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.

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

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

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!!

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.

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!!)

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

Just listened to it and I'm sure it's Sousans version of going to a go go by the Shitronettes. With things like this, thank god for gear! Paul

I like the optional extra with this item on ebay-Lynn Randell "Stranger in My Arms" "Picture cover also available for a little bit extra if required". Is it me, or should the picture sleeve be part of the deal anyway? https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...4012119937&rd=1 KTF

From the first time I heard it many years ago, the vocal "break" in the middle of Scratchy by Travis Wamack has always done it for me!!!!

Perhaps the natural progression from some of the early R & B played nowadays will be Skiffle. How about "Does your chewing gum loose its flavour when your verballing allnight", "My old man's a Soulfan" or even "Soul Island Line" Just a thought, I'll get my coat! KTF

As we're on the subject, it was my sons 22nd birthday on the 19th. His name, Lee David. KTF

I've got the album "are you lonely for me" but never played it for years. Used to play his version of "Open the door to your heart"(hardly a cutting edge discovery!!) in and around Plymouth in the late 70s early 80s. I must get the album out again. KTF

Recently on ebay there have been a couple of copies of Betti Webb "I know" that didn't sell. This is a track I first bought when it was being played in '73. Perhaps it is the difficult tempo change that has stopped it in its tracks. Anyway, I love it KTF

From what I remember, the 4 Seasons was the first version played around 1974 at Wigan, with the Velours following up about a year later. For the record? I love both versions but prefer the 4 Seasons. KTF

As somebody who has been away from the scene for a long time, if the tracks played last night on asadan on R2 are representative of rare soul in the 21st century, I'll live on my memories. KTF Paul

Lenny Curtis on ebay at the moment at £52. And to quote "not an original, but a very good copy". Well that's alright then!

lets face it , for one example,although much derided as being played out nowadays, but would we have heard the likes of Frank Wilkson since the original airings 25 years ago if EMIdiscs, pressings or reissues were totally frowned upon?

I've started converting all of my CDs to MP3 and bought a CD MP3 player. As someone not really active on the scene for many years, there are a lot of sounds that are new to me that on first hearing on CD I skipped after a few bars, as too slow or not the right beat etc. I now just dump over 300 tracks onto a blank CD as MP3s, put my headphones on, select random play and just listen while walking, or riding to work. It's not surprising that I'm now discovering many tracks I just passed by previously, and even oldies that I hadn't heard for many years that I had forgotten. So the past 40 years of the rare soul scene is hot on my digital turntable at the moment. And no I wouldn't play them this way at a venue! And I don't file share! KTF

Just been listening to a few tracks and I stumbled upon/remembered Jeanette White-Music, Jean Carter-Like One and The Gems-I'll Be There. I was out of breath just remembering.

Message to Steve C if you are Sas then Hello Mate This is Jimmy Rimmer

Cheers Steve, I heard Stewart Ames off a CD(Backrop) I bought and thought the track was terrible. Each to his own Eh! By the way are you the Steve C who runs the northern nights in Pompey? Worst tracks? I was at a do once and the DJ played Chapter 5 One in a Million and said it was the best version. I had to disagree and play Maxine. I still hate Nightwatch "Lips To Your Heart" even though I havn't heard it for years. KTF

Monitors "Share A little Love", or Kim Weston "I'm Still Loving You" definitely do it for me.

While waiting for this weeks installment of All Singing etc. and after reading Stuart Maconies Autobiography, I thought I would mention something he talks about quite often. When he first started doing the series and he started to talk about value/cost of northern sounds, he commented that he once paid £8 for Cochise. While reading the aformentioned book he states that this was in 1975. I bought Cochise in 1975 and it was about 75p as a new release. Did it come out on Shrine or something originally???!!! It would also apear that he only lasted a few months as a "souly" before finding another fashion. Didn't we call them sightseers at the time? Still I don't mind listening to the show and he doesn't seem a bad bloke. KTF Paul

It used to be "The Trip", now it's "Walk With A Winner"