COLIN CURTIS Talks to IAN PEP PEREIRA OF CATACOMBS FAME

[Colin Dimond]

Colin Curtis with Pep

Talking and playing  his 

journey over the last 50 years 

on the Nerthern Soul Scene

Join us on Hitmix Radio Online 

https://www.thehitmix.co.uk/

or Hitmix 107.5 if you are in Sataffordshire

[Colin Dimond]

LISTEN AGAIN 

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/colincurtis/episodes/2023-02-18T10_26_16-08_00

Edited February 20, 2023 by Colin Dimond

[Bo Diddley]

Just finished listening to this show. Genuinely enjoyable. 

I had to listen in stages - it's 4 hours!!!

The format is they play 3 or 4 records then some chat between Colin and Pep.

Nice mention of Helen at  the end.

Recommended.

[Torch56]

Found out about this via Pep's Facebook page and listened to it yesterday. Over the course of four hours the history of the scene was charted from early stirrings circa 1967/8 through to, early Wigan, 1974.

Pep talked about venues before the Catacombs around the west midlands and Colin did likewise in the potteries; parallel experiences but geographically different. The records played followed the chronology of the period so things like Darkest Days and Mr Bang Bang Man featured early on with each record being commented on as to where and when played, by whom, and dance-floor reaction. I know some are irritated by the who played what, where narrative but, personally, I find it fascinating and it helped trace the scene's development through its formative tears. Pep also made a point of informing us where he obtained records and connections with dealers and record suppliers from around the UK and the USA. Thus we were introduced to Martin Koppel, who we can thank for Bobby Treetop, and the mysterious Simon Sousan amongst others.

The stories around individual records were the most interesting, how and where they were discovered and their connections to individuals and their impact. Here's a few standouts in no particular order:

Kelly Brothers, Love Time: Max had copies of this and passed them on to several DJs, among them Alan Day who hammered it so much it almost became a second 'Slow Fizz' for him. I was never that keen on Love Time, but the Slow Fizz...Junction, Torch, Catacombs.. a big sound for 12 months or more.

Otis Smith, Let Her Go: Bought blind on recommendation at the Torch and asked Keith Minshull to play it. Went on to go huge in the summer of '73 at the Catacombs..

Velours, I'm Gonna Change: Another massive sound from the same era. First introduced at the Cats on a Wednesday night if memory serves. Instant impact, no need to wait for this to take off after a few plays. Top sound for a long time as Pep had the only copy. When his record box was stolen this had been loaned out to be played at the Mecca that night and so escaped the fate of the rest of his top sounds.

Jimmy McFarland, Lonely Lover: With the cream of his collection gone, Pep was forced to put together a playlist of lesser known sounds and this fell into that category. I don't recall it from that time, but it did go on to get plays at Wigan, apparently, and at Stafford in 1985, where I first heard it. One record that disappeared with the box was Wingate's Love-in Strings, Let's Have a Love-in, a brilliant Ric-tic instrumental. With that not available the less rare vocal version graced the decks for the next few weeks.

There was lots more of interest to anybody who was there (and even if you weren't) with plenty of specific detail and informed commentary worth listening to.

Recommended.

 

[Mal C]

Brill interview, I was looking forward to this all last week. It didn't disappoint!

Finishing with the power of Helen