macca

_{I would guess someone could put together a few interesting words on the whole aspect of the 3/4 b4 8}

_{would any of them be as well known or have the same status today if back then something else was played in its place ?}

_{Probably not. Wigan was a lot of Wigan, and its instigator has been living off the legend that it was ever since. As regards other records, Keith Minshull played Walter Jackson 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone?' to close the sessions at The Torch, right? Bobby Bland 'Call On Me' at the early Wheel, according to Brian Rae. Walter Jackson always struck me as naff, but I guess you had to be there, as they say. I love Bobby Bland, the man can't put a foot wrong for me. Were there any other attempts at playing different enders at other all-nighters? Cleethorpes and Charles Mann spring to mind. Good tune, but not as iconic as the 3b48. Wigan is a lot of Wigan...}

_{Here's the revised version of John's TWPYB story. Hopefully he'll be on here in person soon.}

_{The song began on a warm, spring evening in 1965. I was lounging in a window of my fifth floor apartment on 2nd Ave looking down at all the motion on the sidewalk. I started writing the first verse immediately. I ran to the piano and the changes just came. Within an hour, I had the the first verse and chorus to "Time Will Pass You By" One of the rare times in my life that was purely spontaneous.}

_{At this time, I was waiting for Golden World Studios to become operational. Which was why I had left Atlanta, Georgia in the first place. When I arrived in Detroit, I found the studio incomplete and Ed Wingate, owner of Golden World, helped me obtain an interim position with Merit Music Distributors and for six months I continued the work I had done for several years in the South. Record promotion.}

_{Finally the call came. When I arrived at Golden World, there were only two white men there. Irving Beigle (the comptroller) and myself. The first artist Uncle Ed (as he was affectionately called), had me record was a young man from Ohio named Edwin Starr.}

_{We had just finished the master vocals on "Agent Double-O- Soul" and almost everyone had gone. After cleaning the studio and putting all the mics and cables back in their place, I sat down at the beautiful, 9 foot Steinway piano which was housed in the main studio. I don't know why but I just started playing "TWPYB". I never noticed there was someone standing behind me. It was Irving Beigle. He asked if the song was mine and told me he thought it a great song with some excellent hooks and that I should finish it up and submit it to Uncle Ed for one of the GW artists.}

_{While I was at Golden World I never managed to finish the song. I just became too busy. Funny....I never realized there was big talk about Motown buying GW. When the deal finally went down, I resigned.}

_{In the fall of 1966, I met a man named Harry Balk. The legendary producer from Detroit. It was he who picked "Oh How Happy" as a winner and he was correct.}

_{It was while I was working at Impact Records that I was introduced to two, young singers from Detroit. Nick Zesses and Dino Fekaris. They came in to ask about a record deal and Harry brought them into the rehearsal studio to meet me. Guess what I was playing as they entered the room? You guessed it. They asked if the song was finished and I told them, "No." It was at this time Nick and Dino wrote the last verse. When it came down to divvying up the rights, I think I opted for an equal split.}

_{Meanwhile I record Nick and Dino to no great shakes and they move on. Good records though.}

_{Here's where it gets interesting....}

_{Harry eventually sells Impact to Motown and I leave again. This time as an outside producer for Capitol Records. One day I receive a call from a disc-jockey friend who wants me to produce four sides on a friend of his. I agree and we select four songs for the session. I book Tera Shirma and my favorite Funk Brothers. Babbitt, Eddie Willis, Johnny Griffin and George McGregor. I hire Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey to do the charts. A couple of weeks later we do the session. The singer was awful. I knew there was no chance anyone in his or her right mind would release any of those cuts. "Time Will Pass You By" was one of them.}

_{Six months later I receive a phone call from my old Golden World friend Irv Beigle who is now working for Amy, Mala, Bell Records in New York. He said there was someone there claiming to have written four songs. One of which was "TWPYB". He told me he knew it was the same song he had heard that night in the studio at GW. He played several pieces from the session. Enough for me to know the session was mine.}

_{To make a long story short. Bell Records bought the masters from the person who brought them in. Harry Balk retained the publishing on the song. From there, the masters were sent to England. And this is where I loose clarity. On the Tobi Legend record there are two people listed as producers. My name was not among them. Nick, Dino and I did all the background vocals on the track. Then one day, in 2002 I opened a substantial check from Bug Music. That check saved my family and I as times had become quite hard. One day I'll have to look into the finances of the song.}

_{I still can't believe the long road that song has taken but I do believe in the power of music and always will.}

_{Best regards to all my friends in the homeland. I do hope to see you soon.}

_{John Rhys}

_{BluePower.com}

Soussan?

Another message from John saying he needs to edit yesterday's post. Will post the revised version as soon as I get word.

sounded like a beach boys type thing to my ears

sounded like a beach boys type thing to my ears

Hearing the demo has actually lead me to think about the song in another artist's hands, which would have been unthinkable before. Any other takers, apart from the Beach Boys?

John's story and his association with Harry Balk, Impact, Duke Browner and the TL song were all told in There's That Beat! about 6 years ago. (Issue #2 I think). He's a great bloke and was joy to interview.

Coincidentally: Nick and Dino (the co writers of TWPYB), also had a release on Impact Records and if I remember correctly, were the writers of Gloria Gaynors Massive disco smash - I Will Survive".

Best,

Dave

Wasn't aware it was old hat dave. one never stops learning on here.

christ, hadn't thought about the minogue connection. that'll piss tobi lark off even more, if such a thing were possible... I'd never heard the piano demo before and thought it'd be nice to get the story on here. he wanted to post it on his website first though. :-)

what interview was that mate? was it northern soul related or kylie minogue related?

What a wonderful voice the man had too. Sad end to a very influential figure. RIP.

Hence my final comment.

I know exactly who he is but like Simon Soussan, every time his name gets mentioned on here he gets shredded wthout the ability to defend himself.

See my following comment for what i really feel about it.

as far as soussan is concerned, he's a bit like elvis, either dead or rumoured to be alive, but always mentioned in dispatches.

if he were still around, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to find his accusers. he'd only have to google northern soul forums and wade into the fray... if he wanted to.

ian levine was a vital, if not the vital cog in the northern soul wheel in the early to mid 70s and I think it's great he still has 'something to say' in terms of this music. his severest critics are going to sharpen their knives anyway, even if he does unveil some serious, hitherto unknown 45s on the night. would love to be there, but I'm climbing the financial january 'hill', sadly.

will messrs trouble and sadot be carrying his box down that hallowed flight of stairs?

What did?

Watching the video and being reminded of certain situations in my dim and distant past. Sorry to have been so minimalist on this occasion.

Now that made me smile.

Heard about this while we were in BCN, and Steve G duly paid tribute in his set. Grande!

A miserable, grey, drizzly day here made even more so with this news. RIP Dobie Gray, you touched all of us, without exception.

The clips are impressive, as is the director's pedigree. I look forward to seeing the end result.

Mac (former card carrying member of the dark underbelly cogniscenti)

Another giant takes his leave of us. In amongst all the stuff on Libya and the fall of Gadaffi is this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14627670

Nice one Paul. Must have been fun remixing/remastering it. The flip sounds seriously powerful too.

Cheers Paul. Just bought the CD from her website and sent friend request on Facebook. What a nice way to start the day!!

This is wonderful news. I thought Debbie Taylor was irretrievably lost to us, musically speaking. Well done Yogi and the rest of the guys for securing this UK appearance. What's the gen on this.? When did she decide to return to the music biz?

Superb idea and gesture. If we all pulled together, I'm sure he could have something truly fitting in the way of a lasting memorial.

I was only listening to the mancha-barnes disc on new year's eve... :-(

M

p.s. Who's behind this connoisseur collection label that released the steve mancha detroit soulman compilation?

If I/we bought this, would his estate stand to receive anything in the way of royalties?

Interviewed him, met him, have an extended version of Groovin' at the go go from him, top bloke, a tad flaky, just how I like them.................................

What does flaky mean? Is this another yank usage?

mr. ferguson has a lovely thing going on facebook. weldon arthur macdougall III and richard popcorn wylie, joint pole stars for most of us. the fact that they touched so many lives is a tribute in itself.

RIP King Sol. I too saw him play in the town square during the summer fiestas a few years back, 2005/6 I think. Though he was sat on his 'throne' throughout the gig, he was a great communicator and had everybody up dancing fom the word go.