Garethx

This has been played on and off since Stafford. Who was responsible for it then, I don't know. Andy Dyson has certainly played both sides out over the years (the other side is a great slowie). It's quite a hard record to obtain in decent nick. Most copies I've ever seen are really knackered-looking and seem to have had a collision with a pot of yellow modelling-paint. A great record, and due a revival. I've spun it a couple of times at Soul or Nothing in Manchester in the last year. Proper, manic Northern with tons of soul.

I've always loved "The Lady In Green" myself, and consider it to be far the better side. It just has a mystique about it that "Heart..." lacks. So what if a number of copies turn up. It'll still be a great northern soul record.

There's also Sonny Warner "Bell Bottom Blue Jeans" on Checker 1151...

The Paul Newman film which uses California Montage is the dreary motor racing flick "Winning". The film score is by Dave Grusin and I'm pretty sure Mick Smith has stated on here that the soundtrack version was played at the Mecca as well as the obviously more soul-oriented version by Young-Holt which we have come to know and love.

Both issues and demos are available on vinyl. Green issue wouuld appear to be a bit less common. Sold one to a well-known collector in Japan this summer, but wouldn't mind getting another one, as it's a really good double sider of New Orleans female soul.

The B-side of the issue copy of George Jackson's "Macking On You" (Chess) is the superb deep soul of "Things Are Getting Better". Maybe GJ's finest moment as a vocalist in deep soul terms. Regarding the respective merits of Thomas Bailey versus Wilson Pickett: I can't really split them. Bailey's is an amazing tour-de-force of raw singing at its' most breathtaking, but then I play Pickett's original and I think "how can that be bettered?" Faultless deep soul cut at Fame with the best-ever backing crew at the very height of their powers: just a perfect record. The answer is maybe to just enjoy both. Incidentally, the writer credits on the Thomas Bailey version make no mention of the involvement of George Jackson (as the Pickett one does): a bit cheeky really. In my experience Eugene Evans on Hollywood is one of the rarest of all soul records on a reasonably large label: a simply phenomenal record which seemingly NEVER turns up for sale. I'd love to be proved wrong (and eventually own one) but I think this is a lot rarer than many of the big northern rarities.

The Stoppers was a big record among LA's "Cholo" community, apparently. Latino kids with long key-chains and low-riding motors. This was a big market for a lot of 'rare' black harmony group records from all eras up until the early 80s, when hip-hop seemed to become their music of choice. So as well as the beach music scene there was also a reasonably large Angeleno fan-base for the kinds of records we were searching for too. On the merits of the two records: give me The Vanguards every time. This sent shivers up my spine when I first heard it. Over-familiarity may have dulled its' edge, but, my god, has there ever been more soulful group-singing on a dancefloor smash? I include the likes of the Dells and Masqueraders in this analysis and await the inevitable flak...

Can I defend The Ascots as well? Talmadge Armstrong is a good artist, with a credible and unified back catalogue of pretty individual-sounding soul music. "Just A Few Feet From The Gutter" is probably due a rest, but I recall being blown away when I first heard it.

Both George Hobson and Bobby Kline are pretty good records. Maybe we're all a bit sick of hearing BK, but for the fiirst few years it sounded really monumental. George Hobson is a class record and I make no apologies for liking it: it's one which would have created a buzz for soul fans at any time in the scene's history: by any stretch of the imagination it's preferable to Paula Parfitt (which in itself is a fairly competent pop record, though nothing more than that).

Just perusing soundfiles on Pat Brady's website, and came upon this 45: Alaina Reed "Don't Let Me Fall In Love Alone' (CAPITOL P-3047) It sounds like an exact ringer for the Brendetta Davis 45 on Liberty "I Can't Make It Without Him". Have they simply put the wrong soundclip on the site, or is it actually the Capitol 45? Does anyone know or have the track question and can they confirm? TIA for any help.

A couple of points: Bobby Shannon and Bobby Patterson are completely different people. Bobby Paterson used the alias Bobby Story on the "Storyteller" lp as mentioned above. Check out the CD re-issue of this lp as a starting point, Colin. It's a really classic collection of various types of southern soul, from earthy Texan funk to infectious, melodic 70s dancetracks; all topped off with three or four great extended ballads, including the wonderful "Right Place, Wrong Time". The CD has about half a dozen pretty good unreleased tracks from various eras.

A couple of years ago I was looking to buy a copy of Terry Callier's Ordinary Joe on 45. I had credit with a certain record dealer and at an event he said "you were looking for a copy of this, weren't you, Gareth?" He showed me two copies of the 45; "The first one's mint and the second copy's got writing all over the label: it's fifty quid less." I looked at the offending WOL. It was Terry Callier's autograph. I'm ashamed to say I took the minter. Another story concerns two esteemed members of this very board. Can "Tommy Walsh" or Mick Smith please tell the story of their respective autographed Velvelettes 45s. Surely one of the funniest weekender stories ever.

I don't think anyone's pointed out yet that there are at least two pretty radically different takes of "One Gold Piece". The one that was posted up here a couple of months ago (from an original 45 or from one of the Shrine CDs?) is completely different to the take used on the Horace's lp "Capital City Soul Volume 2". I'm assuming the latter cut was the version first played on the scene, as at that time the 45 was only thought to exist and was yet to turn up in actuality.

Sidney Hall went for $799, I think. It was a beautiful copy too, practically a minter.

It's lp only: "Comin' At Ya" on Mercury: usually some on gemm.com

It's a Fame recording, but most of Spencer Wiggins' later Goldwax sides were cut at Fame studios. When Goldwax folded in around '69 or '70 Fame (through Capitol) issued at least two SW 45s. This record is presumably from this timeframe, so there would appear to be a lack of clarity on the matter of who actually owns the recording. Vivid Sound in Japan collected a few unissued Goldwax tracks on 2 vinyl complation albums in the late 1970s (Volume 2 contains a version of Wee Willie Walker's "I Don't Want To Take A Chance" without horns or backing vocals, for example). I don't have the other vinyl album, but I think Mark 'Binsy' Taylor does. I can ask him to confirm if "Let's Talk It Over" is on Volume 1, which would mean it existed in vinyl format from the late 1970s. In any case, these lps formed the basis of the CD from whence the various UK bootleg singles of the Spencer Wiggins track came. The entire CD itself was counterfeited at the time of the popularity of "Let's Talk It Over". I bought one from a shop called Mister CD in London which was clearly 'dodgy' on close inspection; a UK-pressed CD with no liner notes whatsoever, just a CD booklet cover which was a pretty poor reproduction of the proper CD packaging.

I think the Paul Vann on SS7 is the original version of the Al Gardner classic.

I'll write a bit more about some specific records when I've got more time, but I'd just like to say that I love Deep Soul. To me it's the artistic pinnacle of the entire history of rhythm and blues and the greatest expression of the African-American voice in the arts. The soulmen and women of the classic era helped to create an artform that was very special and will never be repeated. Some of the very best deep soul records are almost beyond belief.

Really looking forward to doing Soulsville; I've heard only good things.

That's the very one, Mark. I can never remember the price of records once I've got them, but I'm sure it was a bit less than it goes for now...

I bought a pink demo of this off Mr Bicknell about a dozen years ago.

Proper Northern Soul. Never cheesy.

These sites are great. I've seen the Carolinas one, the Ohio one and the Georgia one. Are there any more?

I think you're absolutely right, Adam. Tend to think of "I Don't mess Around" as earlier because it's on a small label. Both great records, anyway. Can anyone give a realistic valuation for L.J. Reynolds & The Relations "Stop, Look Over Your Past" on Monique (the sister label to Washington)?

Would think Jeannie Reynolds & The Re-Leets "I Don't Mess Around" on Washington would be her first record. Anyone got a copy of that for sale?