Derek Pearson

Took me a while before I figured this one out (smile). Thought to be out of Washington DC sometime 1971. Flip side is decent sweet soul. Dx

I could never get my mouth 'round that word...... Dx

First c/up by Pat Brady early-mid 1980’s as Little Carl Carlton “Hey girl we’re in love” and stayed a one-off for near on 20+ years. The recent circus surrounding the sale via Ebay prompted me onto YouTube to remind myself just how good it was. Wow abso-bloody-lutely wow. Talk about improving with age. It must have been a massive instant success - it’s got all the ingredients you need to get your shirt off and go absolutely mental to. Anybody there the first time Pat played it? Was a John Anderson find? So my natural curiosity made me wonder what the flip side was like? Very rarely talked about by collectors primarily because no buggers got a copy (laughs). With a title “She Wrote It – I Read It” you know straight away it’s not gonna be one of them happy clappy songs. And it doesn’t disappoint…….. No point putting it on mi wants list then eh?! Dx

according to Google the year would be 1974 if this helps. Derek

Motown and reggae aren't two words you'd normally associate together however....... Bob and Marcia "Young Gifted And Black" more commonly seen in the UK on Harry J records was released in the states 23 July 1970 via Tamla 54197. Was this the only reggae 45 Motown licensed in for distribution? Wow you learn summat new every day eh? Derek

Last releases on the label which became classics on the Northern scene. Years ago probably before the internet started to gain a foothold in most UK households circa mid 1990’s many people - myself included - attempted to compile label listings either on handwritten A4 sheets or via good old fashioned typewriters. After a while I started to notice that quite a few well known classics had the unfortunate claim of being the last known release on the label. Assuming that many of the promotional men at the time had an inkling that the company they were working for was going under – instead of pushing the latest releases into record shops and onto radio DJ’s I guess a lot of their effort went into finding another job possibly maybe? Last release on the label coupled with no promotion could condemn the record into an instant rarity. No promotion into securing radio airplay meant no demand was built up for the record which in turn would do little to convince the owners to press up stock copies to distribute amongst the record shops. If these last releases were only sent out as promotional copies this could explain why issue copies of some 45s are so rare or in some cases non existent.. I’ve cross checked most of these 45s featured on the list below via www.45cat.com but please remember mistakes can be made and gaps are frequent. Also bear in mind I have never worked within the record industry in any capacity and all my opinions come from being an enthusiastic outsider who reads a fair bit, remembers a fair bit less and constantly adds 2 and 2 to make 5. Please add to this thread as and when. Ta. Derek (Lizard 21010) N. F. Porter “Keep On Keeping On” (released 1971) However in this case red stock copies are pretty common and all over the place as it made the Top 40 in the Billboard R&B charts late 1971. (Lo Lo 2307) Bobby Hill “To The Bitter End” (1970) (Lawn 256) John Leach “Put That Woman Down” (1965) (Elbam 72) Tommy Turner “Lazy / I’ll Be Gone” (1965) (Topper 1015) Tobi Lark “Challenge My Love / Sweep It Out In The Shed” (1966) (Karen 45-1551) The Volumes Ain't Gonna Give You Up / Am I Losing You (1970) (Kellmac 1010) The C.O.D.'s “She's Fire” (1966) (Kellmac 1011) The Combinations “What' Cha Gonna Do” (1966) (GSF 6916) Connie Laverne “Can't Live Without You” (1974) Only known release by this woman. Promo only copies compound its extreme rarity. (Music Merchant MS 1013) Eloise Laws “Love Factory” (May 1973) ……………………………………………………………………….. Alright these two might not exactly be the last releases on this label but they are at the very end of its life. (End 1127) Lenny Curtis “Nothing can stop me now” (June 1966) (End 1129) Harry Starr “Another time another place” (June 1966) …………………………………………………………………………… Not northern classics as such – just 2 of my favourite soul 45s that conveniently fit into this thread. (Revue 11071) Len Woods “I’m In Love” (1970) Only known release by this chap. (Hi 5N-2297) Jean Plum “Look At The Boy” (October 1975)

Record labels that are named incorporating the owner or owners names: Johnny Guitar Watson "Ain't Gonna Move" on Jowat is a great example. I'd love to know - or be able to remember - just how long it took me to spot this hidden in plain sight detail. There's bound to be loads more but none spring immediately to mind. Help me out eh? Labels such as Karen that were named after the name of a family member (one of the owners daughters so I've read) also count I guess. Derek

The old Archway Sound Studios at 4251 Natural Bridge, Saint Louis. Building currently vacant. https://www.saxophone.org/resources/guestArticle/view/article/11 Derek

Always liked this 45 and thought it would/could have been much bigger had it been recorded properly and not in some echo riddled cellar. Hard to figure out why they even released it with this mix? What happened to quality control at the test pressing stage? Unable to find a link on YouTube. Derek

Not as easy to find as you'd think - some say its promo only which would certainly reduce the number of copies in circulation. Popsike has exactly 19 copies listed as sold in between 2008-2016 averaging £50 ish +/- Derek

And what a fine record it is. Derek

thanks chaps glad you enjoyed listening to it - it's still available in the listen again archive https://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/bcb/index.php?date=2016-06-18 if anybody wants to hear some of it. Ta Derek

c/o BCB Listen Again Derek x https://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/bcb/index.php?date=2016-06-18

Any excuse to upload a YouTube clip on here.... Lorraine Johnson “Can I Hold You To It” initially slipped out on a double sided demo (Atlantic 45-2967) with the standard mono/stereo mixes sometime late May 1973. That’s a superb record on its own and well worth acquiring, copies can be seen quite regularly and picked up fairly cheaply on websites like Ebay. However it’s the far more elusive issue copy that collectors chase as it features the defiant “If You Want Me To Be More Of A Woman, You've Got To Be More Of A Man” on the flip. Derek

Visited the Wayback Machine site a few hours ago and couldn't access the 45 Sleeves catalogue at all apart from the opening page which sadly states: "For your information. I am currently prevented from updating and maintaining the web site. I am sorry for the inconvenience". All that hard earned information and scans built up over many years by an unknown number of contributors........ It just reminds me that sites on the internet aren't as permanent as I always once thought they were. In todays fast moving world it looks like the good old fashioned printed word (books, magazines etc etc) still have a vital role to play in preserving history. Lets hope the 45 Sleeves catalogue reappears sometime in the future. Derek

Just checked the 45cat website and there's nothing documented for the Occasions 45 on the Trans-World label (that doesn't mean to say it didn't get a release.) https://www.45cat.com/label/transworld Also re the Canadian Trans-World release of Ruby Andrews "Casonova" - not only did they mess up her name, the song writer credits also suffered the same fate. The Zodiac release credits Middlebrook-Armstead as writers. Derek

Great snippet of info there Roburt - blimey you must spend hours pouring over them old Billboards. Only just picked up the Occasions 45 on Big Jim recently (for about the fourth or fifth time over the years) so would love to see a Canadian copy what ever label it's on. Note: slight miss-spelling of Ruby's surname.

Shades Of Soul with Derek Pearson Bradford based community radio station BCB 106.6FM Saturday 18th June 2016 @ 9-10pm Sixty minutes of the good groove you know it makes sense Listen live on www.bcbradio.co.uk/player/ Derek x Expect to hear: Bernard Williams Harthon; Cody Black Ram-Brock; Rex Garvin WSJ Sound; Chandlers Col Soul; Larry Laster Duo-Virgo; Johnny Gilliam Bo-Mar; Little Charles Decca; Tommy Turner Elbam; RoseBrooks SoulCity; CarolFran Port; Johnny Gilliam Modern; Edward Hamilton Jameco; Syl Johnson Twilight; Charlie Rich ukLondon; Occasions Big Jim; Little Charles Decca; Delorise Berry Cotillion; Baby Washington Cotillion; Ronnie Walker Philips; Gloria Jones Uptown; Tobi Lark Topper; The TSU Toronadoes Atlantic; The Pretenders Carnival.

Hey up Trev - good to see you at the Brudenell record fair in Leeds last Sunday. Here's the Forward sleeve I was on about. Derek