BLACK PEPPER INFO.

[dean jj]

BLACK PEPPER 'YOU KEEP RUNNING OUT OF GAS'

This is a Roger Hatcher production in the sister funk/wailing woman style that Soul Bowl had as a twelve 25 years or so ago on Golden Wax and was more recently licensed by Sticky Records as a 45 splendidly with a dub reggae record on the other side! Does anyone know if there is an earlier 45 [as it sounds 70's] or was the 12" John had taken from an unreleased tape?

dean

[Derek Pearson]

Hey up Dean - how's it going?

On reading through the background info to the release I think the answer is no it wasn't released previously on a 45.

Info lifted from the Sticky records website www.stickyrecords.org

Wasn't it a lad called Peter who used to work for you on a  Saturday in the Expansion shop in Manchester (the first one that was behind Victoria station) that set up the label Sticky Records on finishing University in Manchester and returning back home?

Dx

The BLACK PEPPER 45

Information on the band and the track is very scant indeed.   It does not appear to have been released around the time of recording (admittedly I am guessing when I say late 60s,  it could be anytime up to mid 70s)  the track only first surfaced on a very small manufacture run from an independent Californian based record label on a 12" in 1991.     The same track was on both sides and it just looked, sounded & was of a length which said this should really be a 7 inch.

The track is written, produced and arranged by Roger Hatcher, a man born in 1940s Alabama, who came from a family steeped in soulful heritage.  His cousin was Edwin Starr and his brother was the soulful legend Willie Hatcher, both siblings have been responsible for numerous notable additions to the recorded world of Soul music as: writers, producers, managers, arrangers and so much more.   Will continues to be engrossed in music and is currently involved in and formulating many soulful projects.

Roger, sadly passed away relatively recently and it is through contact with Will Hatcher that Sticky Records was able to secure the rights to make this soulful gem available again on vinyl and on that beloved of formats - the 45.

Details about the session and the master tapes have not been located (if any still exist!), the label is no longer in business.   I can only guess when I say that this may have been a part finished project (Black Pepper only appear to have recorded this single song)  intended for release at the time but for whatever reason, shelved and then stumbled across at  a later date with astonishment.

There is also the chance that the release could have been hampered by the lyrical content as it may not have been seen as appropriate by the conservative radio of the time.     This is not the most common of topics for a soul side, we don't have wails and tales of heartbreak, infidelity and separation or indeed political comment or just plain joy, she vocalises a complaint in no uncertain terms about how her man has ran out of gas (again) when she plainly needs more!    She puts her side of the story across concisely.   "You ought to see a Doctor and see what's wrong"!     Tough.

I also haven't even been able to find the name of the female vocalist as she is uncredited -  But what a voice.  WHAT A VOICE  - and indeed what a band. So, not much of a story to offer, any contributions would be most appreciated,  but for now we can let the music speak for itself.  

First ever 45 worldwide release - Don't miss this one.

[dean jj]

Yo Mr. D.

Yes Sticky records was Peter 'Beadseat' Gibson's project.

Don't know how many of the 12" John had but only five copies reached the shop.

There are other Black Pepper releases on discog but whether its the same group I know not.

May your tribe prosper and your camels multiply

dean