Flowers - We Can Make It Happen

[Guest Michael Higgins]

Was this ever reissued? Found a long forgotten copy of the other day that I got the best part of a decade ago from Voices from the Shadows, that seems to fit the description of the one on Manship's site.

Is it "can" or "could" anyway? I'm in the office, so can't check. Anal retentitiveness is a terrible thing.

[Sean Hampsey]

Hi Michael,

First pressings had solid centres... but there were only a few of those back in the day.

Second presses had the big hole, but same label info (as I recall)!

I've known and seen the Big hole copy fetch up to £300 in recent times, as it always was a fairly limited press.

Not seen a solid centre issue for sale for over many years.

Lovely record.

Sean

[Guest Michael Higgins]

Thanks Sean! Mine would be the second pressing then.

[Steve Plumb]

Hi Michael,

First pressings had solid centres... but there were only a few of those back in the day.

Second presses had the big hole, but same label info (as I recall)!

I've known and seen the Big hole copy fetch up to £300 in recent times, as it always was a fairly limited press.

Not seen a solid centre issue for sale for over many years.

Lovely record.

Sean

I thought the solid centres were basically the half a dozen test pressings that were made of the eventual 45 that turned up in 1990 ish?

The story i heard was that Voices got about 25 copies of the real 45 and knocked them out at a fiver each expecting another few hundred copies in later BUT these were shipped to japan in error and they didn't get anymore...........hence it's rarity!

[Guest Michael Higgins]

The story i heard was that Voices got about 25 copies of the real 45 and knocked them out at a fiver each expecting another few hundred copies in later BUT these were shipped to japan in error and they didn't get anymore...........hence it's rarity!

That would be in keeping with where this one came from. Must remember to thank Tam Jackson for the tip-off at the time.

Edited June 22, 2007 by Michael Higgins

[Sean Hampsey]

I thought the solid centres were basically the half a dozen test pressings that were made of the eventual 45 that turned up in 1990 ish?

The story i heard was that Voices got about 25 copies of the real 45 and knocked them out at a fiver each expecting another few hundred copies in later BUT these were shipped to japan in error and they didn't get anymore...........hence it's rarity!

I'm sure yer not wrong Stevie.

I didn't think that there were as many as half a dozen solid centres knocking around... and I'm sure there were more than 25 of the Big wholer's... but if that's the case then it's one of the best fivers I've ever spent.

I reckon the one on Manship's is most probably one of the '25' wouldn't you?

Sean

[oldsteve woomble]

I'm sure yer not wrong Stevie.

I didn't think that there were as many as half a dozen solid centres knocking around... and I'm sure there were more than 25 of the Big wholer's... but if that's the case then it's one of the best fivers I've ever spent.

I reckon the one on Manship's is most probably one of the '25' wouldn't you?

Sean

I always thought that there never was a second official release after 'for real' and that 'we must make it happen' was pressed and issued by ......... someone in the north east of england?? Then again, I'm probably wrong as is often the case

steve

[Sean Hampsey]

Then again, I'm probably wrong as is often the case

steve

No, I think that what you thought or heard is pretty accurate Steve.

"Make It Happen" was never issued at the same time as "For Real". I don't believe that the solid centre (Test Pressings) were either.

But, as I understood it, it was recorded at the same time as "For Real" by all accounts.

I always believed that both copies (types) were much later date pressings.

As for being pressed up 'under the guidance of' someone in the N. East, I'd say that was highly likely.

Sean

[Rob Wigley]

flowers "for real" was discovered first and played

the guy who used to work for Rod in the States was sent to track the group down and discovered several tracks from the studio, most of which were too "rocky" to fit the bill at Thorne, then he hits "we could make it happen" had the studio tests done to create DJ demand and then thay pressed the 45 at least a 250 run, but if you were not around at the time you probably would not have given it a second look ! Great Record

they issued "For real " later on a 12" with other tracks that were big at the time

[Guest Adrian]

they issued "For real " later on a 12" with other tracks that were big at the time

That was the Resolution Records lp, 12" mix made for the A & B of the 45.

[Guest Michael Higgins]

That was the Resolution Records lp, 12" mix made for the A & B of the 45.

I'd forgotten about this one. Must dig it out again, I remember thinking the 12" mix of "For real" was better than the 7" mix, which was a first (and only) for me.

[Guest biggray1]

For Real is available on a bbe compilation arranged By Keb Darge..and i think its the twelve inch version too..is the 7 version the same as the 12!!!! in time that is... Just love Both Flowers records.

[Souljazera]

from speaking to rod at voices (some time ago mind) the solid centres were test presses he had 10 then the real issue (the dinked one) rod had a box of 25 only...the rest of the press went missing at a distributor and presumably got destroyed...they never ended up in japan thats why the big money modern soul collectors in japan still buy it

we can make it happen was a run of 100 .....struggled to sell at the time....

flowers for real still makes my hairs run at the back of my neck...the arrangement and production is simply out of this world........DYNAMITE SOUL.....

[Guest Michael Higgins]

flowers for real still makes my hairs run at the back of my neck...the arrangement and production is simply out of this world........DYNAMITE SOUL.....

Wholeheartedly agree. "For real" is an absolute masterpiece. It floats my inflatable liferaft in a way that "We can make it happen" doesn't really.

What do you mean by "dinked", by the by?

[Souljazera]

Wholeheartedly agree. "For real" is an absolute masterpiece. It floats my inflatable liferaft in a way that "We can make it happen" doesn't really.

What do you mean by "dinked", by the by?

DINKED is the expression used by record manufacturers to describe a big centre hole...usually american presses...but not always

[Steve G]

Wholeheartedly agree. "For real" is an absolute masterpiece. It floats my inflatable liferaft in a way that "We can make it happen" doesn't really.

What do you mean by "dinked", by the by?

I think they're both great records, but for different times. "for Real" is a stone classic, and "We can make it happen" is more of your ender type of sound. Amazing info about these records, and it's therefore not accurate to describe the "dinked" "vinyls" as second issues then as some people have?

[oldsteve woomble]

I think they're both great records, but for different times. "for Real" is a stone classic, and "We can make it happen" is more of your ender type of sound. Amazing info about these records, and it's therefore not accurate to describe the "dinked" "vinyls" as second issues then as some people have?

Not second issues perhaps, but maybe 'previously unissued tuneage'? When these get run nowadays (e.g. Ady's stirling work/Joe Boy/ etc etc) it's a tenners worth of super tuneage maybe creeping up due to demand on the more 'outstanding' stuff (Chuck Jackson/Carla Thomas & the like).

But does the 'previously unissued' 'We Can Make It Happen' warrant the £300 I've seen it at?(!!!!)....... As they say in the exam halls this time of year, 'Discuss'.

Me, I've got no bloody idea (before anyone says it!! ).

(Anyway 'For Real' is sublime. 'We can make it happen' is just 'nice' but not very exciting. There, I've said it! Just gonna get me tin helmet out............)

Steve