Festival Time vocal

[Dayo]

Anyone who reads my posts might have guessed that I've been off the scene for eons, so please don't beat me up too much for asking dumb questions.

Here goes: the other day I heard a vocal to Festival Time by the Detroit Sound (I think). Has this been around for a long time? What's the story? Festival Time, to my ears, was written and arranged as an instrumental; where did these vocals come from? Is it a contemporary recording, or has someone "creatively" added the vocals a few years down the road?

Sorry if it's chestnut; thanks in advance.

Colin

[Paul R]

The only vocal I know to Festival Time was "To Win Your Heart" by Laura Lee on RIc-Tic

[Guest Kolla]

San Remo 'Golden' Strings did Festival Time on Ric Tic - 1966 - so as Paul said, it was probably label sister, Laura Lee.

San Remo cut four records on the Ric Tic label. Not sure who the band are but it's been suggested that some of the Funk Brothers may have been involved.

Song was also releases on Tamla Motown

[Tony Smith]

Wasn't there something credited to Al Kent, that may have been a 'custom' job??

too early in the week for joined up thinking!

[Mike]

tailor made isn't it, something to do with Chris King - can't remember full story but undoubtly someone will

[Guest Kolla]

Al and Bob Hamilton wrote a couple of the San Remo strings songs and Al Hamilton IS Al Kent ... is this helping your joint-up thinking yet, T ?

[soul45s]

If I am thinking of the same track, im sure it was by a female ( I hesitate to use to word 'singer' as in my opinion she sounded like a cat caught up on Barbed Wire!)

If I remember correctly it was titled 'Never Gone be the Same' or something similar and sounded like a poor tailor made job. There was a copy for sale last year on Ebay with a ridiculously high starting price, a couple of hundred quid.

cheers

Paul

[Dayo]

It was definitely not the Laura Lee version - did anyone else think that was poor? The vocal I'mtalking about was definitely male.

[Dayo]

And while we're on the subject; another chestnut. Was the "vocal" to 6 by 6 a myth? Did anything ever turn up?

[Mike]

def credited as Detroit Soul and 90% sure is a Chris King tailor Made -

theres a 6x 6 vocal in hands of John Pugh, havent heard it or recall story behind it

The other ebay soul45s on about was possibly an alt version of al kent "way you been acting - different vocal - think got a mention on here at time on ebay - sound clip used to be up on the first site in "quality download" thread , may still be

[Craig W]

Heres what you are after

https://www.soulclub.org/stream/Detroit_Sou...Gonna_Party.ram

Craig.

[grant]

soul45 - think 'never gonna be the same' was alternative version of al kent's 'the way youve been acting lately'

grant

[Tony Smith]

The 'real' 6x6 never turned up (Tony Turner-Musicor), there's the thing on LeCam which has a similar hook, "You've Got To Believe In Thine Ownself", can't remember the artist name just now, but it's awful anyway!!

[Dayo]

Thanks for the link Craig W. That's the groove I was talking about. Sounds to me like the vocal was added some time later. To my ears it's a very fair job, and I could be wrong, but I think the giveaway is in the reverb. Motown vocals in the 60's tended to be mixed much more "dry"; they saved the reverb for the track. In that way the vocals "punched through" a lot better. Festival time was Ric Tic, I know; but I think the same applies.

[Craig W]

Another San remo strings instrumental "Hungry for love" was also given the vocal treatment to great effect by Tony Michael on "I love the life i live" Brilliant!

Craig.

[Paul R]

While we are on the subject, I have been away from the scene for many years, but sort of keeping up by buying CDs. From the first time I heard Kim Weston, "You Hit Me" I thought it sounded like a tailor made. The strings in particular sounded dodgy for an old motown track. The mention of Chris King doing tailor mades has made me suspicious again. Is it real or not?(or possibly a KWS cover version!!)

[Dayo]

Sounds very authentic to me. If it's a newer recording, then it would be an incredible pastiche. Whatever, Paul r, it ain't a quite a patch on Alice Clark is it!?

[Guest]

The 'real' 6x6 never turned up (Tony Turner-Musicor), there's the thing on LeCam which has a similar hook, "You've Got To Believe In Thine Ownself", can't remember the artist name just now, but it's awful anyway!!

Isn't the one John Pugh has a Jobete/Motown acetate. Absolutely awful record. Have the story frommJohn somewhere, I will see if I can find the mail.

[davidwapples]

this record by the detroit sound is on the slow fizz label and has picture me gone by evie sands on the other , it is on a white label demo i think but is often listed under the evie sands title on sales lists

i have a copy which i may trade if you want it

please email me at davidwapples@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested

[Jim Elliott]

Have to concur with Tony re: 'You've got to believe in thine ownself'. Utter pants.

Surely we havent stooped to the level of playing this?! Thank Christ I was too young in the seventies.

[Haydn]

vocal to Festival Time by the Detroit Sound (I think).  Has this been around for a long time?  What's the story?

Dayo,

This was booted in the eighties and as davidwapples states, it is on the slowfizz label. I think all of the boots stated that it was a promo copy.

It was played out at scooter rallies round about the time of Marsha Gees "Peanut Duck". It does still turn a few heads when played as most peoples reactions are "what the hells goin on here"

Should be plenty of copies lying about, especially from scooterists from the 80's

Haydn

[Mike]

when first heard it , the lyrics just don't feel "right", all diff references didnyt sort of match up

had a dig as had info somewhere,

here you via Dave Rimmer on the soul talk email list

reason being not only is it a chris king tailor made - its also a chris king written track

apparently he wrote it and hired session singers with backing taken direct from a lp

[Mike]

Isn't the one John Pugh has a Jobete/Motown acetate. Absolutely awful record. Have the story frommJohn somewhere, I will see if I can find the mail.

dave rimmer being "the most used" reference tonight

from scenesville site a clip of his review from when John Pugh guested....

John started off with The Vondells followed by Little John. Full dancefloor ensued for the rest of the set. The busiest it got was for the vocal to 'Six By Six', although people hadn't realised it was the vocal when they started dancing.

think I was there that night but can't remember hearing it, have spoke to John about it recently but doesn't give a lot away

[Paul R]

Totally agree Dayo, I love Alice Clarke, perhaps because it was the first sound I heard as I walked into Vavas my first allnighter at the tender age of 15. Still Kim Weston still sounds a bit dodgy, the strings almost remind me of the mid 70s tailor mades almost stocatto(if that's the right word). Like those awfull S Sousan tracks.

[Dayo]

PaulR - what an coincidence. I'd done one or two all dayers, but my first allnighter was also VaVa - and I was 15!

The record I first heard there was Landslide, but Alice Clark must have been in the same set. Also recall Earl Grant, Lou Courtney, Billy Preston, The Shirelles and a zillion other classics.

For a short time between The Torch and Wigan, VaVa was THE scene wasn't it? Searling had so many big records. Took me years to figure out that VaVa was French for Go-Go!

Talking of Go-Go; had my first pills there too - 6 Blueys for a quid - danced so hard I'm STILL aching! lol

[Paul R]

Yeh, I'd done Whitchurch in Aug 73 but then Vavas was the first allnighter. My fav sound there was Mel Williams, although stuff yoiu mentioned and Timothy wilson Love is like an Itching in my heart and I'm sure that the Rolling Stones Version of "Under My Thumb" was played. The second time I went they wouldn't let me in, as I was obviously younger than the week before(isn't that a Valentinos record?!!). stayed the night in my mates car. Waited a few weeks for Wigan to open to first sample the fine products of Evans Medical and Smith Klein & French. One memory of Vavas though was dancing on the tiled floor. It felt like it started to rain. It was Booper next to me spinning and the sweat was flying , Tasty!!

[Paul R]

I think we may have strayed off topic slightly, I'd better do some work.

[Dayo]

Off topic, so what!? These memories are priceless. Now you mention it, I remember an instrumental of Under my thumb at Va Va. Timothy Wilson was certainly huge, and for some strange reason records like Lord Thunder and Ann D'Andrea also stick in my mind.

Had a similar experience to you at Blackpool Mecca. Had been a few times around 73 & 74, but one week I just couldn't get past the bouncer - too young get lost - had to stay in my mate's car (Triumph Vitesse). Stank it out with Fish and Chips, so he wasn't impressed.

I also remember he came out raving about a brand new spin by Edward Hamilton. Baby don't you weep?! *%$@!!! I was weeping for weeks; Worcester to Blackpool was 150 miles!

[Paul R]

Edward Hamilton Took over from Mel Williams as my favourite, along with Frankie Beverly And Lee David(called my son Lee David. Could have been worse, could have called him Lord Thunder!). The rolling Stones was a vocal on the Aftermath album. I thought it was a strange chioce for a soul club, although I didn't mind PJ Proby "That's The Tune". Oh the hypocracy of it all!. The other one that really stuck in my mind at Vavas was Jackie Follett "There's A Moment". Not a great track but one I still play occassionally. The distance wasn't a problem for me as I lived in Burscough/Ormskirk and there was always a good crowd around, and most top venues at the time were Northwest, including the free coaches to Blackpool Mecca

[Dayo]

Crikey, this is turning into a two man nostalgia fest! Forgotten about Jackie Follett altogether! Anyone agree Mel Williams had the most killer sax break on any record at the time!?

It's true the North West had most of the great venues; but we did have the incomparable Catacombs. I think many people forget how many great records were broken there by the likes of Pep, Blue Max, Alan 'S', Froggy, Graham Warr and Basil. And as for the atmosphere; many reckon it was never bettered anywhere.

This thread now a million miles from festival time vocal: lol.

[Paul R]

I remember Pete Lawson going to the Cats one night, I think he turned up later at Wigan and when I asked him what it was like his reply was "Check out The paps". Looks like I missed a good one!. Went down to Wolves a couple of times and went to do's in the Wulfrun Hall on a Friday night. Used to hang around with Steve Henshaw and stay at his house, drink in the Vines on Satuday lunchtime, then coach to Wigan.

[Dayo]

Wolverhampton was a great scene, dangerous, but great. Even had a motorcycle gang considered too extreme to be an Angels' chapter.

Them were the days - so long as you knew the right people!