Ian Levine, Motorcity, Centre City, Blackpool Mecca, And Swons

[SteveM]

Golden Sound.

I know now. But it was Bernie that couldn't remember at the time.

[Guest]

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD-TURNING IN CIRCLES-BLACKOUT

ANY INFORMATION ON THIS IAN?? SIMILAR BACKING TO DRAMATICS ON VOLT,WHO DONE THE VOCALS???

Donovan Blackwood.

He was also the lead vocal on the Chicago Stealers Record

[Guest]

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD-TURNING IN CIRCLES-BLACKOUT

OMIGOD. I had completely forgotten how good it was. I only ever paid attention to the other side, and it was only the other side that made it to CD, and was on "Northern Soul 2004".

I'm actually stunned at how good it sounds. Thankyou for getting me to listen to it again. I owe you one. Bloody hell !!!!!!!!

[Guest]

The backing track of which was re-recorded by Al de Lory as "Right On"

Simon White just sent it to me on mp3.

So THAT'S why it sounded familiar.

This is a day for discovering forgotten gems.

[Guest]

While I don't think this is the worst record ever made and had it been made open and honestly I would probably had more respect for it, I would like to know how much Steve Brookstien actually knew about the NS scene at the time you "discovered" this and was he aware of the scam.

QoFxx

Steve Brookstein came to the Rocket and watched a full floor dancing to "Wrong Side Of Town".

Plus "Wrong Side Of Town" was recorded in 1999 and the one you're commenting on was recorded in 2002.

[Guest]

Ian

One of my favourite clips and oldies as well, is James Fountain. What was he like when you met up with him?

William Bell got him down to his studio in Atlanta to re-record it and film the video. My assistant Adi was there and did all the filming. I was back in England. James died shortly after that sadly. Paul Mooney will know when.

[Baz Atkinson]

OMIGOD. I had completely forgotten how good it was. I only ever paid attention to the other side, and it was only the other side that made it to CD, and was on "Northern Soul 2004".

I'm actually stunned at how good it sounds. Thankyou for getting me to listen to it again. I owe you one. Bloody hell !!!!!!!!

YEP BLOODY GREAT IMHO ALSO,WHO PRODUCED THIS IAN?

BAZ A

[Guest]

Yeah jocko, think some came on here just to wind up Ian Levine (very easy - not sport), and they've lost interest.

Others just want to talk about minutae from the early 70s etc. who shagged who on 13/12/1971 etc.

Others are just swooning

Ian just wants to talk about himself, and appears to be losing interest by the day.

ing on - either records or artists. There is some great stuff to tell too.

Very little debate going on either.

Let Gavin Stearn and Simon White back on.

It'll soon hot up.

I promise to persuade them to toe the line, easy with Simon as he is an extremely reasonably guy, but Gavin can be a total law unto himself.

[Guest]

I am getting a little concerned, his Levineness has not posted for nearly 3 hours.........................................

do you think he is busy on the funk board

QoFxx

Three hours.

Oh I'm so sorry.

I shall chain myself to my computer.

We ARE trying to get a five DVD box set ready for October release, you know.

[Guest]

Hi Ian thouroughly enjoying this topic and would like to add a couple of things.

Jimmy Scriv.

BLOODY HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

==

fun while it lasted i suppose??

incredible thread tho!

It's a long LONG way from over. What's the problem ?? I've just ignored a few of the vilest trolls, that's all.

[Guest]

Also what was in that huge stash that he sold Bernie Golding? Did anything come from Bernie which has since gone big?

40,000 records at 10p each, which was after we'd creamed all the decent Northern out of the original 60,000.

Kev Roberts had first pick, then Richard and Pat Brady and John Manship and John Anderson.

[Guest]

Are you sure about that Pete?

I found Al De Lory and I can't recall any simularity to Van Morrison at all. Totally different songs surely.....?

Ian D

No I think he's right.

[Mike]

It'll soon hot up.

I promise to persuade them to toe the line, easy with Simon as he is an extremely reasonably guy, but Gavin can be a total law unto himself.

Ian

Just a quick point

This is your first and only time as a member on here

You were a member of soul talk which was a stand alone topica based email discussion list at the time, when you left it was run by myself and David Flynn and was a completely stand alone site which included the membership

Reason mentioning this, is that someone joining as a new member, such as you have done is a completely different matter than say ex-members re-joining.

No real wish to go into discussing ex-members, site policy and so on via this thread, the feedback forum is best place for such

Posted just so you are aware

mike

[Guest Gavin Page]

William Bell got him down to his studio in Atlanta to re-record it and film the video. My assistant Adi was there and did all the filming. I was back in England. James died shortly after that sadly. Paul Mooney will know when.

Thats the real beauty of footage like this, it gives the likes of me the cahance to see these great artists that I would never have had.

[Steve G]

Let Gavin Stearn and Simon White back on.

It'll soon hot up.

I promise to persuade them to toe the line, easy with Simon as he is an extremely reasonably guy, but Gavin can be a total law unto himself.

I have no problem personally with those guys - I am sure I know Simon from a few years back (Soul 24/7 and Rocket days when he used to hang round with Paul Clarke) though cannot picture him in my mind.....though I do understand when he was on here before it did get out of hand with a couple of other members and that's why his account was closed.

Gavin I don't really know except when he dropped your record box at Victoria Record Fair - ouch!

[Steve G]

Thats the real beauty of footage like this, it gives the likes of me the cahance to see these great artists that I would never have had.

Exactly and that's why I will buy this DVD when it comes out in the same way I bought SWONS.

[Guest Gavin Page]

I have no problem personally with those guys - I am sure I know Simon from a few years back (Soul 24/7 and Rocket days when he used to hang round with Paul Clarke) though cannot picture him in my mind.....though I do understand when he was on here before it did get out of hand with a couple of other members and that's why his account was closed.

Gavin I don't really know except when he dropped your record box at Victoria Record Fair - ouch!

Two Gavin's I am confused enough being one Gavin

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Exactly and that's why I will buy this DVD when it comes out in the same way I bought SWONS.

...and here's me thinking you only bought SWONS 'cos I'm in it!

Morning Steve, morning everybody...

[Guest Gavin Page]

...and here's me thinking you only bought SWONS 'cos I'm in it!

Morning Steve, morning everybody...

I must get you to autograph my copy at some point

Morning Tony.

[Steve G]

...and here's me thinking you only bought SWONS 'cos I'm in it!

Morning Steve, morning everybody...

Must admit Tony, I glazed over some of the "talking heads" bits - preferring instead to see the artists Anyway good moaning Tone, hope you are well.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Steve G

[chrissie]

Two Gavin's I am confused enough being one Gavin

yes G, one of you is deffo enough

QoFxx

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Must admit Tony, I glazed over some of the "talking heads" bits - preferring instead to see the artists Anyway good moaning Tone, hope you are well.

You'd have had a job missing my 'head talking', mate, given how fat it is...

Yes, things are good, it's Friday (weekend starts here and all that) and I'm sitting here waiting for the postman to deliver my recently-purchased copy of "Third Window From The Right", so there's a lot to look forward to!

[Pete S]

Are you sure about that Pete?

I found Al De Lory and I can't recall any simularity to Van Morrison at all. Totally different songs surely.....?

Ian D

Ian - listen again - it's the same record/song/tune - it's a well known fact. It's not THE backing track, it's an interpretation.

[Ian Dewhirst]

Two Gavin's I am confused enough being one Gavin

Haven't you heard? Apparently the name Gavin is the new 'black' here in trendytown..........

Ian D

[Mike]

new page

time for some requests

ask all to tone down the off topic stuff

want to talk about anything to do with site do it in feedback - that includes ex-members , site policy and all the rest

if anyone sees any abuse posted ask can they use the report post feature

thanks

mike

[Soul Shrews]

Hi Paul,

In Ian's temporary absence, let me partially answer the first bit of your two parter - BISTSM was ceratinly promo'ed as a 12 inch single - I'm looking at my copy now - but I have a feeling that the commercial release was restricted to '7 inch edit'...

...unless anyone remembers it differently? I'm pretty sure that only a few (if any) 12 singles had been commercially released in the UK at that time. I'm also pretty sure that the first one to achieve that "honour" was Boney M's "Daddy Cool"....

James Wells was twelve inch promo only. You couldn't actually buy one in the shops.

Fabulous Jades was never covered up, but was a big favourite of both me and Les Cokell. Another one that was big in 1973, the best year ever for what we played.

Thanks for the info guys

The reason my mate thinks The Fabulous Jades was covered is because his copy looks like it was covered up at some point, glue stains in the run out etc

Cheers Paul

[Dave Moore]

I tried everything I could to find her, back in 1998 and 1999.

Tim Ashibende met her once, but she was very ill then, and all trace of her phone numbers and address turned up nothing when we tried.

Hi Ian,

I think Ms Barnes may well be lost to us forever. I also tried everything and everyone connected with Harry Balk and Duke Browner's set up to try and find her a couple of years ago. Tim has no contact for her but confirmed he'd met her. I even worked my way through every Gardenia Barnes in the US phone system. One point of note is that Harry Balk is adamant that she and Duke Browner cut at least 4 tracks together. Be fantastic if someone found them.

[Guest]

Ian

Just a quick point

This is your first and only time as a member on here

You were a member of soul talk which was a stand alone topica based email discussion list at the time, when you left it was run by myself and David Flynn and was a completely stand alone site which included the membership

Reason mentioning this, is that someone joining as a new member, such as you have done is a completely different matter than say ex-members re-joining.

No real wish to go into discussing ex-members, site policy and so on via this thread, the feedback forum is best place for such

Posted just so you are aware

mike

Yes, Mike.

[Guest]

Must admit Tony, I glazed over some of the "talking heads" bits - preferring instead to see the artists

Well the five disc box set is two hundred performances and no interviews.

SWONS is still available direct from Wienerworld

https://www.wienerworld.com

for anyone who wants to see the interviews, which are extensive and tell the entire history of the scene in great detail as far as the early days go.

[Guest]

The reason my mate thinks The Fabulous Jades was covered is because his copy looks like it was covered up at some point, glue stains in the run out etc

Cheers Paul

Not at Blackpool, and I'm fairly certain I was the first DJ to have a copy in this country.

[Guest]

Hi Ian,

I think Ms Barnes may well be lost to us forever. I also tried everything and everyone connected with Harry Balk and Duke Browner's set up to try and find her a couple of years ago. Tim has no contact for her but confirmed he'd met her. I even worked my way through every Gardenia Barnes in the US phone system. One point of note is that Harry Balk is adamant that she and Duke Browner cut at least 4 tracks together. Be fantastic if someone found them.

Hi Dave.

Tim Ashibende had a photo of him and her together, but the phone numbers he had and the address all turned uop nothing.

He said she was ill with emphyxemia at the time, so assumed she'd passed, and we even asked neighbours on the street but no-one knew.

We found most of the artists that I thought were important to find, but there were a few who never turned up. Chris Jackson, Dena Barnes, The Ambers, Gerri Granger.

Plus we originally couldn't find either Sandi Sheldon or Dean Parrish, but did after the first videos were released.

[Guest]

Another absolute classic

">

[macca]

Domino is still a staple of Van's live shows. 'Don't wanna discuss it, think it's time for a change, you may get disgusted or start thinkin' that I'm strange'. A good lyric I reckon. There's a Robert Banks on MGM special products on Ebay.

A re-issue?

[Guest]

Domino is still a staple of Van's live shows. 'Don't wanna discuss it, think it's time for a change, you may get disgusted or start thinkin' that I'm strange'. A good lyric I reckon. There's a Robert Banks on MGM special products on Ebay.

A re-issue?

It was the one that Selectadisc had legally repressed by MGM in the 1970s. That's not to say most of their pressings were legal, but a few were.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

It was the one that Selectadisc had legally repressed by MGM in the 1970s. That's not to say most of their pressings were legal, but a few were.

Tony Jebb used to play "Mighty Good Way" off an EMIdisc - I think it might have been the first such thing to be played at the Mecca, at a time when they were not yet seen around the scene very often...

[Epic]

Ian - listen again - it's the same record/song/tune - it's a well known fact. It's not THE backing track, it's an interpretation.

I have always thought Bobby Sheen - "Dr Love" has a few elements of "Right On" in it.

[Ian Dewhirst]

Ian - listen again - it's the same record/song/tune - it's a well known fact. It's not THE backing track, it's an interpretation.

Well blow me down! You're absolutely right - it's thinly disguised instrumental version of "Domino"! How weird. I bought it in Peterborough for a tenner in '75 completely unheard 'cos I liked the look of it but it's taken an SS post 33 years later to state the bleedin' obvious......

Ian 'Cloth Ears' D

[Ian Dewhirst]

I have always thought Bobby Sheen - "Dr Love" has a few elements of "Right On" in it.

Yep, that makes sense. It's the same musicians I believe........

Ian D

[Pete S]

Well blow me down! You're absolutely right - it's thinly disguised instrumental version of "Domino"! How weird. I bought it in Peterborough for a tenner in '75 completely unheard 'cos I liked the look of it but it's taken an SS post 33 years later to state the bleedin' obvious......

Ian 'Cloth Ears' D

Great though - Al De Lory I mean - I don't like Van Morrison at all, totally overrated artist (cue Tony Rounce mentioning David Bowie being rubbish just to annoy me )

[Guest]

Tony Jebb used to play "Mighty Good Way" off an EMIdisc - I think it might have been the first such thing to be played at the Mecca, at a time when they were not yet seen around the scene very often...

That's true.

I had forgotten that.

[Guest]

Well blow me down! You're absolutely right - it's thinly disguised instrumental version of "Domino"!

I told you Smiffy was right.

When oh when will you learn to listen to me......

[Mach]

Domino is still a staple of Van's live shows. 'Don't wanna discuss it, think it's time for a change, you may get disgusted or start thinkin' that I'm strange'. A good lyric I reckon. There's a Robert Banks on MGM special products on Ebay.

A re-issue?

nice tune,had a copy for many a year,sold it now,cant remember if it was a dj,or issue on the verve label

[Wiganer1]

Great though - Al De Lory I mean - I don't like Van Morrison at all, totally overrated artist (cue Tony Rounce mentioning David Bowie being rubbish just to annoy me )

===

yes right on - classic... domino - Rubbish!

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

===

yes right on - classic... domino - Rubbish!

There's a word for people like you, Mark - Wigan-orant!!!

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Great though - Al De Lory I mean - I don't like Van Morrison at all, totally overrated artist (cue Tony Rounce mentioning David Bowie being rubbish just to annoy me )

He's great compared to Duffy.....

...The Dim White Duck, I mean, not Van The Man. Although I agree with you that the latter's overrated. I still buy all his albums as they come out, though. The one from a couple of years ago, with the vocal to Acker Bilk's "Summer Set" on it, is a killer...

[Daved]

Hi Ian,

A lot of the 70s records you and Colin pushed at the Mecca have really stood the test of time well and still continue to be popular today. However, your productions mostly try to emulate the typical mid 60s 4x4 sound. Do you not ever feel like you'd like to recreate the 70s Mecca sound?

Thanks

Dave

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Do you not ever feel like you'd like to recreate the 70s Mecca sound?

Thanks

Dave

Isn't that really what Ian was doing as a producer, in the 70s?

[Wiganer1]

There's a word for people like you, Mark - Wigan-orant!!!

=======

sorry just dont think its a good record - bought it and quickly sold - each to their own however!

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

=======

sorry just dont think its a good record - bought it and quickly sold - each to their own however!

...and here's me thinking that you Wigan boys appreciated good pop records an' all...