Jump to content

ROCK CANDY: Alone With No Love - THE TRUE STORY


Recommended Posts

Nice to see one of my personal faves "Alone With No Love" by Rock Candy being re-activated. But how many of you know the true story behind the record? Well, for those who don't, then the simple answer is Alone With No Love is NOT by Rock Candy!! Puzzled? Then read on...........

Dontee 101 was released as "Alone With No Love" - The Contemplations/"Alone With No Love" - The Dontee Studio Band. According to the matrix, the tracks were cut on the 19th August 1969 - I assume it was released shortly after this date. Anyway, a year and a half down the line, along came funk/soul group Rock Candy, who cut just one track for Dontee, "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another". This became the A-side for Dontee 103, in February 1971. As Rock Candy had nothing to put on the B-side, a shrewd source from Dontee used "Alone With No Love" by the Contemplations, stuck it on the B-side, and credited it to Rock Candy!!!

So there we have it; proof that Rock Candy's "Alone With No Love" is really The Contemplations cut from 1969. There are very, very few copies of the Contemplations in circulation, and none of them are anywhere near Mint. I've been told that if a Mint copy were to turn up, it would certainly sell for around £750. The biggest selling point of this issue is the stunning B-side which is, quite simply, the instrumental backing track with a lot of the reverb removed. When I bought my copy earlier this year, it was the first time I had heard it since Kev Draper played it at Peterborough in 1983!! (reaches for the box of tissues)

I have no idea what the "Rock Candy" issue goes for these days, but I know it's much more than the £8 I sold my copy for 10 years ago!! By the way, when buying the Rock Candy issue, beware of thin vinyl lookalike bootlegs, pressed in the late '70s. They have a matt paper label (not gloss), and the matrix engravings are faint. The original, on the other hand, is pressed on thick vinyl, a semi-shiny label, and distinct engraved matrix.

Hope this has made interesting reading. Here's a scan of Dontee 101 for the label enthusiasts.

Gene

post-1-1078866025_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share

  • Replies 9
  • Views 5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Most active in this topic

Most active in this topic

Posted Images

The Contemplations was brought up on another forum after Marco played it out at the Lifeline rare soul event of the year ;-) At the time of discussion John Manship had one on his website at £500.

Rock Candy just been sold for $271 (approx £150) on ebay, think it was the easier blue label too but not 100%, crazy!!

Link to comment
Social source share

It's the light blue issue, Chalky.

Gene

I though it was ;-) This design been booted too.

Big difference in price between the last two sold, $271 and $93.

Seems to be a few big variations lately, Bobby Kline another with approx a £1000 between two within about a week of each other.

Link to comment
Social source share

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!

Source Advert





×
×
  • Create New...