Jimmy James - Help Yourself

[Chris Turnbull]

What's the story with this one? Can't find much info. Also looking for a clean copy of the Orange / White 1970 original press if anyone can help.

1970 release on Trojan but was it played as a new release (Wheel? / Cats / Torch / Youth Clubs?)

How come it went big at Wigan mid 70's and who played it?

(Did it come about through the Pye connection i.e. Jimmy James was having hits on Pye by the mid 70's?)

Did JJ know it was a big tune again and did he appear at Wigan at all?

Was it big elsewhere too at the same time?

Who were Miami Records who reissued it in '76? 

Miami version sounds remixed to me - pretty sure it's faster than the Trojan original, with less backing vocals near the end. Is that correct and if so was the 1975 Trojan Disco Pick issue the same i.e. souped up compared with the orange and white original? Might be barking up the wrong tree there

Funny sounding tune for Trojan anyway? Thought Trojan was mainly licensed-in Jamaican tunes - presumably this was recorded in the UK?

 

 

[Soul-slider]

Orange & white Trojan definitely the first 'mix' as you say, Miami later mix.

Not sure about the blue one ...

[Soul-slider]

BTW. There's actually plenty of 'Soul' on Trojan labels, including this gem...

 

[Marty57]

Hi Chris i have copy of the orange & white, mint too, sorry to say its not for sale , its one of those thats hard to get trojan completeist just won't let em go! Think it was played at cleethorpes pier 75/76 i don' t know who the d j was .

Good hunting !

[Chris Turnbull]

38 minutes ago, marty57 said:

Hi Chris i have copy of the orange & white, mint too, sorry to say its not for sale , its one of those thats hard to get trojan completeist just won't let em go!

Thanks, not thought of that - probably why none on discogs. Plenty of the 1975 blue issue but would like to know if that's the same 'mix' as the orange / white - guessing it probably is

Anyone else with info as per my original post?

[Marty57]

Don't forget tother side' WHY'

[Chris Turnbull]

4 minutes ago, marty57 said:

Don't forget tother side' WHY'

Don't know it and not on youtube - was it played as well?

[malik]

I would think that it was recorded in Jamaica , the original issue, AFAIK, is on the Jamaican label "Tiger" from 1969 ( a Dynamic Production )

[Chris Turnbull]

5 minutes ago, malik said:

I would think that it was recorded in Jamaica , the original issue, AFAIK, is on the Jamaican label "Tiger" from 1969 ( a Dynamic Production )

 That's very interesting, can't find any mention / scans of it on the internet - anyone have it? What is AFAIK?

Assumed it was recorded here because JJ was UK based at the time

[malik]

I have a copy on Tiger  ( I mainly collect Jamaican music and I've found it in a reggae lot ) .. I'll post a picture in this topic once back home tonight 

[Mick Holdsworth]

 

8 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

 That's very interesting, can't find any mention / scans of it on the internet - anyone have it?

One here ...

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/JIMMY-JAMES-and-THE-VAGABONDS-Why-Help-yourself-Original-1970-TIGER-TROJAN-/142367958523?hash=item2125caa5fb:g:iJ4AAOSwSlBY3r7T

[Chris Turnbull]

Brilliant thanks Mick, have bought it 

Looks like it was a JA recording then

Any more info about its popularity in the 70's?

[Swifty]

I know slightly off topic but a creditable version from 1968 on UK & US Bell by James & Bobby Purify

 

[Chris Turnbull]

3 minutes ago, SWIFTY said:

I know slightly off topic but a creditable version from 1968 on UK & US Bell by James & Bobby Purify

 

Had totally forgotten about that one, and I have it as well 

Presumably like a lot of JA soul then a cover of the US version

[malik]

3 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

Brilliant thanks Mick, have bought it 

Looks like it was a JA recording then

Any more info about its popularity in the 70's?

I hadn't paid attention before, but now that I look at it again : It's written A Dynamic Production on the right of the label ( like for all tunes on this label ). But under the title the credits are actually "A Trojan Production". So your first guess must be correct : it was a Uk production brought back to Ja afterwards ... 

Oh and AFAIK = As Far As I Know 

[Chris Turnbull]

4 minutes ago, malik said:

I hadn't paid attention before, but now that I look at it again : It's written A Dynamic Production on the right of the label ( like for all tunes on this label ). But under the title the credits are actually "A Trojan Production". So your first guess must be correct : it was a Uk production brought back to Ja afterwards ... 

Oh and AFAIK = As Far As I Know 

The plot thickens Wonder if anyone can confirm?

AFAIK lol, thought maybe to do with run out grooves or something

[Swifty]

Didn't realise it had been done so many times,

 

JAY & THE TECHNIQUES - 1968

JAMES & BOBBY PURIFY - 1968

MADELINE BELL - 1969

FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION - 1969

JIMMY JAMES 1969/70

and there's probably more lol

[El Corol]

4 hours ago, marty57 said:

Don't forget tother side' WHY'

You're right a cracking song

[Chris Turnbull]

18 minutes ago, SWIFTY said:

JAY & THE TECHNIQUES - 1968

JAMES & BOBBY PURIFY - 1968

MADELINE BELL - 1969

FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION - 1969

JIMMY JAMES 1969/70

and there's probably more lol

Wow, had no idea either

[Rick Scott]

As Martin57 said he thought it was played at the Pier and he was correct on that as i was the Guilty One, I played it from new release at The Friendship Inn (Keadby) and at Scunthorpes "Soul Scene" (Lindum St.) and others venues up to playing it at the Pier. Was on a few Mailing Lists at the time receiving Demos of President and related label Demos, stuff like Jay Boy and Bull Dog and UK obscure Soul and Reggae Stuff ( A mixture of U.K., U.S. and Jamaican recordings) during the 90's also received a lot of promo 12" singles from the likes of Acid Jazz etc and have often wondered what happened to Mailing lists, do they just cater to the Elite Club DJs theses days?.   

[Chris Turnbull]

10 minutes ago, RICK SCOTT said:

As Martin57 said he thought it was played at the Pier and he was correct on that as i was the Guilty One, I played it from new release at The Friendship Inn (Keadby) and at Scunthorpes "Soul Scene" (Lindum St.) and others venues up to playing it at the Pier. 

Hi Rick, presumably around '75 when you were playing it at the Pier, did it then travel back over the Pennines? Just interested to see how it became such a big tune at the time

[Rick Scott]

Good Morning Chris, Yes correct on the date as you would be well aware how short lived the Pier was at the time, but we had a great Two Year+ run and i have very fond memories of the place and miss it greatly as i do The Winter Gardens, Two Iconic Soul Venues.

At the time i was playing all over the country with my good friend and fellow DJ  Chris Dalton( from Lincoln) at the time, so it would have got many spins along the way, It was quite a big record at that time with its quirky beat and those breaks for the spins and hand claps but like a lot of records got over shadowed by the Next Big Thing which in those day were in abundance, but a very nice record all the same.  

[Steve Foran]

I recall it from Kettering All dayers from around 75. Not sure if you was a DJ there Rick. It was around the time of Get Out I always think of them together. Likely Peterborough Wirrina as well. I lived down there then so went to P,boro, St Ives and Kettering.

[Rick Scott]

Hi Steve, i would not want to Steal someone else's Thunder on that one one as those venues don't spring to mind (and the memory not that great these days) as i have 66 miles on the Clock, so maybe some one else played them at those particular locations, nice that you mention 'Get Out' another of my all time Favs from that era, we were spoilt back then as there were a wealth of great records being discovered and played back then on a daily bases, the constant turn over of great records was unbelevable at the time.  

[Marty57]

I don't know about WHY i play it sometimes round nottingham as a amateur collector /warm up dj, just as a reminder really that there are nice tunes out there that cost under a grand , lol. 

[Rick Scott]

Agree Martin, there are a lot better Cheap records out there than some of the so called big ticket numbers and credit to you, play what you like, what your inner self tells you, if you get a good reaction all the better, a nice feel good record that puts a smile on your face 

[Winsford Soul]

On 22/05/2017 at 20:50, Chris Turnbull said:

What's the story with this one? Can't find much info. Also looking for a clean copy of the Orange / White 1970 original press if anyone can help.

1970 release on Trojan but was it played as a new release (Wheel? / Cats / Torch / Youth Clubs?)

How come it went big at Wigan mid 70's and who played it?

(Did it come about through the Pye connection i.e. Jimmy James was having hits on Pye by the mid 70's?)

Did JJ know it was a big tune again and did he appear at Wigan at all?

Was it big elsewhere too at the same time?

Who were Miami Records who reissued it in '76? 

Miami version sounds remixed to me - pretty sure it's faster than the Trojan original, with less backing vocals near the end. Is that correct and if so was the 1975 Trojan Disco Pick issue the same i.e. souped up compared with the orange and white original? Might be barking up the wrong tree there

Funny sounding tune for Trojan anyway? Thought Trojan was mainly licensed-in Jamaican tunes - presumably this was recorded in the UK?

 

 

What a great record. Thanks for posting this.  Can't believe that I have forgotten about it. Loved it at the Casino and then years later when the late great Keith Brady   ( R.I.P ) reactivated it at Morecambe,s Carleton club nighters. 

Steve

[Chris Turnbull]

6 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

What a great record. Thanks for posting this.  Can't believe that I have forgotten about it. Loved it at the Casino and then years later when the late great Keith Brady   ( R.I.P ) reactivated it at Morecambe,s Carleton club nighters. 

Steve

Brilliant, thanks Steve, I love it - don't know if it gets many spins now but it should do

Any idea who spun it at the Casino? 

[Pete S]

On 2017-5-23 at 12:15, malik said:

I would think that it was recorded in Jamaica , the original issue, AFAIK, is on the Jamaican label "Tiger" from 1969 ( a Dynamic Production )

It's not mate, it's 100% recorded in England.

[Chris Turnbull]

3 minutes ago, Pete S said:

It's not mate, it's 100% recorded in England.

Hi Pete, further down the thread he agrees it was probably UK recorded then leased to JA

Any more info about the recording? Wonder who played on it. Sounds a bit like Foundations or similar 

Can you remember who spun it at the Casino?

An idea who was behind the Miami release? 

[Pete S]

On 2017-5-24 at 15:24, Chris Turnbull said:

Hi Pete, further down the thread he agrees it was probably UK recorded then leased to JA

Any more info about the recording? Wonder who played on it. Sounds a bit like Foundations or similar 

Can you remember who spun it at the Casino?

An idea who was behind the Miami release? 

I think Miami was a short lived Trojan disco label when they changed distributors in 76/77.  No reason why it wouldn't have been his Vagabonds playing on the record though.  Never heard it at the Casino so before my time I'm afraid.

[Chris Turnbull]

10 minutes ago, Pete S said:

I think Miami was a short lived Trojan disco label when they changed distributors in 76/77.  No reason why it wouldn't have been his Vagabonds playing on the record though.  Never heard it at the Casino so before my time I'm afraid.

Thanks - forgot about the Vagabonds lol