Martha Reeves / Vandellas 45 - Covered Up As What?

[Sean Hampsey]

Evening all

Something came to mind this afternoon (which is odd cos I don't normally do any thinking on a Sunday).

I remember at a very early Wigan hearing Martha & The Vandellas "One Way Out" played and announced with a cover up title.

I'd had the record for many years so was shocked to hear it covered, but none of my mates knew it at the time.

Some time after it went on to be pretty popular and loads of us played it, but does anyone remember what was the artist & title?

Think it may have been Russ that played it, but I may be wrong.

Anyone?

Thanks a bunch.

Sean

 

 

[John Benson]

Can't say as I've heard that one Sean - but that doesn't mean much! 

I'm sure someone else will know something about this.

[Sean Hampsey]

It's a weird one John. Something that I never got to the bottom of and never though to ask until now.

I'm 90% sure it was Russ cos he had a tendency to do such things.

Remember him playing the Miracles 'Soulful Shack' one night - another one that I'd loved for a few years but never thought I'd hear it in the Main Room at Wigan!

Wonder if Mark / Wiganer can shed any light as I think he was building a list of everything played?

Cheers John and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Sean

 

 

[Pete S]

I don't remember it being covered up Sean, not saying you're wrong, the next week after it was first played I got one in the back bar off Dave Withers for £5 and I knew it was M & The V's.  £5 it was!

[Sean Hampsey]

Cheers Pete. Would that have been first time it was played uncovered? Do you recall who it was that played it? Would it have been Russ? That would have been a lot of money at the time, a fiver! Sounded fantastic though in the main room played loud!

Sean

[Pete S]

I don't know mate, it was definitely Russ though - if it was covered up, then it was seen through straight away.

[Ian Dewhirst]

Great record and perfect for the time but it was pretty well known around my way long before Wigan and was in most Tamla Motown collections at the time. "Love Bug (Leave My Heart Alone)" was popular too and everyone always checked out the Tamla Motown 'B' sides 'cos they were generally great anyway. So covering it up would have been a bit of a stretch. Mind you, Russ is great at popularising some previously underplayed Martha stuff like "No One There" etc so he's obviously a huge Martha fan. 

 

Ian D

Edited January 18, 2016 by Ian Dewhirst

[Sean Hampsey]

Agreed Pete. I can't have been the only person in the building who knew what it was.

Thanks for that.

So I guess Russ will have the answer.

Cheers.

Sean

[Sean Hampsey]

6 minutes ago, Ian Dewhirst said:

Great record and perfect for the time but it was pretty well known around my way long before Wigan and was in most Tamla Motown collections at the time. "Love Bug (Leave My Heart Alone" was popular too and everyone always checked out the Tamla Motown 'B' sides 'cos they were generally great anyway. So covering it up would have been a bit of a stretch. Mind you, Russ is great at popularising some previously underplayed Martha stuff like "No One There" etc so he's obviously a huge Martha fan. 

 

Ian D

Agreed Ian.

I can't have been the only person in the building who knew what it was.

But, although I had known it a few years, I'd never (ever) heard it played out anywhere before that night.

I'm sure Russ will have the answer.

Cheers mate.

Sean

[Dazz]

Always remember this being played at Walsall Town Hall, be about 1975 ish but don't remember it from Wigan around the same time. The DJ must have had some sort of edit of it as he used to precede it with that jingle off the Motown box set, you know the one - "Detroit, Michigan, Motortown, Motown, this is the Motown sound"  Just a one way out....... 

[Pete S]

6 minutes ago, Dazz said:

Always remember this being played at Walsall Town Hall, be about 1975 ish but don't remember it from Wigan around the same time. The DJ must have had some sort of edit of it as he used to precede it with that jingle off the Motown box set, you know the one - "Detroit, Michigan, Motortown, Motown, this is the Motown sound"  Just a one way out....... 

No it wasn't played at Wigan until 77 Dazz.

[Sean Hampsey]

26 minutes ago, Pete S said:

No it wasn't played at Wigan until 77 Dazz.

So it was played by Russ at Wigan announced as M. Reeves etc. in 77 Pete?

Thanks for that.

I think I'd have had the 'cover up' spin a couple of years earlier in my mind, maybe '75.

That kind of makes sense to me now.

Just wish I knew what he'd had it covered as a couple of years earlier .

No big deal, just curious.

Cheers.

Sean

[Dayo]

My memory says it was played at Wigan in 73 or 74. Might not have been announced but there was a Martha Reeves track in one of the allnighter ads and I thought I knew what it was. Polo bet me it was One Way Out. My money was on "I gotta let you go". I'll never forget his crowing when we both heard One Way Out at Wigan in the very early days. Stuck in my mind. In fact, didn't Richard play it at Va Va?

[Shsdave]

12 hours ago, Sean Hampsey said:

Cheers Pete. Would that have been first time it was played uncovered? Do you recall who it was that played it? Would it have been Russ? That would have been a lot of money at the time, a fiver! Sounded fantastic though in the main room played loud!

Sean

Blimey a fiver was a lot. I never knew it until I heard it at Yate, no idea of the year but got a mint copy soon after for a quid (possibly at Wigan )

One of my favs for a long while, now I can't remember the last time I played it. Years & years & years. 

[soultronic]

just slightly off topic , but related .  wasn't it Russ that played Mary Wilson -youre the light that guides my way covered up as Candy Staton . pretty much as a new release.  think most people knew what that was . not heard that for a fair while does it still get played?

[Mick Holdsworth]

11 hours ago, soultronic said:

just slightly off topic , but related .  wasn't it Russ that played Mary Wilson -youre the light that guides my way covered up as Candy Staton . pretty much as a new release.  think most people knew what that was . not heard that for a fair while does it still get played?

Probably was, I can definitely remember him announcing a Barbara Mills cover-up, and playing Velvet Love - Symphony Of Dreams - at the time a new release on UK Alaska

Edited January 19, 2016 by Mick Holdsworth

[Pete S]

1 hour ago, Mick Holdsworth said:

Probably was, I can definitely remember him announcing a Barbara Mills cover-up, and playing Velvet Love - Symphony Of Dreams - at the time a new release on UK Alaska

I have him on tape playing Velvet Love but to be fair, it was only about 15 minutes after it opened that night and there were hardly any people in...didn't hear it played again...always liked it though

[BrianB]

I bought my copy of owo at Burnley Cricket Club at the Tuesday night sessions in 1974 for 50p. It was well known and played at the local venues such as the Ukrainian club in Todmorden. I never heard it played out after I bought it. Great record. To me Martha had an outstanding voice and I never tire of listening to their albums that contain some brilliant tracks. I always thought Heartless would have got more plays as I am sure it was played at the Wheel. Maybe too easy to get hold of in the old days?

[Paul R]

18 hours ago, Dayo said:

My memory says it was played at Wigan in 73 or 74. Might not have been announced but there was a Martha Reeves track in one of the allnighter ads and I thought I knew what it was. Polo bet me it was One Way Out. My money was on "I gotta let you go". I'll never forget his crowing when we both heard One Way Out at Wigan in the very early days. Stuck in my mind. In fact, didn't Richard play it at Va Va?

I do remember Happiness Is Guaranteed, off the Watchout LP, being played around late 1973. Can't remember whether it was at Wigan though.

 

Paul