Garethx

His record on Crimson is quite unique. A Prog-Deep Soul ballad with comedy sound effects. Almost like early Led Zep.

'Same Routine' also played off the Astroscope album, which is well worth picking up.

I think a double-sided SS7 issue of this is quite scarce. The promo with "It's All Over" on both sides is relatively common. "I Love You" also came out on his proceeding SS7 single if it's the same song—different writer credits though. The Joe Simon original of "It's All Over" on Hush from 1961 is great too for those who like early soul.

They say a gentleman is someone who knows how to play the accordion, but chooses not to. The only thing wrong is that there are too many people willing to DJ at the drop of a hat. One of the skills of deejaying is having a ruthlessness about your own set. Too many people are playing records that anyone could DJ with. The soul scene is healthy when there are records worth travelling to hear—ones you could only dream about owning. I wouldn't get behind the decks anywhere unless I was sure that very few people in the room could replicate my set. That's not necessarily about the price of records, it's about knowledge and taste too. It should take a bit of detective work and a good set of contacts to get to the point where anyone should even think about playing their records in public. That mindset seems to have been lost, but it seems like the age-old moaning about record prices is something the scene will cling to until the bitter end.

I'd say it was dubbed at Abbey Road.

That Jerry Cook original above should not have a Daisy Stamp. It should have the IAM stamp as it is a Scranton pressing. I don't believe they used proper Capitol blanks for these boots because the colours are wrong and the paper stock is wrong. I know it's a well-worn tale but why should we believe anything Soussan has to recount of his misdeeds?

I'd love to see an original of the Scranton-pressed copy if one exists. The famous boot uses this typesetting (which is very distinctive) and is so well executed that I can't believe a 1970s bootlegger went to the trouble of creating it out of thin air. The one we know is a definite original is the Hollywood-pressed release with 'DaisyWheel' stamp. The story of liberating the label blanks from the Capitol offices is a great yarn but makes no sense as printing two colour blanks would be the very easiest part of the operation. As an aside there are a good few legitimate Scanton-pressed titles where the IAM [International Association of Machinists] stamp in triangle is omitted. A theory that's been put forward is that these releases were produced when the unionised workers were on strike and the titles were produced by bought-in labour. Several Beach Boys releases from '66-'67 do not have the stamp but are original and legitimate. The Alexander Patten doesn't look legitimate however. The vinyl and paper label stock are both pretty noticeably 'off'.

I think the last real record on Tangerine is a Raelettes single from 1973, Tangerine 1031.

This 45 has been sold.

THE FANTASTICS ‘WHERE THERE'S A WILL (THERE'S A WAY)’/ ‘IN TIMES LIKE THESE’ IMPRESARIO IPPI-124 M- (label on WTAW slightly off centre) Very clean copy of this in-demander. International shipping at cost. TIA for any interest, gareth

The true original is so rare that anyone in the UK selling one would take better photographs, detail the deadwax etc. or get one of the bigger dealers to auction it. If this is the real deal the seller's only realised about a tenth of its true value.

My hunch is that this is the second press.

There's footage of him on youtube. He's the bloke on the right playing guitar.

The other side of the 45, "Nothing To Look Forward To" is pretty good in its own right and was also done by Otis Clay, whose version stayed in the can until a Japanese LP release.

What is the up-to-date value for a mint issue copy of The Fantastics "Where There's A Will There's A Way" on Impresario?

Sorry, I should have read the original post fully. I think the points you make are all sound. The turntable pictured is really a novelty item not suitable for playing adequately or without risk of damage.

Most of the high-end audiophile tonearms are straight. The Technics-type tone arm is actually laughed at by most hi-fi buffs. The idea of a straight arm mangling your records is misguided.

That's hugely unfair to Lolleatta Holloway. She could turn on the pyrotechnics to order later in her career simply because that's precisely what people were paying her for, but her early recordings take some beating for vocal range and quality. "I'll Be Gone" from the "Cry To Me" album. To me not one note is wasted and the emotional punch is right on the button.

I think the Koffie track is scarce on an issue copy with both sides. The DJ copy has the A-side on both and is seemingly plentiful. Same producers as the Aldora Britton by the way, but four years later.

It's just another regional variation from a different plant rather than a demo.

Condolences to Joe's friends and family.

edit.

Both James Carr and Tommy Hunt had Atlantic singles called "Hold On".

O'Jays "Put Our Heads Together" mentioned yet?

A genuine original is an auction-quality item and should really fetch four figures. As stated above the re-issue is translucent with a bevelled—not straight—edge.