Where did you first hear these tunes?

[Chris Turnbull]

Got to thinking about when I was 20 or 21 around 1990/91 and started going to niters regularly - Droylesden, Bradford, etc. 

Loads of records new to me then that I associate with that time and those venues, but obviously most had been played earlier - done a quick list below off the top of me head and would be interested to know where did you personally first hear these tunes?

Jimmey Soul Clark - I’ll be your winner
Donna Coleman - Your love’s too strong 
Reggie Alexander - It’s better
Kim Weston - A thrill a moment
Volumes - Same old feeling 
Terry Callier - Look at me now
Hytones - You don’t even know my name
Tommy Ridgley - My love is getting stronger
Robert John - Raindrops, love & sunshine
Paul Sindab - I was a fool
Esther Phillips - Just say goodbye
Cashmeres - Showstopper
George Freeman - Down and out
Geater Davis - My love is so strong for you 
Buddy Ace - True love money can’t buy
Otis Lee - Hard row to hoe
L Allen - Can’t we talk it over
Posse - Evil
George Wydell - Funny feeling 
Margie Joseph - One more chance 
Ruby Andrew’s - Just loving you

Cheers, Chris

[Chalky]

Most of those were what we would have termed oldies by then with most having been played since at least the mid 80s, some early 80s and some earlier than that. 

[Chris Turnbull]

9 minutes ago, Chalky said:

Most of those were what we would have termed oldies by then with most having been played since at least the mid 80s, some early 80s and some earlier than that. 

Ha I know that, I was just interested in when you first heard them yourself?

Edited December 8, 2021 by Chris Turnbull
Spelling

[Chris Turnbull]

I was meaning they were newies to me at that time, but when and where were they newies to you?

[Solidsoul]

Cashmeres and Posse I first heard in Wigan Casino. Also I think I first heard L.A. Allen in Wigan. The Hytones, Tommy Ridgley and George Freeman from Stafford. Otis Lee later than Stafford for me, maybe Tony's Empress Ballroom. Most of the other tunes I knew first as Northern Soul collectables before they got played in a venue. A lot of them were cheap sounds and became expensive when they started getting played. Things like Terry Callier, Jimmy soul Clark, Donna Coleman etc were all on sales tapes first in the late 70's early 80's.

Edited December 8, 2021 by D9 Ktf

[Chris Turnbull]

That's interesting, was assuming Donna Coleman eg would have had big plays much earlier

Terry Callier I know from Blackbeat etc was getting played early 80's but maybe didn't go big until late 80's / early 90's? 

Jimmey Soul Clark 'Winner' heard out much before late 80's?

[Solidsoul]

7 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

That's interesting, was assuming Donna Coleman eg would have had big plays much earlier

Terry Callier I know from Blackbeat etc was getting played early 80's but maybe didn't go big until late 80's / early 90's? 

Jimmey Soul Clark 'Winner' heard out much before late 80's?

Pat Brady used to put Donna Colman on his sales tapes, they were £8 on his lists. Terry Callier was £2.50 a lot of times on the Soul Bowl.  Jimmy Soul Clark was always listed for the other side, a great Detroit instrumental called "A Girl's World".

[Geeselad]

Guy used to end Blackburn with down and out sometimes

[Chris Turnbull]

Good info thanks 

[Merve]

Paul Sindab - I was a fool

Found a Knox copy (plain red label) with a small Powertree DJ Copy sticker covering Knox (show Knox was certainly the 1st release) in 1980 while crate digging. Brought it back & offered it to several DJs as an unknown & no-one rated it (nor did I to be honest. Sam was quite brutal )......Fast forward to around 2002 - I'd been off the scene for a while & had no idea what had been played over the last few years so sold it for next to nothing on ebay 

[Chris Turnbull]

3 minutes ago, Merve said:

Paul Sindab - I was a fool

Found a Knox copy (plain red label) with a small Powertree DJ Copy sticker covering Knox (show Knox was certainly the 1st release) in 1980 while crate digging. Brought it back & offered it to several DJs as an unknown & no-one rated it (nor did I to be honest. Sam was quite brutal )......Fast forward to around 2002 - I'd been off the scene for a while & had no idea what had been played over the last few years so sold it for next to nothing on ebay 

I loved Paul Sindab I was a fool - first heard via Roger Banks at Hyde Botanical Thur nights, Mark Robertson also at the same time around Manchester- sounded awesome out loud, if less impressive at home

[Dobber]

33 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

I loved Paul Sindab I was a fool - first heard via Roger Banks at Hyde Botanical Thur nights, Mark Robertson also at the same time around Manchester- sounded awesome out loud, if less impressive at home

Hyde botanical club was great soul nite! May have the membership somewhere too! I bought squires-dont accuse me and john bowie-a good thing for £50 for the pair off mark Robertson after i mythered him to death! First time a heard things like E.WILLIAMS TRADE MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL at hyde!

[Geeselad]

Just say goodbye used to get lots to f spins at the 100, late 80's.

[Chris Turnbull]

27 minutes ago, Dobber said:

Hyde botanical club was great soul nite! May have the membership somewhere too! I bought squires-dont accuse me and john bowie-a good thing for £50 for the pair off mark Robertson after i mythered him to death! First time a heard things like E.WILLIAMS TRADE MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL at hyde!

Hyde was a great night, Mark a good guy as well, don't know whatever happened to him? Was on regularly in the NW for a while, great taste in tunes 

Me too E Williams from Roger, totally blown away by that one

[Mal C]

I got onto 'Margie Joseph - One more chance' pretty quick once I started to collect originals, think Rob Pheasant had two copies, one was a bit less than the other, some marks on the label so I had that one, think it was £20/25 quid, something like that.

remember when all the in sounds were about £25 quid, not super rare but cheapies were £4, tenner for intesresting label stuff, £25 quid for a track thats being played.... not the super rare stuff...

Geater Davis I got out of a shop in Brighton, I used to do the 'change the price tag' trick, or sleeve trick, I know... he never noticed and I bought there every week, so this chappy did well of me, and it wasnt Alan at Across the Tracks.

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Mal C

[Merve]

5 hours ago, Chris Turnbull said:

I loved Paul Sindab I was a fool - first heard via Roger Banks at Hyde Botanical Thur nights, Mark Robertson also at the same time around Manchester- sounded awesome out loud, if less impressive at home

What year would that have been mate? 

[Rick Cooper]

Donna Coleman- Your Love's Too Strong and George Wydell- Funny Feeling both fairly well known around 72 / 73. I think both got plays at Manchester Pendulum and early times at Blackpool . Ruby Andrews- Just Loving You was around late 70s /early 80s but not really played at clubs.

4 hours ago, Dobber said:

Hyde botanical club was great soul nite! May have the membership somewhere too! I bought squires-dont accuse me and john bowie-a good thing for £50 for the pair off mark Robertson after i mythered him to death! First time a heard things like E.WILLIAMS TRADE MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL at hyde!

Agree about Hyde, great club and where I first heard quite a lot of the Stafford type records. Top DJs and excellent guest spots. Memories of Big Scotty covering the whole length of the dance floor to the likes of Freddie Houston.

[Epic]

George Wydell - Funny Feeling was a Blackpool Mecca "Last Hour" spin for Colin Curtis around '75-76.

[Winsford Soul]

L Allen.  Definitely a Wigan tune just to confirm from a earlier post.

[Merve]

First heard The Cashmeres at The Fleet in 79 - Soul Sam I think (?)

Posse reminds me of Wigan but others have said played earlier ?

[Chris Turnbull]

21 minutes ago, Merve said:

What year would that have been mate? 

1988 to early 1991 I think 

[Winsford Soul]

6 minutes ago, Merve said:

First heard The Cashmeres at The Fleet in 79 - Soul Sam I think (?)

Posse reminds me of Wigan but others have said played earlier ?

Wigan for me too mate   not sure about  anything earlier for it. 

[Geeselad]

Roberts John, i assume was a revived oldie but I first heard it late 90's. Sealing used to hammer it in his show on JFM. Also got a lot of action at the Ritz, nighters, Prestwich, and the togetherness nighters, when kings hall used to be great. Along with 'the  brothers- are you ready for this' both were massive. 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Geeselad

[Merve]

13 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Wigan for me too mate   not sure about  anything earlier for it. 

About the only thing worth listening to in RWs sets at one point. The older heads used to tell me it was played early 70s as a new release but I've no idea. I would have been too busy dancing to Slade at the school disco at the time

[Eddie Hubbard]

Bought Ruby Andrew’s blind off Soul Bowl for about £6 ,late 70’s after reading Dave Godin’s rave review in Black Music .Didn’t hear it out for quite a while …

[Benji]

Reggie Alexander - It’s better
Terry Callier - Look at me now

I'll always link both tunes to Nürnberg weekenders mid/late 90s. Fantastic venue, fantastic sounds played.

Esther Phillips - Just say goodbye
Margie Joseph - One more chance 

Knew them but never heard them at a do before my first 100 Club in I think 91 or 92. Both played out loud was a life changing experience.

George Freeman - Down and out
Buddy Ace - True love money can’t buy

Knew them from tapes since 1990 or so and finally managed to buy both in the mid 90s. Thought they were too slow to be played at a NS party. Cue forward late 90s/early 2Ks to Deeper Shade party here in Munich I finally got the courage to play them out loud. Went down a storm, full dancefloor. A memory that will stick with me forever.

[washlively]

The ones that kinda stand out for me in that list are Terry Callier. Which I first heard at the Carlton Club in Warrington played by Radio DJ Nick Cowan (where is he now I wonder). I asked who it was and a few months later I picked one up in the record bar at Wigan around 79/80 for £3. Reggie Alexander I think was Keele ? could be wrong tho. Posse, L Alan, Cashmeres all Wigan. Tommy Ridgley Stafford? Donna Coleman Wigan/Stafford? not sure. Ruby Andrews Saints Club St Helens 90's?

Edited December 9, 2021 by washlively

[Geeselad]

Tommy Ridgeley would probably be through Butch's set's in the late 80's, 100 club, droylsden ect. Is it Stafford or Wigan? Anybody?

[Chris Turnbull]

9 hours ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

Bought Ruby Andrew’s blind off Soul Bowl for about £6 ,late 70’s after reading Dave Godin’s rave review in Black Music .Didn’t hear it out for quite a while …

Seemed to be everywhere around 1990 / 91 - big R. Searling plays on his Sunset Radio show, Blackburn, Droysleden, etc - of course she appeared at Droylseden a year or so later on the back of it I guess, along with Barbara Acklin

8 hours ago, washlively said:

Reggie Alexander I think was Keele ?

Was certainly one of Mark Bicknell's big tunes at Droylesden around 1991/2, probably him at Keele as well? Don't recall hearing anyone else play it 

[Chris Turnbull]

9 hours ago, Benji said:

Esther Phillips - Just say goodbye
Margie Joseph - One more chance 

Knew them but never heard them at a do before my first 100 Club in I think 91 or 92. Both played out loud was a life changing experience.

Lovely  Esther Phillips same for me at Hyde 

[Eddie Hubbard]

8 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Tommy Ridgeley would probably be through Butch's set's in the late 80's, 100 club, droylsden ect. Is it Stafford or Wigan? Anybody?

There is a tape of Searling playing it at Wigan ,though he has no memory of owning it .Records were handed to DJs to play though ,so maybe it was one of those .I remember Mick Smith handing Richard a copy of “ Because of my heart “ on Rouser at an oldies nighter at Wigan ,quite a while before it went big .John Vincent reviewed Tommy Ridgley in Rod Dearlove’s “ Midnight Express “ fanzine about 81- 84 ? 

[John A]

On 08/12/2021 at 10:18, Chalky said:

Most of those were what we would have termed oldies by then with most having been played since at least the mid 80s, some early 80s and some earlier than that. 

Being the same sort of age as Chris, when I started going in 86 onwards I had no concept of oldies or newies, only knew I was hearing lots of incredible records. It took me a few years to realise the sounds you could hoover up on cheap 70's boots and soul supply compilations were generally your oldies. And the sounds which were  a complete bugger to get even on a rubbish cassette recording were ya Stafford rarities

[Steve M]

9 hours ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

There is a tape of Searling playing it at Wigan ,though he has no memory of owning it .Records were handed to DJs to play though ,so maybe it was one of those .I remember Mick Smith handing Richard a copy of “ Because of my heart “ on Rouser at an oldies nighter at Wigan ,quite a while before it went big .John Vincent reviewed Tommy Ridgley in Rod Dearlove’s “ Midnight Express “ fanzine about 81- 84 ? 

John had it early eighties, along with Go on and laugh. 

[Greedy]

At all-niters? 

Sorry couldn't resist  

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Greedy Mick

[Chalky]

11 hours ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

There is a tape of Searling playing it at Wigan ,though he has no memory of owning it .Records were handed to DJs to play though ,so maybe it was one of those .I remember Mick Smith handing Richard a copy of “ Because of my heart “ on Rouser at an oldies nighter at Wigan ,quite a while before it went big .John Vincent reviewed Tommy Ridgley in Rod Dearlove’s “ Midnight Express “ fanzine about 81- 84 ? 

Tommy Ridgely it would appear was played just the once, week after the 6th anniversary, 29/9/79.  IT went back to John by all accounts and was picked up by John Vincent who played it along with Just Brothers, Peanut Duck etc at Morecambe to little acclaim.  Butch made it massive mid 80s onwards

22 hours ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

Bought Ruby Andrew’s blind off Soul Bowl for about £6 ,late 70’s after reading Dave Godin’s rave review in Black Music .Didn’t hear it out for quite a while …

Ian Clark played it early 80s

[Chalky]

The Wigan set with Tommy Ridgely was discussed here...

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/forums/topic/324115-awesome-richard-searling-spot-at-wigan/

[Theothertosspot]

Tommy Rigdgley was played at Wigan as a “b” lister, think George Sharpe made it big at Stafford. 

[Eddie Hubbard]

9 minutes ago, Chalky said:

Tommy Ridgely it would appear was played just the once, week after the 6th anniversary, 29/9/79.  IT went back to John by all accounts and was picked up by John Vincent who played it along with Just Brothers, Peanut Duck etc at Morecambe to little acclaim.  Butch made it massive mid 80s onwards

Ian Clark played it early 80s

Thanks for joining up the dots a bit Chalky 

[Theothertosspot]

On 08/12/2021 at 17:27, Winsford Soul said:

L Allen.  Definitely a Wigan tune just to confirm from a earlier post.

Yate

[Steve M]

56 minutes ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

Thanks for joining up the dots a bit Chalky 

Think JV played it at CH, pre Morecambe.

[Happy Feet]

Kim Weston , Leicester Starlight 2001 alnighters during the period when Brenda Holloway,Reconsider, was first played amongst other Motown finds ,played on white label promo I found at the record fair at the NEC for £25,and then sold later at Tony's in Blackburn for £45 in the record bar, must have been very late 80s early 90s , sold up 92/93 to pay for house refurb.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Happy Feet

[Gspluck]

On 08/12/2021 at 17:39, Chris Turnbull said:

1988 to early 1991 I think 

I Was A Fool was a popular tape swappers and collectors’ 45 early ‘80s with the Stafford crowd, I had a copy I think from Black Grape or Soul Bowl would have been no later than ‘84 so Merve you were just a few years ahead of your time.

[Chalky]

1 hour ago, Steve M said:

Think JV played it at CH, pre Morecambe.

I know he played it with the other newies at Morecambe for about 6 months, 1983.  He said they were poorly received and he became disillusioned and retired.

[Speedlimit]

Cashmeres was a casino spin for Richard searling covered up as the volcanoes 79

L Allen first spun at Yate 78

Ruby Andrews was first spun at rock city Notts by Jim wensoria and myself mid 80's

Tommy ridgley was spun by Johnathan woodliffe covered as Bobby Robinson  Notts palais 78 way before Richard played it

Hytones was a Stafford spin for pat Brady covered up as lee Otis valentine  mid 80's

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Speedlimit

[Geeselad]

Didn't mean to move the thread away from when people first heard them, to when they were first actually played. It's interesting to read how sounds were tried out several times before taking off, some through rarity, others just not right for the time, or audience. 

[Koolkat]

On 08/12/2021 at 18:03, Geeselad said:

Roberts John, i assume was a revived oldie but I first heard it late 90's. Sealing used to hammer it in his show on JFM. Also got a lot of action at the Ritz, nighters, Prestwich, and the togetherness nighters, when kings hall used to be great. Along with 'the  brothers- are you ready for this' both were massive. 

First heard Robert John at Accy British Legion circa 1975/6 ish.

[Chalky]

13 hours ago, Speedlimit said:

Cashmeres was a casino spin for Richard searling covered up as the volcanoes 79

L Allen first spun at Yate 78

Ruby Andrews was first spun at rock city Notts by Jim wensoria and myself mid 80's

Tommy ridgley was spun by Johnathan woodliffe covered as Bobby Robinson  Notts palais 78 way before Richard played it

Hytones was a Stafford spin for pat Brady covered up as lee Otis valentine  mid 80's

 

 

 

I have Ian Clark early 80s with Ruby Andrews, can't remember if it was late Yate, I will see if I can find the source.

[Theothertosspot]

“Tommy ridgley was spun by Johnathan woodliffe covered as Bobby Robinson  Notts palais 78 way before Richard played it”

 

Yes, seem to recall that now. It wasn’t until late 80’s when I came back to the fold, that I heard it at Leicester (Holy Cross Soul Nights run by Rudzy). Glenn Knight played it alongside “Just Can’t Trust Nobody” Chuck Holiday on Gloria

 

[Timbob]

Don't know if this counts but I found a copy of Esther Phillips in a junk shop on Alfreton Road Notts in 1975 and a copy of Ronnie mcainn about the same time, sold em in the eighties to Rob Smith for peanuts, not that I'm bitter!!!! 

[washlively]

20 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Didn't mean to move the thread away from when people first heard them, to when they were first actually played. It's interesting to read how sounds were tried out several times before taking off, some through rarity, others just not right for the time, or audience. 

Good point and very important during the wilderness years after Wigan and Stafford for us who didnt get to the 100 club