Garethx

The original is dark green with dark blue type in virtually the same tone. Not the wisest choice for legibility etc. Perhaps that's why it's so rare: DJs couldn't read the label.

Jamie To confuse things further there's another Mark IV who recorded for Mercury in the 60s, who were from, I think, Texas: possibly some connection to Major Bill Smith. I can check in the vocal group bible to see if there are any connections between the Roy C/Mercury and OTB/BriteLite Mark IVs: they might have had one or more members in common. gareth

I'm pretty sure that Mark IV on Mercury were a different group to the New Jersey lot. Mark IV (Mercury) were produced by Roy C and recorded in a kind of southern style (even thought they recorded in NYC); their records are OK without being outstanding. They took Roy Cs formula sound and added harmonies to it, basically. Their Mercury lp has one decent funk-type tune, but I don't really like their approach to ballads. The Mark IV on OTB and BriteLyte changed their name to Intrigue in the 1980s and did a couple of reasonable 12" singles, one on World Trade produced by Leroy Burgess springs to mind as being pretty good.

Thanks for putting me on to The Rotary Connection's "Peace At Least", Lisa. Great record.

Anyone watching the Jon Ronson programme on Channel 4 at the moment? it's about unconventional psychological techniques in modern warfare. The CIA and US military is using round-the-clock american music to break the resistance of Iraqi POWs, and Ronson is interviewing Christopher Cerf about them using his songs, including "Barney's Theme" and the "Sesame Street" signature. Being made to listen to Cerf's "Sweet Music" for 24 hours would make me confess to anything.

Eddie Foster "Closer Together" on Ocampo?

The label is a fairly accurate facsimile of the original in terms of logo and type styles. The original is pale blue. Obviously the details regarding it being licensed from Patrinell Statten are a later addition.

L.J. Reynolds' 45s as Larry "Chubby" Reynolds on Tri-Spin are all vocally awesome. Apparently he was only twelve or thirteen when they were recorded. Also, the first few Darrow Fletcher 45s have some serious soul singing in the grooves.

Someone could probably write a fairly weighty book about Major Bill Smith and the millions of versions of songs he recorded by various artists. One thing's for certain: when he came up with a backing track he liked, he seldom let it go to waste. On a related note, can anyone help with any info (or a copy) of "Talk About Love" on Charay by The Fiery Spartans as opposed to Pic & Bill.

Don't think you're totally correct on this, enchantedrythm. The Stax 45 cut of Eddie Giles "Losing Boy" certainly was released on the Kent LP "Kentstax", which, as you say, included Margie Joseph's "One More Chance". That lp did not, however, feature "I Just Can't Get Over You", which, to the best of my knowledge, remains Japanese only. I agree with Andy Dyson about Rance Allen. A phenomenal and unique talent. I find it odd that no-one's mentioned Johnnie Taylor yet. I concur with the people who've mentioned Darrell Banks' name. It's funny that, while he's thought of as a god in Northern Soul circles, he remains cruelly undervalued by the rest of the soul world.

Speaking of loosely soul-related cinema, has anyone seen any of the pre-publicity for the US only feature film starring, and based loosely on the life of Chuck Corby of Soul Communicators fame? Looked interesting, to say the least. Billed as "The Sopranos meets The Five Heartbeats". can't remember the title OTTOMH, but will post a link to the film's website.

Following on from the mentions of Sy Hightower: for another blinding soul voice known from only one or two relatively obscure 45s, what about "Love Stormy Weather" by Melvin Brown, James Matthews and Topaz on Philmore Sound. The tenor voice on that 45 (Brown? Matthews? Topaz?) is stunning. Where the hell is he now? He certainly gives the Teddy Ps and Marvin Juniors of this world a run for their money. It just goes to illustrate what an awesome depth of talent there was in the classic era.

Good call on all counts Adam. Sy Hightower must go down as one of the greatest unheralded and under-recorded soul voices. Whenever any of my non-soul friends bandy Otis's name about I always make a point of mentioning James Carr as his superior. Jimmy Lewis: unique singing and writing skills. Who else (bar Womack, maybe) could make you laugh and cry simultaneously when listening to his music. Also, I can't believe no-one's mentioned Wilson Pickett. His power and control are awe-inspiring musical tools.

Re: the Wand question. Just different pressing plants. Nothing more sinister.

There is a theory that soul music released on 45 and lp forms only the tip of a gigantic iceberg. Think of the Motown and Stax recording empires. Reliable sources tell us us that, for example, eleven takes of a track like The Originals "Suspicion" (or whatever it's actually called) were made; an oscure song that was never officially released at the time. Multiply this across Motown's entire Jobete / Stone Agate publishing catalogues and you get an idea of how much material is still to be unearthed. Recording studios like Hitsville and Stax were operational pretty much around the clock for at least a decade. Then think of how many other reasonably sized recording facilities there were in the States in the 1960s and 1970s. Threre remains a veritable flood of soul still out there that no-one has heard since it was first put on tape. How much of it might be good is open to debate, but I'm sure there are still some staggering discoveries to be made.

I must add a vocalist no-one's mentioned: Eddie Giles. On another Japanese-only album, "Losing Boy" in the track "I Just Can't Get Over You" there's a bit on the fadeout where he screams "you're love is like a cancer, and it's spreading all over my body..." which is mind-blowing. More top soul.

Why you surprised by Blackfoot, Mikey? The man's a bleedin' legend. Listen to him on the Soul Children's "Move Over" or "Midnight Sunshine" or "We're Getting Too Close" or "If You Move, I'll Fall" and dozens of others.

I've said it on here before: the best vocal I've ever heard on a record is Tommy Tate's on "I Can't Do Enough For You Baby" from the Japanese Malaco lp "Hold On". It really is literally unbelievable. A demo recording where he double-tracks with himself: incredible singing in his normal register with a scintillating falsetto on top. There are other singers I rate really, really highly, like Spencer Wiggins, Carl Hall, Otis Clay, Al Green, Bobby Womack, Freddie Hughes, J. Blackfoot (in The Soul Children rather than solo) Marvin Gaye, Marvin Junior, John Edwards etc. but on that one record I honestly don't think that any of them touch Tommy Tate's moment of pure soul artistry.

I have a copy of Jean Wells "Sharing Your Love" for sale if anyone is interested... gareth.

Picked up a copy of the Black Nasty lp "Talking To The People" (Enterprise 1973) the other day. I was amazed to see the album included a really good male vocal to "I Have No Choice". I can't recall anyone ever mentioning this. Has it ever been played anywhere?

I'd be more worried about the payment methods he accepts... "belgium buyers i accept to come on my house and take records thanks matt" Just think of the carpet cleaning bill. I'll get my coat...

I'm guessing the scorpion design is the first. The plain red Thomas label is distributed through Atco.

Don't think I've ever seen The Amazers on anything other than this label. Also, all issue copies of the Mad Dog 45 you mention are yellow with black type.

Selling a few bits and bobs on ebay: Billy Easton, Chris Bernard, Rudy Ludaway, George Perkins, Iris Harvey, The Amazers and a few others. https://search.ebay.com/_W0QQgotopageZ1QQsa...osortpropertyZ1. Thanks.

What's the Gino Washington acetate that Rob Thomas plays? It's an early 1970s thing: very 'modern soul'. Pretty good, too. Also, I seem to recall Dave Thorley playing a Sir George Washington 45 in the early 1990s: is it another in addition to the one listed above? Anyone have any clues?