Never heard of this record. Any information?

[Quinvy]

Just played this record on Tim Brown’s auction, and I rather like it. 
Something that I would certainly have played at Burnley, and I think would have been well received by the children of the night.
Tim states that it has been covered up as Big Daddy Rodgers in the past?
I’ve never heard it, or even heard of it.
It must be rare? Who covered it and played it?

https://youtu.be/GgcLHWBXRFk

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Quinvy

[Quinvy]

Blimey! I can’t believe that nobody knows this?

[Pga1]

It's not unknown to people who open their ears. Decent enough chugger for northern / r& bfans,. Catchy repetitive horns. Has it got the X factor ? There's a stack of tunes out there like this, cheers

[Pga1]

To add to the above it has gone for  decent money and for next to nowt. So probably a rare tune ??, Cheers

[Tomangoes]

I like it, but I don't think many females would have bought a copy on first release.

Would love to hear a female version though.

Ed

[Quinvy]

Thanks for the input. I wonder who had it covered up?

[bri phill]

I've played it out a few times not covered up though I bought it off eBay about 3 years ago after hearing a sound file 

[Marc Forrest]

On 23/07/2022 at 21:42, Quinvy said:

Thanks for the input. I wonder who had it covered up?

The first two to have played it c/up were Andy Dyson and me, Andy discovered it and gave me his spare. Early 2ks. 

[Quinvy]

Many thanks for the information guys. It was new to me, and definitely something that I would have played out.

[Mal C]

I was about to ask about another 45 from this auction, so I'll add it here, The Clock Stoppers - Got To Be Mellow / CLOCK.  What do folks think, white or black singer?  sounds like a beach or psych group to me, something along the lines of the The Outcasts, a band like that..

 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Mal C

[washlively]

Leon Haywood version too on Decca

[Simon T]

4 hours ago, Mal C said:

I was about to ask about another 45 from this auction, so I'll add it here, The Clock Stoppers - Got To Be Mellow / CLOCK.  What do folks think, white or black singer?  sounds like a beach or psych group to me, something along the lines of the The Outcasts, a band like that..

 

 

 

For some reason, I'm getting Mr Lucky - I was born to love you, but this better.

[Mal C]

1 hour ago, washlively said:

Leon Haywood version too on Decca

thats the original, big hit for him.. came out in loads of countries...  dunno about Mr Lucky, you mean it sounds like on the intro to that song?  indeed it does a bit..

Regarding cover versions, I got sick of them, there are tons of lack lustre Aussie ones, I cannot see the point of paing hundreds for a so so cover version, waste of time... I mentioned Nora Lee - You must believe me / westwood in another post, £450 for that, you must be bonkers!! its a £40 quid record tops.. 50 maybe in M- condition, which you will never find..

probably drop me knickers and go for Mr Lucky if I was pushed...

Edited July 25, 2022 by Mal C

[Gold Band]

Covered by alot of Artists washlively A modern version by Jackie Jackson before that The Motiques, C.C & Souls feat Chuck Cockerman a few of the crossover versions played out are El Klan '69, The Falling Stones & East Coast there's also an unissued version by Bobby Patterson but i'd never heard the Clock Stoppers version and to be honest I think it's got a relaxed dance feel Mal and I think it's ripe for playing out as appose to the Big Roger Collins C/U maybe Mike could put them up and let people choose...

Kirsty

Edited July 25, 2022 by Gold Band

[Robbk]

On 25/07/2022 at 04:51, Mal C said:

I was about to ask about another 45 from this auction, so I'll add it here, The Clock Stoppers - Got To Be Mellow / CLOCK.  What do folks think, white or black singer?  sounds like a beach or psych group to me, something along the lines of the The Outcasts, a band like that..

 

 

 

An end of the '60s or beginning of the '70s Chicago record I've never seen!  Pressed in a Chicago plant.  Sounds like a Caucasian group, as Mal stated above, in the mold of The Outcasts.  Upon several more listens, I've decided the vocalist was an African-American.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Robbk

[Chalky]

6 minutes ago, Robbk said:

An end of the '60s or beginning of the '70s Chicago record I've never seen!

According to discogs, which I know isn’t always right, it is a Philly recording. 
 

Enterplan

Parent Label:

El Saturn Records

Contact Info:

Morton Street, Philadelphia PA

[Robbk]

26 minutes ago, Chalky said:

According to discogs, which I know isn’t always right, it is a Philly recording. 
 

Enterplan

Parent Label:

El Saturn Records

Contact Info:

Morton Street, Philadelphia PA

Yes, now that I think of it there were several Philadelphia and New Jersey records that used a plant with that same font and label design.  So, I guess it could possibly have been an East Coast pressing plant, as well.  And that particular Clock Records was likely owned by the owners of Enterplan, although not necessarily a subsidiary or sister label of El Saturn Records, as it may not have come from the same period.  However El Saturn Records, like Saturn Records, were both operated by Jazz artist, Sun Ra, who operated out of Chicago.  And Chicago's little Mack appeared on El Saturn, as well.  So, I still would guess that was a Chicago pressing and a Chicago-based label, especially as Saturn and El Saturn were owned by Alton Abraham, his brother, Atis Abraham, and Le Sony'r Ra (AKA Sun Ra, and Herman Blount), and were headquartered in Chicago.   And, upon a few other listens, I've changed my mind, and would vote that the singer is or was an African American.  That recording may even have been a Sun Ra Production.

Maybe that Enterplan on Philadelphia's Morton Street was a different company that had nothing to do with music recording?  I don't remember reading or hearing that Sun Ra had an office on The East Coast.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Robbk

[Chalky]

18 minutes ago, Robbk said:

Yes, now that I think of it there were several Philadelphia and New Jersey records that used a plant with that same font and label design.  So, I guess it could possibly have been an East Coast pressing plant, as well.  And that particular Clock Records was likely owned by the owners of Enterplan, although not necessarily a subsidiary or sister label of El Saturn Records, as it may not have come from the same period.  However El Saturn Records, like Saturn Records, were both operated by Jazz artist, Sun Ra, who operated out of Chicago.  And Chicago's little Mack appeared on El Saturn, as well.  So, I still would guess that was a Chicago pressing and a Chicago-based label, especially as Saturn and El Saturn were owned by Alton Abraham, his brother, Atis Abraham, and Le Sony'r Ra (Sun Ra), and were headquartered in Chicago.   And, upon a few other listens, I've changed my mind, and would vote that the singer is or was an African American.  It may even have been a Sun Ra Production.

Maybe it was an attempt by the Abraham’s to branch out into other cities.  It would appear it is the only release and of course the address could well be wrong and it is out of Chicago?

[Steve G]

On 25/07/2022 at 12:51, Mal C said:

I was about to ask about another 45 from this auction, so I'll add it here, The Clock Stoppers - Got To Be Mellow / CLOCK.  What do folks think, white or black singer?  sounds like a beach or psych group to me, something along the lines of the The Outcasts, a band like that..

 

 

 

The Clock Stoppers is one of those known obscurities that has turned out to be pretty rare. Picked mine up in the early 90s for £40 from Gavin. I think he had been giving it a few plays at dos around Bedfordshire and I liked it as a version, so when it appeared in his sales box I snapped it up. It does look like a Chicago release, although I cannot say 100% for sure.  

Edited July 27, 2022 by Steve G

[Robbk]

Just now, Chalky said:

Maybe it was an attempt by the Abraham’s to branch out into other cities.  It would appear it is the only release and of course the address could well be wrong and it is out of Chicago?

It COULD have been a move by The Abrahams to The East Coast, and a later release of an earlier master.  It could also be the result of a researcher looking up Enterplan, and finding a company located in Philadelphia that was NOT related to The Abrahams and Sun Ra's Enterplan Music Co.

 

[Chalky]

24 minutes ago, Robbk said:

Yes, now that I think of it there were several Philadelphia and New Jersey records that used a plant with that same font and label design.  So, I guess it could possibly have been an East Coast pressing plant, as well.  And that particular Clock Records was likely owned by the owners of Enterplan, although not necessarily a subsidiary or sister label of El Saturn Records, as it may not have come from the same period.  However El Saturn Records, like Saturn Records, were both operated by Jazz artist, Sun Ra, who operated out of Chicago.  And Chicago's little Mack appeared on El Saturn, as well.  So, I still would guess that was a Chicago pressing and a Chicago-based label, especially as Saturn and El Saturn were owned by Alton Abraham, his brother, Atis Abraham, and Le Sony'r Ra (AKA Sun Ra, and Herman Blount), and were headquartered in Chicago.   And, upon a few other listens, I've changed my mind, and would vote that the singer is or was an African American.  That recording may even have been a Sun Ra Production.

Maybe that Enterplan on Philadelphia's Morton Street was a different company that had nothing to do with music recording?  I don't remember reading or hearing that Sun Ra had an office on The East Coast.

If you follow the links on discogs, the Enterplan link takes you to the one you talk about owned by the Abraham’s.  I can’t see where they get the Philly address from.

[Robbk]

3 minutes ago, Chalky said:

If you follow the links on discogs, the Enterplan link takes you to the one you talk about owned by the Abraham’s.  I can’t see where they get the Philly address from.

So, my idea that someone was trying to get more info on Enterplan, to see who they were, and they found a company with that name located in Philadelphia, but it had no relationship to The Abrahams' and Sun Ra's Enterplan Music Co., may be the actual explanation.

[Robbk]

I just read a bio of Sun Ra, which mentioned that in the beginning of the 1970s, he and his partner, Alton Abraham, moved their operations to Philadelphia.

Here is the portion that concerns us:

"His own El Saturn Records albums were usually printed in editions of 75 copies per album, and were sold primarily at live performances. Many of Sun Ra's early albums were recorded at home by Ra himself on wire or early tape recorders, and are decidedly lo-fi. Despite the technological limitations, Ra used some innovative recording techniques, and these recordings provided an unprecedented level of documentation, and were inspirational in showing how artists could take control of the means of production and distribution of their works.

Prior to the 1970s, most of these albums were produced in Chicago through the 'El Saturn Records Research' enterprise established by Ra and his colleague Alton Abraham, while later El Saturn Records were produced in Philadelphia."  

He and Abraham moved their operations to Philadelphia in 1968.  Near the end of 1968 he and The Arkestra started a long tour of California and the rest of The West Coast for quite a long period.  And both the recoding in question and the record's label appear to sound and look like late '60s.  So, that record could well have been recorded in New York, and then released after the move to Philadelphia in early 1968, or was recorded in Philadelphia soon after the move.  They may still have pressed it at their former pressing plant in Chicago, just because of their past long-term relationship with them.

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Robbk

[Robbk]

As for the so-called "group" who recorded, it may have been The Sun Ra Arkestra playing the music, and one of its members singing the vocal.  It certainly was a solo singer.  I hear no background singers at any time.  Or, it may have been one of the singers who Sun Ra recorded on other releases.

[Robbk]

20 minutes ago, Robbk said:

Duplicate post

 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Robbk

[Dmc]

The Clock Stoppers were a Chicago group, recorded in Chicago. The act are reported to have been from the Kenwood neighborhood and likely approached Saturn label owner Alton Abraham for help in putting the record out (hence the Enterplan publishing). Though Sun Ra and the Arkestra relocated to Philadelphia circa late 1968, Abraham remained in Chicago and conducted the label's business from there through the late 60s and 70s. No members of the Arkestra play on the Clock 45, which is a scarce item, as I've only encountered 2-3 copies in many years of record hunting in Chicago.

[Chalky]

4 hours ago, Dmc said:

The Clock Stoppers were a Chicago group, recorded in Chicago. The act are reported to have been from the Kenwood neighborhood and likely approached Saturn label owner Alton Abraham for help in putting the record out (hence the Enterplan publishing). Though Sun Ra and the Arkestra relocated to Philadelphia circa late 1968, Abraham remained in Chicago and conducted the label's business from there through the late 60s and 70s. No members of the Arkestra play on the Clock 45, which is a scarce item, as I've only encountered 2-3 copies in many years of record hunting in Chicago.

Every days a school day, thanks for the info

[Robbk]

4 hours ago, Dmc said:

The Clock Stoppers were a Chicago group, recorded in Chicago. The act are reported to have been from the Kenwood neighborhood and likely approached Saturn label owner Alton Abraham for help in putting the record out (hence the Enterplan publishing). Though Sun Ra and the Arkestra relocated to Philadelphia circa late 1968, Abraham remained in Chicago and conducted the label's business from there through the late 60s and 70s. No members of the Arkestra play on the Clock 45, which is a scarce item, as I've only encountered 2-3 copies in many years of record hunting in Chicago.

Many thanks for clearing this up.  So, as only one member sang on the recording, I take it that they were a self-contained band of musicians with one singer, or a few took turns singing?

[Godzilla]

Sun Ra connection mentioned here:

https://thevinylfactory.com/features/the-strange-story-of-sun-ras-lost-doo-wop-christmas-hit/

 

Dovetailing with his own performances alongside RnB and doo-wop vocalists in Chicago throughout the ’50s, the recordings he made in this period are among the first known El Saturn releases. Featuring a skeletal Arkestra, they showcased local RnB vocal groups like the Lintels, the Clock Stoppers, the Metros and Ra’s favourite, the fantastically named Cosmic Rays – four teenagers from rough neighbourhoods who worked in a barbershop. (The Cosmic Rays feature on ‘Dreaming’, which is included on Strut’s new compilation.)

and a denial here. This is fun!

http://campber.people.clemson.edu/sunra.html

Dante Carfagna has tracked down a record Alton Abraham once said he had made, by a group called The Clock Stoppers. It turns out to be the work of a soul unit from 1967 (not a vocal group—one W. Truman does all the singing). It was released on a label called Clock and there's no reason to think Sun Ra had anything to do with it.

[Gold Band]

On 25/07/2022 at 10:29, Marc Forrest said:

The first two to have played it c/up were Andy Dyson and me, Andy discovered it and gave me his spare. Early 2ks. 

Did you cover it up as Big Daddy Rodgers but keep the Original track name Marc?

Kirsty

[Quinvy]

Blimey! Original post had been obliterated. I don’t understand why you would go into all that detail about a rare but rubbish version of a totally different record to the one I was asking about?

The Leon Haywood version is far superior in every way. Backing track is very reminiscent of Mr Lucky, and that’s a record I would love to own. Still.

[Mal C]

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread, the clock 45 is / was on the same auction, so it seemed right to put the two together. I agree, its not as good as Leon Haywood, but really interesting to find out about from those who know the background of this label and artist. Think we all agree on Mr Lucky great 45...

[Mgm 1251]

On 25/07/2022 at 10:52, Quinvy said:

Many thanks for the information guys. It was new to me, and definitely something that I would have played out.

JM has recently put up a minter for auction...

[Quinvy]

37 minutes ago, Mgm 1251 said:

JM has recently put up a minter for auction...

Ha ha, typical!

[Benji]

Just my grumpy two cents before I go to bed:

That Big Rodger Collins 45 is boring average R&B in my opinion. Definitely no allnighter material IMO. I'd even say I would be embarrassed to play this at a do.

The Clock Stoppers 45 is a dull cover version. Interesting history of the band and the recording though. But if I had a copy would I keep it? Certainly no.

Good night.

[Quinvy]

On 06/08/2022 at 01:16, Benji said:

Just my grumpy two cents before I go to bed:

That Big Rodger Collins 45 is boring average R&B in my opinion. Definitely no allnighter material IMO. I'd even say I would be embarrassed to play this at a do.

The Clock Stoppers 45 is a dull cover version. Interesting history of the band and the recording though. But if I had a copy would I keep it? Certainly no.

Good night.

Well, I wasn’t saying it was a northern soul classic or anything. But just going off the type of record that the desperate to find something new are putting up on Facebook etc. Then at least it’s got a dance beat. 
I’ve moved on from the soul scene personally. Although I’ll always love the music. It’s had it last hurrah as far as I’m concerned.

[Marc Forrest]

On 28/07/2022 at 21:45, Gold Band said:

Did you cover it up as Big Daddy Rodgers but keep the Original track name Marc?

Kirsty

That is a VERY good question, don`t remember actually. Think it was/ we did.. but not for long as one seller listed it on ebay with a soundfile from whereon it didnt make any sense really to keep it c/up..  

[Ezzie Brown]

never good enough to grace the batcaves decks in my opinion.............x

[Geeselad]

I like it, and in the right room, sound system ect can see it working for dancers. 

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

Got to admit I read the whole thread without first playing the sound file.....doh !

Having played it, and expecting it to be pants from the comments, its actually not a bad version. But having said that I do like records with sparse backing and almost an amateurish feel to them. 

Leon still in front with The Clock Stoppers trailing close behind.

[Marc Forrest]

On 09/08/2022 at 02:17, Geeselad said:

I like it, and in the right room, sound system ect can see it working for dancers. 

spot on, thats exactly the point mate: in the right room ect. - most people / dj`s never understood that theres not every 45 suiting every location, room. Surely noth for the main hall in Blackpool or the like..