Garethx

Bought unplayed white demo of Bobby Wilburn off Ian Clark at Soul Essence for £100!

As this 45 has split popular opinion roughly down the middle, I thought I'd have my say... No, it's not soul in the accepted sense of the word, but I think it is an absolutely marvellous record. Interesting to note that apparently it's been known of since the latter days of Wigan (I guess it turned up with "I Don't Like To Lose"), but was passed over at the time as not being "black" enough to play. Personally I don't think it would be any better with a soul vocal on top of it. The record's magic comes from the amazing twists and turns of melody, key and tempo change. The lyrics are powerful, evocative and meaningful. Contrast this with crap like Bobby Day "Pretty Girl Dressed In Brown", or indeed Jackie Day's "My Naughty Boy". When you hear "My Proposal" out it's always an event. Love 'em or loathe 'em, this is what big records should be all about.

On the subject of Jan Jones "Independent Woman": I spoke to Arthur Fenn about this. He was the first deejay to have and play the record, getting it via Dave Raistrick in late 1981. Green and white labels. Has anyone out there ever actually seen the red or orange one, or is this another urban soul legend?

Regarding the Jan Jones questions: a couple of things to think about... This was one of the first "currently big" records that I bought in the early 1980s. It was 6 or 7 quid from Ian Clark. I think it's fair to say that when he bought back a quantity of these it caused quite a stir at the time. I remember letters being written to Black Beat about whether it would be dropped from playlists now that it had been "de-rareified". Time tells us that it probably was dropped pretty sharpish by those like Searling and Keb who had played it when it was initially covered up (it may be my imagination, but I distinctly remember the record being faded when before it got to the "Party down in Cleveland town, yeah!" bit), or in extemely short supply. It's interesting to read from Mick Smith that Ian had 75 of them. If that's the case, and I'm not questioning the fact, just speculating, then it took Ian a good few years to sell them all - it was still on his list for about £20 some years later, well into the 1990s. John Smith used to write quite a few articles about Cleveland music figures for Black Beat in those days. He stated in the magazine that "some copies" of the 45 had on the b-side a ballad called something like "Give Love A Try". When I asked Ian about this in about 1985 he said he had never heard this particular rumour. Could it be that the orange ones were the 'originals', and the green and white copies with Parts 1 & 2 were a later re-press by Day-Wood to capitalise on demand in the UK? I've never seen an orange copy, but have also heard a story that it's on red Day-Wood as well (this could be the same record). The world of Soul-Source awaits a scan of said 45 with baited breath. Many of you probably know that Jan Jones was killed in a car crash in Ohio about a year after the record became available to the general public. Which is sad, but interesting. Can anyone shed some light on this?

On the subject of the more obscure Wand releases, the record after The Ivories in the catalogue, Walter Johnson "Not Now But Later" / "Love Keeps me Crying", is pretty good. Anyone got one for sale?

This is desperately sad news. John Whitehead was a great singer and writer. It's quite affecting to listen to Part 2 of (his) I'll Always Love My Mama by The Intruders, where they talk about gangs and the dangers of the streets, and think that Whitehead was outlived by his own mother, ending up the victim of exactly such street violence.

I think Brenda Lee Eager is one of the greatest underrated soul singers ever, full stop. Order the lp with confidence. It's packed with superb music. Their version of The Love We Had Stays On My Mind is better than The Dells (and that's saying something).

Don't know if this is sacrilege, but I prefer the Stax records after Jim stewart and Estelle Axton left. The whole of the Soul Children's Friction lp is the apex of commercial southern soul as an artform. Sandra Wright's lp is amazing too. But as a celebration of all that's good about Stax what about Eddie Floyd's Bring It On Home To Me? Everything about it oozes soul, good times and then some.

Unfortuntely Dylan sold it to my flatmate, which was where i heard it! So, still looking, i'm afraid. Anyway, cheers.

Does anyone out there have a copy of Talmadge Armstrong & The Escotts "Gigi" / "Give It Up" on Spindletop for sale or trade Cheers mail@garethsweeney.ndo.co.uk

Nick, it shouldn't be too hard to find. Great record. You know it's Tommy Tate under a thin disguise. From the same session is another record under another pseudonym, Andy Chapman on Atco, called Happy Is The Man, which is even better.