Around 20 years ago Kev Roberts brought out the first edition of the Top 500 Northern Soul Records & I decided to try and get every track mentioned in the book on CD, whether in the top 500 or not for a bit of fun. After all it should be fairly easy & cheap to do compared to getting the vinyl..... wrong on both counts. Twenty years later there are still tracks I don't have & to make it worse Kev brought out a second edition to add to the list of unobtainables. With rumour of a third edition beig prepared I'd like your help to find the last few tracks on CD.

I set myself one rule; it has to be a CD sold in shops & on line  -  no soul night freebies, which is what makes it so difficult as if I had the cash I could buy any record because I know it exists, but with CDs, someone has had to consider it worthy of putting on an album or compilation & then I have to find it! Although I can't complain as it's lead me to buy albums & box sets for a single track and I've found some amazing music through them

The tracks I have left to find are:

• Mello Souls - We Can Make It
• Joseph Webster - My Love Is So Strong           
• Soul Inc - My Proposal                      
• Connie Questell - Give Up Girl
• Keni Lewis - Not The Marrying Kind

I know the purists will look at my quest with disdain, but if anyone can help I'd appreciate it

Thanks in advance

 

Not a "purist" but can wholeheartedly agree with your quest. 10 years ago I decided to sell my collection and traded it in for a large collection of CDs and then set out to find my favourite vinyl tracks in CD. I largely completed that task and now have over 20,000 mainly northern tracks committed to digital. 

Can confirm that the Mellow Souls is seriously hard to find and I had to resort to "ripping" a youtube video. The Cameo Parkway catalogue  is not easy to find in a legitimate format.

Keni Lewis is a great track but not on legitimate release as far as I know, as you say available on "on the door release"

Good Luck

  On 07/12/2021 at 16:54, Davebanks said:

Not a "purist" but can wholeheartedly agree with your quest. 10 years ago I decided to sell my collection and traded it in for a large collection of CDs and then set out to find my favourite vinyl tracks in CD. I largely completed that task and now have over 20,000 mainly northern tracks committed to digital. 

Can confirm that the Mellow Souls is seriously hard to find and I had to resort to "ripping" a youtube video. The Cameo Parkway catalogue  is not easy to find in a legitimate format.

Keni Lewis is a great track but not on legitimate release as far as I know, as you say available on "on the door release"

Good Luck

THanks for that, It's good to know I'm not on my own

Can't remember the date but must have been early 00s Stuart Marconi had Richard Searling as a guest and I'm sure it was on Radio 2 , and accidentally played the whole of Keni Lewis with out interruption and I was recording the show by chance , Richard must have have given him bollocking off air lol, I ripped a couple onto cd and that was the only way I could get one , I'm sure not on legit release , I do now have the 45 by the way , if you want still want a copy on cd , pm me 

Edited December 7, 20213 yr by Happy Feet
Spelling

  On 07/12/2021 at 18:07, Happy Feet said:

Can't remember the date but must have been early 00s Stuart Marconi had Richard Sealing as a guest and I'm sure it was on Radio 2 , and accidentally played the whole of Keni Lewis with out interruption and I was recording the show by chance , Richard must have have given him bollocking off air lol, I ripped a couple onto cd and that was the only way I could get one , I'm sure not on legit release , I do now have the 45 by the way , if you want still want a copy on cd , pm me 

Thanks for the offer. At present I’m determined to stick to my guns with legit releases. Although if there are loads of tracks I haven’t got in the next revision I may give up on the rules

As far as I am aware none of the tracks you seek are on any kinda Cd release.

  On 07/12/2021 at 18:14, Chalky said:

As far as I am aware none of the tracks you seek are on any kinda Cd release.

That is my worry. It’s not as though they’re bad tracks, which is what makes it more surprising that nobody has released them 

Connie Questel is on the Soul Class of 66 album on Kent but vinyl only I’m afraid. 

  On 07/12/2021 at 19:31, JOMT said:

Connie Questel is on the Soul Class of 66 album on Kent but vinyl only I’m afraid. 

I’m surprised Kent didn’t release that album on CD. I remember it coming out in the early 80’s when CDs were touted as the next big thing 

I'm.pretty sure they are not on legit cds but know most are on collectors and event freebie and bootleg cds. 

 

  On 07/12/2021 at 20:11, davidwapples said:

I'm.pretty sure they are not on legit cds but know most are on collectors and event freebie and bootleg cds. 

 

Probably why I’m still looking twenty years on. I suppose the only hope may be befriend someone at Kent or Goldsoul

I'm surprised to see that neither Joseph Webster nor Soul Inc weren't comp'd on CD so far. Both would make nice additions to Kent's Classiest Rarities series.

  On 07/12/2021 at 20:35, Benji said:

I'm surprised to see that neither Joseph Webster nor Soul Inc weren't comp'd on CD so far. Both would make nice additions to Kent's Classiest Rarities series.

I wish they would. Maybe I should try a cheeky email suggesting it to them

Why not? Worst case would be that Ady says they tried to clear the rights but failed.

  On 07/12/2021 at 20:58, Benji said:

Why not? Worst case would be that Ady says they tried to clear the rights but failed.

True, I know they’ve had the rights for Connie Questell. Who knows it may work 

  On 07/12/2021 at 21:45, Ageing Face said:

True, I know they’ve had the rights for Connie Questell. Who knows it may work 

Wasn't thinking about Connie.

Of the other tracks you listed:

Mello Souls - We Can Make It
Joseph Webster - My Love Is So Strong           
Soul Inc - My Proposal                     
Keni Lewis - Not The Marrying Kind

I'd say that Mello Souls is just too obscure to find out who owns the rights. But, just a gut feeling, there might be a chance to secure the rights to Joseph Webster and Soul Inc.? Personally, I couldn't be bothered about K. Lewis comp'd. Never really liked it, way too fast and not that special (IMO!)

  On 07/12/2021 at 22:02, Benji said:

Wasn't thinking about Connie.

Of the other tracks you listed:

Mello Souls - We Can Make It
Joseph Webster - My Love Is So Strong           
Soul Inc - My Proposal                     
Keni Lewis - Not The Marrying Kind

I'd say that Mello Souls is just too obscure to find out who owns the rights. But, just a gut feeling, there might be a chance to secure the rights to Joseph Webster and Soul Inc.? Personally, I couldn't be bothered about K. Lewis comp'd. Never really liked it, way too fast and not that special (IMO!)

In my younger (fitter) years Keni Lewis would’ve been right up my street, but I accept what you say now. 
To be honest I’d take anything they’d be able to release 

At least 4 of the 5 have been on non legit cd compilations for years , I've not seen them on any legit imported ones listed anywhere though so think.you will have all you can get at the moment

I’m sure I had a Stafford orientated cd with soul inc on and it said it was c/u as Mel Britt back in the day. Not sure if it was legit or not. 

  On 08/12/2021 at 00:01, Mick Boyle said:

I’m sure I had a Stafford orientated cd with soul inc on and it said it was c/u as Mel Britt back in the day. Not sure if it was legit or not. 

Wasnt that soul bros inc pyramid covered up as mel britt our love will grow?  Which is on a legit release

  On 08/12/2021 at 00:01, Mick Boyle said:

I’m sure I had a Stafford orientated cd with soul inc on and it said it was c/u as Mel Britt back in the day. Not sure if it was legit or not. 

Thanks for that. I’ll do a trawl with Stafford mentioned in the title & see if it brings up anything 

  On 08/12/2021 at 05:04, davidwapples said:

Wasnt that soul bros inc pyramid covered up as mel britt our love will grow?  Which is on a legit release

I hadn’t thought of putting cover up titles. Could be worth a try 

It was the goldmine Stafford cd that had pyramid on it but that's by soul bros inc and not the artist soul inc you are looking for which I think is on coconut groove records and there isn't any compilations of stuff on that label

  On 08/12/2021 at 08:00, davidwapples said:

It was the goldmine Stafford cd that had pyramid on it but that's by soul bros inc and not the artist soul inc you are looking for which I think is on coconut groove records and there isn't any compilations of stuff on that label

I have the Stafford Story CD. I’ll check it out 

  On 08/12/2021 at 05:04, davidwapples said:

Wasnt that soul bros inc pyramid covered up as mel britt our love will grow?  Which is on a legit release

That’s correct- sorry I was half asleep when I read the first post. 
Mental note - Must pay more attention.  

Does it have to be legal CD. ie. A physical medium ?

Spotify have "The Marrying Kind" available to stream, and you can buy the digital recording from amazon for 99p

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HYMGJLT/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

 

  On 08/12/2021 at 10:00, Mick Holdsworth said:

Does it have to be legal CD. ie. A physical medium ?

Spotify have "The Marrying Kind" available to stream, and you can buy the digital recording from amazon for 99p

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HYMGJLT/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

 

Unfortunately it has to be a physical CD. I still prefer CDs to downloads - there’s no sleeve notes on Spotify 😁

  On 08/12/2021 at 08:23, Ageing Face said:

I have the Stafford Story CD. I’ll check it out 

Just checked the Stafford Story on the off chance I’d missed one. You’re right - Pyramid is the track that’s on there

  On 07/12/2021 at 22:02, Benji said:

Wasn't thinking about Connie.

Of the other tracks you listed:

Mello Souls - We Can Make It
Joseph Webster - My Love Is So Strong           
Soul Inc - My Proposal                     
Keni Lewis - Not The Marrying Kind

I'd say that Mello Souls is just too obscure to find out who owns the rights. But, just a gut feeling, there might be a chance to secure the rights to Joseph Webster and Soul Inc.? Personally, I couldn't be bothered about K. Lewis comp'd. Never really liked it, way too fast and not that special (IMO!)

Steve Jeffries website has a 'licensed' Joseph Webster, 'fully licensed from his owners in the USA, at considerable expense'. So, the rights may be out there to be secured for a CD issue!!

  On 08/12/2021 at 13:51, Tim Richmond said:

Steve Jeffries website has a 'licensed' Joseph Webster, 'fully licensed from his owners in the USA, at considerable expense'. So, the rights may be out there to be secured for a CD issue!!

Maybe I’ll try to persuade Mr Jeffries to go in to CD production  

  On 08/12/2021 at 14:38, Ageing Face said:

Maybe I’ll try to persuade Mr Jeffries to go in to CD production  

The success of Kent comps alone should convince him of the market for this kind of release. If he's in the business of securing rare rights, there might be a very tasty comp to be made of them. Alternatively, perhaps he could agree to allow Kent to license it from him.

  On 08/12/2021 at 15:13, Mickey Finn said:

The success of Kent comps alone should convince him of the market for this kind of release. If he's in the business of securing rare rights, there might be a very tasty comp to be made of them. Alternatively, perhaps he could agree to allow Kent to license it from him.

Having seen the prices on his website, the guy is definitely out to make money. Maybe if he could do it with little effort he’d go for it 

Leroy Taylor is the artist on Not the marrying kind, not Keni Lewis. 

There has been two official presses on the federal green label. 

One Christmas I decided to get all the releases for my wife of her favourite artist, Divine Comedy. She already had some cd's but I managed to find all the rest, bar one. So I downloaded it and burned to a cd for her. She was very happy! 

If I was completing the same quest as you and I was six tracks short, because they didn't exist on official cds then I would find the best copies and burn them to a cd myself. There's no use searching for something that currently doesn't exist when you can get them another way, at least until they might become available. You only have one life:-)

  On 09/12/2021 at 01:04, Lovemusic said:

Leroy Taylor is the artist on Not the marrying kind, not Keni Lewis. 

There has been two official presses on the federal green label. 

One Christmas I decided to get all the releases for my wife of her favourite artist, Divine Comedy. She already had some cd's but I managed to find all the rest, bar one. So I downloaded it and burned to a cd for her. She was very happy! 

If I was completing the same quest as you and I was six tracks short, because they didn't exist on official cds then I would find the best copies and burn them to a cd myself. There's no use searching for something that currently doesn't exist when you can get them another way, at least until they might become available. You only have one life:-)

It's getting tempting, especially as I'm so close

  On 08/12/2021 at 13:51, Tim Richmond said:

Steve Jeffries website has a 'licensed' Joseph Webster, 'fully licensed from his owners in the USA, at considerable expense'. So, the rights may be out there to be secured for a CD issue!!

I'm pretty sure the rights are controlled by Secret Stash, who own the Flaming Arrow catalogue.
They're not the most responsive of licensors...

 

  On 08/12/2021 at 15:13, Mickey Finn said:

The success of Kent comps alone should convince him of the market for this kind of release. If he's in the business of securing rare rights, there might be a very tasty comp to be made of them. Alternatively, perhaps he could agree to allow Kent to license it from him.

I can't speak for everyone, but the success of a comp on Kent is no indication as to whether a similar set will do well if issued by another label.
Given their history and quality, Ace/Kent (deservedly) have an automatic audience for anything they put out. If another label doesn't have the profile or clout of Ace/Kent; anything they release is only going to sell a fraction of what Kent would if they issued the same title.

Edited December 11, 20213 yr by Nathan

  On 08/12/2021 at 13:51, Tim Richmond said:

Steve Jeffries website has a 'licensed' Joseph Webster, 'fully licensed from his owners in the USA, at considerable expense'. So, the rights may be out there to be secured for a CD issue!!

I heard he got into bother with that one as it wasn't licensed