Derek Pearson

if anybodies still after a copy Les Hare at King Bee had a copy in his shop for £500 a few weeks ago. Of course it might be gone now but its worth a phone call innnit. derek

you have to laugh don't ya - at the weekend I stumbled across this "other thread" I mentioned above and it wasnt Lenny that had replied mentioning the mag. So me thinking it was Lenny that had commented on his subscriptions was based on a mix up in my lousy mush of a brain. Ooops. derek

How about this for a new Ebay game? Instead of bad mouthing about all these big expensive records coming up for auction all the time - what about saying which big expensive records havent come up for auction ever or not recently? Have any/all of the big 3 Magnetics records been up in the last year or two? derek There must be loads of others and I don't mean unknowns obscurities either I mean the real big dollar items.

What it is.....is I was gathering info on both Vee Allen & the Lion label and whilst looking through both price guides and Ebay I noticed "Love is all around" was valued at £40 and I watched one sell on Ebay for around that amount. So I naturally (naively) thought it must be reasonably OK. Buys one blind for a tenner and to put it mildly was disapointed on hearing it. It was a pleasant enough early 70s ballad nothing special. Eh was I missing something? A few weeeks ago whilst loitering in Les Hare's King Bee Records in Manchester I comes across said record as a WDJ copy, mine's an issue, and plays it out of curiosity. Ah now I see said the blind man. The version on the WDJ sounds alot more gritty and punchy compared to the one I've got, now I see where the £40 tag comes from. The problem arises because "Love is all around" seems to have been released several times on the label, firstly as a WDJ (Lion 152DJ)that was withdrawn then released again without "LIAA" on the flip (Lion 152DJ2). Not sure if there are issue copies using this release number. Then it was released again on a different catalogue number (Lion 159) which is the copy I've got. Never ever let it be said I'm obsessive hehehe, derek If you're thinking why didnt I buy the WDJ copy from Les Hare when I had the chance. It was £25 but it had a big scratch on the intro which I didnt think I could live with. Its not expensive or rare so I'll eventually track one down........

Hey I said I had a good idea for a book I didnt say I could write it hehehehe. Was listening to something on the radio earlier this week, can't recall what it was about but the jist of it was because of the problems in Manchester's thriving nightlife during the sixties they actually changed the laws and clamped down on pubs & clubs. I immediately thought drugs and all night clubs. Well you would wouldn't you. Because the Twisted Wheel was such a massive iconic club of its time thats why it attracted so much heat from the authorities. However I've been told lots of people went to the Wheel simply because it was daring and different to stop out all night in a club. Think how rebellious that must have been in the sixties. They might not have been into the music or drugs just out for a laugh. The parallel to that is I personally took many people to Wigan Casino who werent into music or drugs but just wanted to go to see what all the fuss was about. Was the Wheel the only allnight club in Manchester at the time or were there loads on the go untill the police stepped in? Think I'll have to visit the library... derek Oh and was the Wheel the place where nice people didnt go?

what a great record and not that easy to find despite it being a £30 touch. Was offered one for £50 which I declined eventually had to spend £40 on one if I remember rightly. Listen to it carefully and you can hear the lead sing "Deef and dumb" hehehe... derek Lenny contact me re Shades please

Got an orig UK 12" copy of the classic Roberta Gilliam "All I want is my baby" in Ex condition if anybodies interested. Is £20 still a fair price these days? P&P extra. derek

I'm after a copy of Vee Allen's "Love is all around" on Lion but it must be a white demo. No its not "I must have a pretty label thing" its a sound thing. Off list replies please, derek

yes but very slowly indeed. #32 will come out but not sure when. derek

Now that I'm a second generation Manc, alright I'm in Stockport if you wanna be real picky I sorta consider myself a manc with a better accent. I'd love to know more about the soul club scene going back through the decades. Anyway I had a great idea for a book last week whilst out driving - "The History Of Black Music In Manchester". You could start with the illegal shebeens in Moss Side throughout the fifties, moving into the Twisted Wheel in the sixties. You had the flourishing jazz funk and northern venues throughout the seventies, you had the all-dayers all over the city. It just went on and on. Just think of all the fascinating stories, places, people & venues that had gone on over the years. Yeah Manchester can truly claim to be the centre of the northern scene in the UK. Thats where all the action is. derek

"on the same note there is also another person who uses these pages did the exact same thing!, but there you go, you live and learn " No I suspect BigSoulMan means me. I'd posted a comment on another thread and he replied to it mentioning the mag. I meant to reply to it but forgot what the thread was. Then time moved on I wasnt dodging the issue, we can either discuss on line here or contact me off list if you want I don't mind. Throughout the nineties when I lived on my own I could spend hours on the mag but now I'm older and living with someone times really tight. I used the bring the mag out every year but the last one #31 came out April 04 thats nearly 18 months ago. Plus I'm getting older and slowing down. But you don't need to hear this, you've paid your money and you've a right to wonder where the mag is. I accept that. I mentioned in #31's editorial my concerns about people paying subs because I was taking so long to get the mag out. Let me know your name and I'll check my files. I'm quite happy to refund your subs chq. derek I am working on #32 as I've lots of ideas for possible articles but things are going so slowly....

A mate of mine is after some recordings by a Chicago based group called The Answers who recorded one 45 for both the Crash and Scorpion labels. Can anybody either post up mP3s or send me any/all of these 4 sides please. To be honest I don't think I've ever actually heard of this group before. Anybody got scans of the labels? derek He tells me this group was actually the same group as the Answers To Love who recorded on Lion.

He ran the all dayers and maybe allnighters in Bradford at the Bierkeller mid to late 80s I think, Chris King might have been working with him at the time. Seem to think he was living in Bradford during this period in fact after the Bierkeller burnt down in a mystery (ahem) blaze he stayed in the area. Occasionally used to pass him in town and say hello. Saw him at least 5 years ago and he did look an old man. derek

Anybody fancy any of these? All Ex unless stated. Anita May "When its dark/Tarnished angel" 60013 £30; Remarkables "Is the feeling still there/Easily mislead" 700 £15; Incredibles "Stop the raindrops/Fool fool fool" 60018 £10; Incredibles "Standing here crying/same" 60017 WDJ £10; Incredibles "I found another love/Heart & soul" £10; Cassietta George "Lets get together/He saved me" 60022 £5; Cassietta George "Everything is beautiful/Didnt we" 60027 DJ £5; Ron Kenoly "Moving on/The glory of your love" 60020 edge warp £30. P&P extra. Off list replies please. derek If interested check Manships website and search under Audio Arts for sound clips of some of the above.

I can see why it was played - fast urgent and messy but it just doesnt sound right for todays dancefloors. It belongs to another era. Maybe thats why its never played out any more....... derek

Sylvia Thomas"At last" Bamboo 101 what a great piece of sixties femme soul this is sorta like a speeded up Bettye Swann "Make me yours". Love it! Check the 2 different label scans - I reckon the plain green label was the initial run followed by the palm tree design. I say this because I remember reading many years ago that fledgling companies put all their money into initially getting their product out on the streets. They used the cheapest label design in one colour and if it started to sell they could jazz it up with a better design and maybe more colours for the following runs. Think Darrell Banks grey Revilot first press then pink for second. I know it doesnt always work this way but you know what I'm getting at. So what was the date release for Sylvia Thomas? Well the Voicemasters "If a woman catches a fool" was issued 3 times, Bamboo 103 in October 1968, Bamboo 105 in '69 and Bamboo 113 in '70. And whats the deal with this record two of these 45s are valued at about £20 whilst Bamboo 105 which has "Never gonna leave you" on the reverse is rated at £100. Is the flip really that good? Sound file please. So I guess Sylvia's opening release for the label was a summer 68 offering. derek Just for the record Bamboo 113 made the Billboard R&B charts in June 1970

Right finally got 'round to posting up scans of both 45s and here's the info on the run out grooves from both discs as well for all you obsessives out there hehe.... Bill Lucas "Cause I know your mine/I don't wanna ever love again" Dionn 502 White Dionn vinyl "Cause" D-DLU-1 919 studios Orange Dionn styrene "Cause" D-DLU-1-RE MR stamp delta no 102092 Speaking to Tim Ashibende about this recently he actually mentioned that the orange copies have RE after the matrix number, sort of implying they were reissues. The label scans also show the matrix numbers if you look carefully. To estimate the date release of Dionn 502 we need to investigate the Billboard R&B charts. Brenda & theTabulations scored with Dionn 501 "Stay together young lovers" in June 1967 and later with "Just once in a lifetime" on Dionn 503 in September of the same year. The delta number on the orange ones would positively date its release. None of this information really clears the water as to what the orange copies really are, though the general consensus seems to reckon that they are legitimate 2nd issues by the company released a few years after the white ones. Infact has anybody got an issue copy in the label style of the white demo if that makes any sense? phew its all good fun innit, derek

seem to think a mister ian cunliffe had a moses smith 45 for sale recently on a neat red issue which must be pretty rare me thinks. Ian's on here by the way. Got a Herman Davis WDJ in Ex nick for sale at £30 if anybodies interested. derek

Little Joe Cook "Don't you have feelings" Two-Jay 1001 Came across this in the collection last week and it sounded quite good in a sorta driving RnB kinda way to these old cloth ears. Has it had spins anywhere before or is it just a collectors front room/tape sound? Anybody got a value on it? curious of Stockport, derek

Just got in a trade at the weekend a copy of Almeta Latimore's awesome 1975 Mainstream cut "These memories", its a double sided WDJ in Ex nick £200 and its yours. I am in a slightly enviable position that I've also got in my collection a red issue with "Oh my love" on the flip in Ex condition. I'd prefer to sell the WDJ but I could be tempted to sell the issue for £275 or thereabouts. Email off list if interested. P&P extra of course. cheers, derek

Anybody know anything about a 2nd release by this group on this label? Apart from the excellent "You came into my life"? cheers, derek

I know I've read about these 45s before but whats the score with those orange label styrene copies of "Cause you're mine"? Its often touted that they're 2nd presses/70s bootlegs/whatever? Anybody got a definate answer? Help? derek 'The oldest trick in the book' department - DP asks an interesting question to cover up the fact he's completely forgotten the info which he's been told/read about many times before oops

great tunes Dan proper collectors tackle without the ego baggage. Seem to think there's a 45 of hers thats just started attracting big money attention £500+. Sort of a two step/early 70s type thing thats just been discovered/rediscovered (take your pick). Red label help me out chaps 'Mellow' ? derek Her "Nice & Easy" on Atlantic is also well nice as we street types say...

"Stevens & Foster - I want to be loved - Jerri" whats this like Billy as I've been offered one in trades recently. Havent heard it yet though he described it as a last hour mecca thing? Whats it go for? derek

Popped into town at dinnertime and instead of thumbing through 'Record Collector' like we tight northerners do I actually bought this months edition. (£3.50p gasp I can buy 3 pints and a bag of crisps in our local for that...) There's a great article called 'Salsoul the ultimate disco label' which I flicked through, I can't comment on that claim as I don't know enough about the subject. Critics might claim thats never stopped me gobbing off about a wide range of subjects before hehehe. But what did get me thinking was for such a revered seventies label like this how come so little of its releases got air play on either the northern or modern scenes of the day? Was its sound just too clubby or disco for the grim north? Once again I've let my mouth shoot off, bear in my mind my knowledge of the label is very minimal and I wasnt attending venues in the mid seventies. Did its output appeal more to the jazz funk clubs or was it strictly disco? Was it a London ting? I stand ready to be educated by those that know more than me.... derek Off the top of my head the only 2 Salsoul cuts I could think of which got major play on the northern scene were Eddie Holman's "This could be a night to remember" and Sylvetti's "Spring rain". Both were massive at Wigan and immediately make me think of fluffy white towelling socks, polyveldts, baggy trousers and immortal smell of brute (don't tell anyone but I was in Superdrug yesterday and smelt or is it smelled a bottle of Brut. It doesnt smell that bad actually but whether I'd wear it is a different matter...)