Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 agreed. I remember that night. Didn't Hank Dixon's daughter Terrie, stand in for him because he was too ill. Jayne.x That is correct. Now C.P. Spencer and Freddie Gorman are both dead. Such a shame.
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Paul Mooney, Phil Dick, Ian Dewhirst. When are we going to see these Peter Lamarr singles ???????
Guest soulmaguk Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Ian, I had a discussion a few months ago with a soul sourcer about the Interpretations - Coming Out Of Hiding on LOVE records. Did you produce this record? if so was the lead singer Steve Brookstein?
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Ian, I had a discussion a few months ago with a soul sourcer about the Interpretations - Coming Out Of Hiding on LOVE records. Did you produce this record? if so was the lead singer Steve Brookstein? Yes and yes, but the B side was always supposed to be the side that would get discovered. It was a live session with Snake Davis and The Suspicions, done while we were recording the Ebony Alleyne album in early 2002. Snake and his band put both sides together, and Steve just happened to be there on the spot, as he was doing backing vocals on "Walk Away And Never Look Back", and "Hello Stranger", so he just pitched in sort of impromptu. The A side never really worked for me, but the B side was pure magic and still is.
Phild Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Paul Mooney, Phil Dick, Ian Dewhirst. When are we going to see these Peter Lamarr singles ??????? Dunno. Still trying to get a hold of Paul for a production update. Phil
Dewsburyborn Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Dunno. Still trying to get a hold of Paul for a production update. Phil Brother Mooney is currently under house arrest whilst he completes the mastering of the forthcoming Soulscape CD on Big John Hamilton.
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Dunno. Still trying to get a hold of Paul for a production update. Phil Oh dear - I so need a few copies.
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Thankyou for your kind comments. They have been noted. I always appreciate fair and constructive feedback. It was thoughtful and most lovely of you to take the time and trouble to bring your opinions to my attention, and you have my unending gratitude. i never brought it to your attention,i was replying to someone elses quote. i don't give a flying f*** what you think of my comments either. it's all a matter of opinion regarding the music. do you want us all to be like little lambs and follow your every move? i just think the two records mentioned are shite. others may like them tho, horses for courses i suppose.i can't see the point of putting a vocal to an instrumental today and trying to hoodwink the scene into believing it is an authentic discovery.
Guest selectasoul Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Just to voice my choice - my fav. Levine track is still the first, the Exciters "Reaching For The Best", great track and great story behind the song. I have great memories of seeing the group live in the day(even Leeds). Just a question Ian, how many copies were pressed on each release on your promotion label "Tomorrow" and how many releases were there? I still have numbers 2,3,8 & 9. Cheers Richard
Pete S Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Just to voice my choice - my fav. Levine track is still the first, the Exciters "Reaching For The Best", great track and great story behind the song. I have great memories of seeing the group live in the day(even Leeds). Just a question Ian, how many copies were pressed on each release on your promotion label "Tomorrow" and how many releases were there? I still have numbers 2,3,8 & 9. Cheers Richard Can't speak for Ian but theres more about now than there were back then. Also I remember having the Doris Jones He's So Irreplaceable on an emidisc that was totally different to the one that came out on Nems - how come?
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 i can't see the point of putting a vocal to an instrumental today and trying to hoodwink the scene into believing it is an authentic discovery. Neither can I. Nor am I aware of that actually happening as you describe it.
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Just to voice my choice - my fav. Levine track is still the first, the Exciters "Reaching For The Best", great track and great story behind the song. I have great memories of seeing the group live in the day(even Leeds). Just a question Ian, how many copies were pressed on each release on your promotion label "Tomorrow" and how many releases were there? I still have numbers 2,3,8 & 9. Cheers Richard Exactly 100 of each. The late Martyn Ellis made all the labels for them, exactly 100 pairs for each. I think there were eleven. Two of them were never released other than in that form.
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Also I remember having the Doris Jones He's So Irreplaceable on an emidisc that was totally different to the one that came out on Nems - how come? I stupidly stupidly thought I could do a better mix than the one we first did in New Jersey in December 1975, so I ruined it on release. The correct original mix is on "Ian Levine Presents Northern Soul Memories" which came out on Goldmine, but long deleted now.
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Neither can I. Nor am I aware of that actually happening as you describe it. ok i'm wrong on that track, but didn't that happen with that 4 vandals track? by the way doomsday and reaching are still great even today! remind me of my youth, so thanks for that!
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 ok i'm wrong on that track I don't think you're actually wrong either, and I assume you were talking about Venicia Wilson, but it was nothing like as you described it. It was a new record which utilised certain elements of past samples, without being exactly like any single individual one of them, much like Frank Popp did with "Breakaway".
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I don't think you're actually wrong either, and I assume you were talking about Venicia Wilson, but it was nothing like as you described it. It was a new record which utilised certain elements of past samples, without being exactly like any single individual one of them, much like Frank Popp did with "Breakaway". don't like frank popp either, the name says it all! i love your ebony alleyne, which i know borrowed off carol anderson "sad girl", so does that make it a tailor made of a tailor made? also on your other thread, in your top 20 or so you have patrinella statton, was that a mecca record? also,what record since the mecca do you wish you had discovered and thought wow what a track?
Guest Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 also,what record since the mecca do you wish you had discovered and thought wow what a track? Esther Grant
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Esther Grant "let's make the most out of love"? why that track ian?
Ric-tic Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 I stupidly stupidly thought I could do a better mix than the one we first did in New Jersey in December 1975, so I ruined it on release. The correct original mix is on "Ian Levine Presents Northern Soul Memories" which came out on Goldmine, but long deleted now. some more acetate oddities 1/ i have a u.s 10"rca content acetate of reaching for the best was this planned/hoped to be released in the states 2/doomsday without explosions were they added in england? 3/youre face keeps haunting me lou kelly, who is he? 4/im in wonderland mad'ame,who is madame?
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 "let's make the most out of love"? why that track ian? Because musically it sums up my taste in a great record. Most recent discoveries wouldn't have stood a chance back in 1973, but this one holds its own in any era.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 some more acetate oddities 1/ i have a u.s 10"rca content acetate of reaching for the best was this planned/hoped to be released in the states 2/doomsday without explosions were they added in england? 3/youre face keeps haunting me lou kelly, who is he? 4/im in wonderland mad'ame,who is madame? WOW. Some seriously seriously knowledgeable questions there. I'm impressed. 1 - Herb Rooney had a 10" acetate cut while we were there in February 1975, for me to bring back to England. I had forgotten this till you reminded me. It was cut at RCA's studios, but had nothing to do with any American deal. Twentieth Century owned the US rights as well as the UK rights. Russ Regan had promised to release it in the USA but broke his word and never did. I have no idea how you ended up with the 10" acetate - I haven't seen it for over thirty years. 2 - Yes the original mix, done in Chicago, in July 1975, actually had no explosions and was weaker. It was actually Herb Rooney who mixed it while the Exciters were in England, at Pye Studios, despite the fact that he had nothing to do with the production of the record, which was done with myself and Danny Leake. 3 - Lou Kelly was the original singer, in December 1975 in New Jersey at The House Of Music, at the same time as Doctor Buzzard were there recording their first album. There is a fascinating story all about Lou Kelly and how he threatened us, with his brother. It's all in a 1976 Black Music in a two part article called Lamb In the Wolves Den. I can't find it, and if anybody can do a scan, I'd be eternally grateful. All I have of this is an unreadable old photocopy that's illegible. Carol Woods came in to do it at the last minute, and it was always in a man's key as it was cut for the wretched Lou. 4 - Madame were a three piece black girl group, managed by Tony Hatch and signed to Twentieth Century. Dave Macaleer asked me to cut two songs with them, which I did with Paul David Wilson, in April 1976, who flew in from Chicago to work on them with me. We cut "I'm In Wonderland" and "Time On My Hands". Tony Hatch gave us the most terribly hard time and decided the vocals weren't good enough, but we all thought they were. In the end Dave Macaleer said to do "I'm In Wonderland" on Carol Woods as her third single for Twentieth. Then he changed his mind and gave us the songs back for free, so the Carol Woods came out on RCA, and Paul Wilson himself did the other song as a duet with Sheila Hart, lead singer of Midnight Sunrise, a white girl with four US black guys, signed to Mercury. That also didn't work out, so in the end, Doris Jones sang it for United Artists. Now THESE are the sort of questions I came on here to answer. Bravo !!!!!!!!
Dave Moore Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Ian, Here's question for you.. The jump from DJ to Record Producer? I believe most 'music scene DJs' (of any description) are simply selectors and 'putteronners' of records. IE. A pop radio DJ needs to have MC skills, verbal skills and a host of other skills not necessarily a requirement in a small compartmentalised specialist 'scene'. So... what made you decide to manufacture a product based on soul music. Once you made the decision how did you learn the skills? Do you write music and lyrics? If so did you learn to write music after you decided to produce? Do you play any instruments? How did you learn about chord structure, bridging, pitch, tone, and the other associated subjects? Lot of questions there I know but they're all really tied together.
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Because musically it sums up my taste in a great record. Most recent discoveries wouldn't have stood a chance back in 1973, but this one holds its own in any era. it seems tho that a lot of sounds from say the last 20yrs, eg alfie davison, ruby andrews etc were played back in the day,at a time when everyone was interested in terrible tom etc so didn't make it. i'm sure it's been mentioned b4 but can you think of a few that were missed only to make it later. wasn't celeste hardy played and then shelved. if so shame on you!!!
Guest Leigh J Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I must admit 'Wrong side of town' was a stroke of genius , I also like some of the Motor City/Nightmare stuff , Chuck Jackson speaks for itself and Johnny Bristol (Man up in the sky) is still played in my car to this day. Neil Rushton was playing a few things on the Motor City label in the late 90's ,If I remember right he even had one covered, up possibly the 'Back by popular Demand ' thing ? The Ronnie Mcneir (Lucky Number) was a big tune at that time I even heard Carl Fortnum play it. I heard that a lot of the early Stafford stuff came from your barn , things that you had picked over earlier , Tony Galla , Kell Osbourne and some of the Shrine stuff were said to have come from there , True ?
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Ian When you did the Motown reunion 20 years ago in Detroit, how many hours of footage did you capture? I seem to remember there were over a 100 artists, did you manage to get to get on film an interview/ chat with them all? Most of the best stuff is on The Strange World Of Northern Soul - there's about six hours of it, on discs four and five.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 wasn't celeste hardy played and then shelved. if so shame on you!!! No, not at all. Celeste Hardie was absolutely massive at Blackpool Mecca around 1974 - real anthem there.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I must admit 'Wrong side of town' was a stroke of genius , I also like some of the Motor City/Nightmare stuff , Chuck Jackson speaks for itself and Johnny Bristol (Man up in the sky) is still played in my car to this day. Neil Rushton was playing a few things on the Motor City label in the late 90's ,If I remember right he even had one covered, up possibly the 'Back by popular Demand ' thing ? The Ronnie Mcneir (Lucky Number) was a big tune at that time I even heard Carl Fortnum play it. I heard that a lot of the early Stafford stuff came from your barn , things that you had picked over earlier , Tony Galla , Kell Osbourne and some of the Shrine stuff were said to have come from there , True ? Neil really championed the Motorcity stuff in the 1990s thankfully, as it gave me the encouragement not to give up, which resulted in SWONS. Almost all the Stafford stuff came from Bernie Golding's barn, which were the 45,000 records he bought off me en masse. Almost ALL the Shrine records were amongst these, as at the time I had considered them substandard and nobody prior to that was even remotely interested in them. I had loads of the things, and sold them off for less than a quid each. This was just after I had sold "Cheating Kind" to Richard Searling for a tenner.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I must admit 'Wrong side of town' was a stroke of genius Thankyou. I'm very proud of it. Unfortunately there will be some reading this who won't agree with us. Remember to watch them on the Eurovision thing tonight as The Emperors Of Soul. The show is crap, but three of the Emperors Of Soul have appeared in The Four Vandals. Plus Gerod Harris has made some great solo records.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Ian, Here's question for you.. The jump from DJ to Record Producer? I believe most 'music scene DJs' (of any description) are simply selectors and 'putteronners' of records. IE. A pop radio DJ needs to have MC skills, verbal skills and a host of other skills not necessarily a requirement in a small compartmentalised specialist 'scene'. So... what made you decide to manufacture a product based on soul music. Once you made the decision how did you learn the skills? Do you write music and lyrics? If so did you learn to write music after you decided to produce? Do you play any instruments? How did you learn about chord structure, bridging, pitch, tone, and the other associated subjects? Lot of questions there I know but they're all really tied together. Hi dave This all requires a long long answer, so I need time to do it later.
Guest Simon Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Thankyou. I'm very proud of it. Unfortunately there will be some reading this who won't agree with us. Remember to watch them on the Eurovision thing tonight as The Emperors Of Soul. The show is crap, but three of the Emperors Of Soul have appeared in The Four Vandals. Plus Gerod Harris has made some great solo records. WSOT ain't that bad a tune, i remember when Dave Flynn played it at The Dome, it rammed the dancefloor! Unfortunately all the lies about the records origin etc tainted the record so badly that it would now be like playing a Gary Glitter records at a kids party. Shame really cause it's a half decent tune. Simon
Soulsmith Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Venicia Wilson ??? The Four Vandals ??? ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350" />
Guest chartertime Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) No, not at all. Celeste Hardie was absolutely massive at Blackpool Mecca around 1974 - real anthem there. Agree and Bob Cattaneo (Daly City Bob?) use to give copies away with orders. Foolishly I sold mine for next to nothing about 15 years ago. Believe it or not I picked up on him from an advertisement he put in Black Music in the day which I guess some people missed as he was a good source of records. Wonder if anyone went out to meet him? - I think he lived in Oakland and rumour was he was a truck driver . Where is he now? I was in San Francisco last April and thought of him when I saw the Oakland sign. On the subject of Black Music Ian's articles were great for picking up on tunes. Edited January 10, 2009 by chartertime
Guest inspirations001 Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 No, not at all. Celeste Hardie was absolutely massive at Blackpool Mecca around 1974 - real anthem there. i remember kev roberts saying he played it at wigan and it cleared the floor. mind you so did wil collins at first, took ages to take off and richard nearly dropped it! so was celeste hardy one of ur discoveries then? what else from that time that people thought were new in say 78 but had been played way before? john hendley, johnny hampton,jimmy burns, ad-libs etc
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Unfortunately all the lies about the records origin etc tainted the record so badly that it would now be like playing a Gary Glitter records at a kids party. Nonsense. It's still played everywhere except the most purist of venues, and you know that type of purist venue well, Simon, they're the sort of ones that you yourself go to.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 From a soul fans perspective this is more than disappointing. I assume that it was intended to be a soul record as you've posted it in a soul forum. The backing singers are brilliant, the musicians tight, catchy lyrics etc.......but what in the world possessed you to use that lead singer? He ruins it. A truly wasted opportunity to make a decent soul record. Opinions are like a*******s, everybody's got one.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 i remember kev roberts saying he played it at wigan and it cleared the floor. mind you so did wil collins at first, took ages to take off and richard nearly dropped it! so was celeste hardy one of ur discoveries then? It most certainly was. Tony Cummings had one copy in Black Wax in 1973, and I bought it.
Premium Stuff Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Opinions are like a*******s, everybody's got one. If you are going to post replies like that, why bother setting up your own thread to talk about your own music in the first place? Think I will set up a new thread all about ME, ME, ME and how fookin brilliant I am Richard
Guest bazrico Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Thankyou. I'm very proud of it. Unfortunately there will be some reading this who won't agree with us.Remember to watch them on the Eurovision thing tonight as The Emperors Of Soul. The show is crap, but three of the Emperors Of Soul have appeared in The Four Vandals. Plus Gerod Harris has made some great solo records. not a great fan of yours but i think this one of your best. Thanks
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 If you are going to post replies like that, why bother setting up your own thread to talk about your own music in the first place? My reply was polite - just begging to differ. It pointed out that we all have different opinions to each other. There were a bunch of questions above from Ric_Tic. Articulate, well thought out, and above all else, INTERESTING questions, which delighted me to be able to answer. Similarly, Dave Moore asked some very thought provoking questions which are going to take time to answer in detail. These exchanges of information are utterly wonderful. That's why I came on here - not to endure a barrage of abuse about how bad the Four Vandals record is, or how synthetic and manufactured my music sounds. If that's the extent of what some people have to say to me, then I'm wasting my time here, and clearly I'm not interested in holding a dialogue with them, sorry. They can say what they like, just don't expect any articulate reply back from me. However, I will joyfully take the time and trouble to reply to anyone who's genuine.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Think I will set up a new thread all about ME, ME, ME and how fookin brilliant I am Richard Thankyou for your kind comments. They have been noted. I always appreciate fair and constructive feedback. It was thoughtful and most lovely of you to take the time and trouble to bring your opinions to my attention, and you have my unending gratitude.
Guest chartertime Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Thankyou for your kind comments. They have been noted. I always appreciate fair and constructive feedback. It was thoughtful and most lovely of you to take the time and trouble to bring your opinions to my attention, and you have my unending gratitude. It would be sad to lose you again. The time you take in answering the Mecca history questions is appreciated and I am sure you have been asked many times before for some of them. After all that period is important in the development of black music and youth culture in the Uk. In my opinion the Mecca (particularly the last hour)opened the door to us taking on board other slower forms of black music (in my case I started buying Linda Jones albums).You and Colin were pivotal in that and as someone said the Highland Room was light years ahead. From my perspective the thread is interesting until people start harking on about the 4 Vandals.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 From my perspective the thread is interesting until people start harking on about the 4 Vandals. Yes it gets a bit boring doesn't it ..... But I'm still proud of them anyway. Every song was great and the vocals were amazing.
KevH Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Esther Grant Going to have to agree with you Ian. .What a tune!!.Still not many around,still not filling the floor . Plenty of room for me to shake me booty tho'.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 From the forthcoming album "Soul Steppers" I proudly present the wonderful Odette Adams. ">
Guest Soul Jones Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Similarly, Dave Moore asked some very thought provoking questions which are going to take time to answer in detail. Hi Ian, I'm looking forward to the answers to dave's question. Cheers, SJ www.souljonespresents.com
Guest Hunnymon Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 From a soul fans perspective this is more than disappointing. I assume that it was intended to be a soul record as you've posted it in a soul forum. The backing singers are brilliant, the musicians tight, catchy lyrics etc.......but what in the world possessed you to use that lead singer? He ruins it. A truly wasted opportunity to make a decent soul record. You are wrong Brookstein is a fine soul singer. If you ever hear him sing "Love TKO" you would not have said this. Sharon Osborne says in her book about Steve that he as no star quality and has no idea how to project himself on stage. I would have to say that I do agree and that she is most likely right in her assesment of the said guy. But he does have a fantastic soulful voice.
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 You are wrong Brookstein is a fine soul singer. One of the finest I have ever met. I discovered him years before the X-Factor, and I still think his voice can melt an iceberg. It gives me goose bumps. And talking of the other Four Vandals, did anyone see them tonight on BBC1 ??? I thought they were bloody brilliant.
Geoff B Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Just been watching a video tape of Burnley Bank Hall Miners 18th august 1984,Pat Allen playing Exciters version of You're gonna make me love you, also we used to play Reaching for the best (Did you write this Ian?)Still sounds great. Les Cokell, Great person to be with,he used to come over too Brads in Colne all the time. I remember once about 8 of us went to the Torch in his little van and on the way home we stopped at the sevices and nobody saw him for about 3 hours while he went on a walkabout to come down a little. Geoff Buckley
Roger Williams Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 From the forthcoming album "Soul Steppers" I proudly present the wonderful Odette Adams. ">" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350" />
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