Ian Levine appear from nowhere wanting to know what it was and who owned it . This was quickly followed by ' I MUST have this 45 from you NOW!!' Wonderful times. Precisely my point, nobody could ever accuse you of being a big name DJ 4
Len Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) Be great to hear more from these unsung heroes 'The Feeders' - How nice for them to see one of their discoveries working well. So much more satisfying than paying a million pounds for a record that has already been 'processed' - Good on em Len Edited March 9, 2015 by LEN
Popular Post Quinvy Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Too many to list over the years, and some were "Discovered" at around the same time period but in different areas of the country, by different people. So it's never totally clear cut. Like Kegsy says, it was only by handing the records to big Dj's to play that brought them to the fore. Some people may have had the same record for years before it broke on the scene. Round these parts, Steven {Brad} Bradley was the man. 7
Ian Dewhirst Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Round these parts, Steven {Brad} Bradley was the man. Certainly was for me! Made my Tuesday nights @ Burnley Cricket Club all the more worthwhile. Brad fed me the first copies of the Pointer Sisters and Gerri Grainger among many others...... Ian D 2
Quinvy Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Certainly was for me! Made my Tuesday nights @ Burnley Cricket Club all the more worthwhile. Brad fed me the first copies of the Pointer Sisters and Gerri Grainger among many others...... Ian D Do you mean "The Soul Satisfaction Society"? I recently discovered my old membership card in a drawer at home, couldn't believe it. That was a propper banging little club wasn't it? 2
Quinvy Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Precisely my point, nobody could ever accuse you of being a big name DJ Sorry Julian, but it made me laugh. 1
Cck Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 because discovery arguments quickly give me a headache, i prefer to think the producer, arranger, musicians and artists "discovered" these records in the process of manifesting a finished product
Labeat Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Look no further than John Anderson Dickie Watt, Brian Phillips spring to mind 1
Ernie Andrews Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) I suppose its down to exposure to the bits of plastic! If you worked for a record shop or wharehouse your bound to come across something that you fed to your friendly mate ( Barry Stanton in my case) or you were told to give to the likes of Levine & co by the more experienced person you worked with. Memories of sitting in Global going through thousands of records for hours and having bloody sore ears cos the headphones were nasty! It wasn't all nice finding something but bloody exillerating when you heard it on a big system. P.S IM a big name DJ compared to Butch! His name only has 5 letters mine has 14 :lol: Edited March 9, 2015 by Ernie Andrews 3
hullsoul Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Too many to list over the years, and some were "Discovered" at around the same time period but in different areas of the country, by different people. So it's never totally clear cut. Like Kegsy says, it was only by handing the records to big Dj's to play that brought them to the fore. Some people may have had the same record for years before it broke on the scene. Round these parts, Steven {Brad} Bradley was the man. Phil Another from your neck of the woods,Barrie Waddington. Cheers Martyn 3
AlanB Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Whenever I took a 'new' sound to the Mecca I always gave it to Jebby to play. It was brilliant watching Ian Levine appear from nowhere wanting to know what it was and who owned it . This was quickly followed by ' I MUST have this 45 from you NOW!!' Wonderful times. Good anecdote, would be fun to know some examples.
Julianb Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Sorry Julian, but it made me laugh. Made me laugh as well 1
Julianb Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Precisely my point, nobody could ever accuse you of being a big name DJ Get lost Kegsy 1
Julianb Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Good anecdote, would be fun to know some examples. Memory is shot but I can remember Johnny Sayles and Johnny Jones and the King Casuals 1
Quinvy Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Phil Another from your neck of the woods,Barrie Waddington. Cheers Martyn Don't recall him from the 70's Martyn.
hullsoul Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Don't recall him from the 70's Martyn. Phil He was & is still around. Didn't realise the thread was purely about guys behind the scenes in the 70t's? Cheers Martyn 1
Davetay Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Don't recall him from the 70's Martyn. I think Barrie came into his own, after he went to the States, 78 or 79. He had some nice unknown/ semi unknown stuff for sale at the time. I was gutted because he got the 2nd copy of the Insprirations and sold it to Richard Searling. Which meant my copy was no longer a one-off in the UK. Phil, a remember getting a tape you did circa 74, and there was stuff on that didn't take off at the bigger venues till years later. 3
Popular Post jimmy clitheroe Posted March 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 9, 2015 Our very own Rodney Shard , not a prolific dj But Has some tasty finds under his belt..my favourite being true image "I'm not over you yet", Sublime 70's at its best..paul 4
Dayo Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Lots of biggies back in the day were discovered by lesser mortals and we got a huge kick out of passing them to name DJ's and seeing the crowd respond. Not that any credit was ever sought or given on mic! 2
Jerry Hipkiss Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 An honourable mention for our very own Ady C, long before he mastered the art of DJ'ing and holding a pint in each hand, he was supplying tunes to Ian Clark etc... 2
Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) An honourable mention for our very own Ady C, long before he mastered the art of DJ'ing and holding a pint in each hand, he was supplying tunes to Ian Clark etc... Do you realise the dreadful image this conjures in terms of how he got the needle onto the record Edited March 9, 2015 by Kegsy 1
Kegsy Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) Tim Ashibende? No disrespect to Tim but wasn't he teamed up with the aforementioned Greg Tormo, obviously Tim will also found stuff in his own right. Edited March 9, 2015 by Kegsy 1
Roburt Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Kegsy, you always told me that you discovered lots of top gear that went down well at niters !!
Julianb Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Kegsy, you always told me that you discovered lots of top gear that went down well at niters !! I didn't think that Boots the Chemists had lost them ( to be discovered!)
Stateside Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Dave Simmons (who replaced Mike Raven) was responsible for Betty Swann - Kiss my Love Goodbye and many more when he played it on his Radio 1 Saturday show back in 1974. Every week he used to ring up a black music radio station in the states and they would run down their top 10 and he would play some of them. Kev 1
Dooby Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Great thread! Why don't we propose these unsung heroes in the SS Hall of Fame in the " contribution" section? 1
jimmy clitheroe Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 I would think Tim Brown with his vast collection must be responsible for a number of finds? May be not .Paul
Labeat Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 I would think Tim Brown with his vast collection must be responsible for a number of finds? May be not .Paul What about his sidekick MK? 1
jimmy clitheroe Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 What about his sidekick MK? Yes him as well . 1
Heisenberg Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 MK - that's Martin Koppel, right ? Is it true that Tim Brown's collection actually surpasses Butch's ?
Ady Croasdell Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 Dave Simmons (who replaced Mike Raven) was responsible for Betty Swann - Kiss my Love Goodbye and many more when he played it on his Radio 1 Saturday show back in 1974. Every week he used to ring up a black music radio station in the states and they would run down their top 10 and he would play some of them. Kev I don't remember it being played in 1974 at Northern clubs, I thought it first got spun seriously in the early noughties? 2
Stateside Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 stateside, on 09 Mar 2015 - 5:46 PM, said: Dave Simmons (who replaced Mike Raven) was responsible for Betty Swann - Kiss my Love Goodbye and many more when he played it on his Radio 1 Saturday show back in 1974. Every week he used to ring up a black music radio station in the states and they would run down their top 10 and he would play some of them. Kev I don't remember it being played in 1974 at Northern clubs, I thought it first got spun seriously in the early noughties? You're right Ady, I don't think it did get picked up until much later. It was in my collection as a new release. I suppose what I was trying to say is that sometimes records aren't discovered and brought to the fore until late on, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are unknown. Kev 1
Popular Post solidhit Posted March 10, 2015 Popular Post Posted March 10, 2015 No disrespect to Tim but wasn't he teamed up with the aforementioned Greg Tormo, obviously Tim will also found stuff in his own right. As flattered as I am to be mentioned here, Tim was finding great records for 20 years before I met him. And even when I was sending him records on regular basis, he still found plenty on his own. I've certainly found a few good unknown things over the years, but only a tiny fraction of the tunes Tim has unearthed. 4
Kegsy Posted March 11, 2015 Author Posted March 11, 2015 As flattered as I am to be mentioned here, Tim was finding great records for 20 years before I met him. And even when I was sending him records on regular basis, he still found plenty on his own. I've certainly found a few good unknown things over the years, but only a tiny fraction of the tunes Tim has unearthed. Cheers for that Greg, as I said not dissing Tim just trying show how the perceived discoverer might not have always been the actual discoverer, as you say Tim did find plenty in his own right.
Kegsy Posted March 11, 2015 Author Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) stateside, on 09 Mar 2015 - 5:46 PM, said: You're right Ady, I don't think it did get picked up until much later. It was in my collection as a new release. I suppose what I was trying to say is that sometimes records aren't discovered and brought to the fore until late on, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are unknown. Kev I reckon there are 100's of examples of what you describe, mainly due to tastes changing on the scene over the years, thereby allowing modern/crossover stuff to be played. Ruby Andrews Just Loving You is a perfect example. Many people bought "blind" by Artist, Label etc., when they played them, although they were great records, they were not uptempo enough for the scene, the record was just filed and often left unplayed for years. I found about 10 copies of Big Daddy Rogers on Midas in a box of about 500 singles which had been gathering dust in the garage for years, plus loads of other stuff. I dread to think what that bugger Derek Pearson relieved me of when I let him look through, what I considered to be, my others/non northern racks. Edited March 11, 2015 by Kegsy 1
Ady Croasdell Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 stateside, on 09 Mar 2015 - 5:46 PM, said: You're right Ady, I don't think it did get picked up until much later. It was in my collection as a new release. I suppose what I was trying to say is that sometimes records aren't discovered and brought to the fore until late on, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are unknown. Kev Completely, I had that Hopkins Brothers in my collection not knowing it was getting spun for a couple of years. My 6TS partner Randy championed Kiss My Love Goodbye - and several other Bettye Atlantics-throughout the 80s and 90s though I think it was probably a DJ up north who got it to be so popular eventually; all sorts of people are involved in a record's popularity. 2
Pete S Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) No disrespect to Tim but wasn't he teamed up with the aforementioned Greg Tormo, obviously Tim will also found stuff in his own right. I think you'll find Tim was around the scene 30 years before he met Greg sorry posted that before reading whole thread Edited March 11, 2015 by Pete S
Back Street Blue Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) The big names were so prolific that they're bound to get the credit for discovering sounds. That said there must be many lesser known DJ's and diggers and collectors who have had their personal moments of glory and I agree that it would be great to hear their accounts. I was at college in '76 with my mate Scally (Mike Atherton-"Scal" on here) who was on a mission to track down the artist Oscar Perry. Scal eventually got Oscar's phone number and struck up a friendship which culminated in Scal discovering and sourcing a copy of "main string" and he was instrumental in persuading Oscar to come over to the UK. Being a collector and not a DJ, Scal was also reluctantly persuaded to do a set at an alldayer (at the Rose Bowl?) in Burnley...where he shared the decks with a certain Mr Mark Dobson. There must be plenty of other guys out there with similar tales to tell. Edited March 11, 2015 by back street blue 1
Labeat Posted March 11, 2015 Posted March 11, 2015 MK - that's Martin Koppel, right ? Is it true that Tim Brown's collection actually surpasses Butch's ? Unless we go to Butch's house to look then onto Tim's then we'll never establish. The two of them i reckon would have entirely different collections
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