Geoff

I'd heard of the Long John Baldry version of The Drifter, but had never heard it till now. It would be hard to beat Ray Pollard's version, but not a bad attempt. Might be nice to hear it out for a change, although I can't remember the last time I heard The Drifter outside my front room. When LJB was in his heyday, I saw him live at Bluesville, Manor House, with Rod "the mod" Stewart. I didn't rate either at the time, possibly because I was very anti British covers of R&B. But a few years ago I saw LJB with the Blues Band at the Millfield theatre in Edmonton, he was really good, so perhaps I was just too prejudiced to appreciate him originally.

Thanks for the information Sebastian.

I am sure most of the members here know Guitar Ray's You're Gonna Wreck My Life, great crossover/Modern song. It's a 12 bar blues, and writer's credits are C Burnett, on the Goldmine CD I've got it on. I wonder if C Burnett is the guy who was Howling Wolf, the great blues singer? Could well be, I can imagine him singing it. I did ask a friend who is into that type of blues, but he didn't know. Has anyone on here got the information? It came into my mind again because Hammy played it last night at Letchworth, and I dance to it.

Thanks for uploading this one Sebastian, new to me but really good. Out of curiosity is it rare, expensive, etc?

There is a song of the above title on the b-side of Baby I Need Your Loving by the Four Tops.

I bought Love Come Down by Evelyn King on a 7 inch at Soul Essence from Steve Plumb's cheapies box. Another good one is Arthur Adams' You've Got The Floor. Was it ever played at a soul night? Reading all the tracks listed makes me want to do a disco set at Blue Skies on the 27th, but I suppose I'd get lynched. Memo to me: stick to 60s; and early 60s at that.

Perfect description of These Old Shoes Jo. I know I'm inclined to go on about how much I enjoyed TOS, but I always left it and walked back across Tower Bridge to Liverpool Street on an absolute high. To me it had everything. Especially the sloping dance floor, lol. Aside from TOS I actually like quite big dance areas, the Dome (despite the holes in the floor) and Plinston Hall spring to mind, also the Hitchin venue. Probably because I want to take up half the floor. Also decent toilets are a must. I was caught short once at the Dome, not an experience to be repeated. Karen and I had some laughs with our descriptions of toilets at soul nights on the Keeping The Faith list. I seem to remember she did an article in Manifesto on the subject, but my wife advised me not to do a male perspective, people might think you're odd talking about toilets at places you go to. As if it isn't odd enough to be travelling around to Northern Soul nights instead of being tucked up in bed by 10 pm. But on a serious note, it is the music primarily, and friends that make a night.

Just been reading these 2 quotes, and I'm having hysterics at work over it. How naive we all were when we were young.

All my friends will laugh at me but I love these records, bring back some great memories for me. Used to go bananas for Boogie Wonderland, and one I used to love was the Gibson Brothers' Cuba, don't know if it could be classed as soul, but used to get me on the dance floor. Bang goes any Northern Soul cred I've got, lol.

I never knew she was married to Frankie Lymon.

Martin Thomson played Que Sera Sera at Soul In The City, not sure if it was at Vivo's or the Ditch Bar, memory being poor these days. It was a top Mod club play in 1964. Wish I had it on a 45.

My sincere condolences.

First Motown 45 for me was Please Mr Postman by the Marvelettes on Fontana, unfortunately it was a jukebox record, but in good condition. Second was the Contours' Do You Love Me on Oriole in 1963, I couldn't stand the awful versions in the charts by Dave Clark 5 and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.

Thanks for that Tony, I've been on the Amazon site, and located one, will order today. I like the other versions posted, does anyone know if there are any versions of the Classics IV's Traces by soul singers?

Thanks for the information.

This is a new one to me, very nice. But can I ask a question, and I don't want to look silly? Who is James Taylor. Surely not the white folk rock singer who sang Fire And Rain and You've Got A Friend? I think there is a group called the James Taylor Quartet, is this him? I imagine I'm the only person on SS who doesn't know, but thought I'd ask.

The original version of Stormy is by the Classics IV, an American group who had several hits in the USA in the late 60s: Spooky, Stormy and Traces. Also a few minor hits. One of their tracks, 24 Hours Of Loneliness was played on the Northern scene as far as I know. I haven't heard Georgie Fame's version, he's a good singer so should be quite acceptable, I like the Supremes' version, but prefer the Classics IV. Santana also did it. I've got an LP of the Classics IV's better known stuff, still waiting for a decent retrospective CD.

When Harlem Shuffle began to gain popularity in 1966, there was a story going around that Bob and Earl were Bobby Day and Ben E King, later this was disproved. It does get confusing.

Funnily enough I'd never really noticed this till I saw him live some years ago, then it was most noticeable.

I did say eventually. In the future these rarities won't be played, something else will supersede them, therefore it would be nice to eventually have them issued. I take your point about going to a do and hearing a rare track, I used to love it at Scenesville when Crying Time by Brenda Holloway was played. Due to not being in the right place I think I've only seen Butch DJ once or twice, I caught the very end of his set at Cleethorpes last year, must try to be more organised in future.

First time I've heard this, great track. Just wish some of these rarities could eventually come out on legitimate issues that ordinary people could afford and buy.

I must be a big cry baby because there are loads of records that make me cry, or at least bring tears to my eyes, hoping my friends don't notice. Used to be These Memories (Almeta Latimore), No One There (Martha Reeves) and Little Girl (Corey Glover). But at Soulgate last year Garnett Mimms' It Was Easier To Hurt Her had my eyes filled up. Guess it made me feel guilty. But the one that gets me right now is Gene Chandler's Without You Here, seems to say it all to me. Taffy played it for me at Letchworth last Friday, I danced but felt myself getting upset. Silly old fool. By the way Jo, happy birthday to you.

2 that always get me out there: Ruby - Feminine Ingenuity Karmello Brooks - Tell Me Baby But of course there are so many others.

I wake up to Radio 4, then listen to Nick Ferrari on LBC, he makes me laugh and talks quite a lot of common sense imo. Usually listen to my MP3 player on the Victoria line and the train, today it was: Bobby Bland - Yield Not To Temptation James Brown - Prisoner Of Love Margaret Little - Love Finds A Way Curtis Liggins - What Is This? The Neptunes - Girl That's An Awful Thing To Say The Passions - If You See My Baby Sonny Craver - I'm No Fool Patrice Holloway - Love Walked Right In etc. A bit Northerny today, but like a wide variety of soul when travelling, even got some of my pop faves as well.

This is a thread after my own heart, used to be obsessed by fashion in the 60s, despite not having a great income due to being an apprentice. When I started going out to clubs again in 2002, I remember wearing a short sleeved button down collar checked shirt and khaki chinos, clothes I felt comfortable in, never occurred to me that there would be plenty of other guys wearing similar clothes. One thing I did remember from my youth was that clubs get really hot, especially if you dance. I always wear a short sleeved shirt, cotton, sometimes a polo shirt, sometimes a normal shirt. I don't like to wear a shirt outside my trousers unless it is one of those shorter ones, personally don't like ones that hang well below your backside. T shirts are good for the summer or having as a spare in your bag. I don't generally wear jeans to soul nights, I wear them for work, and frankly don't feel like paying £50 plus for Levis, although I don't mind paying for their Dockers. Out of curiosity, what shoes do others recommend on here? I need to get some new ones for going out and dancing, my current ones are showing signs of going home. The 60s were a better decade clotheswise than the 70s imo. I look at my wedding photos from 71 and feel acute embarrassment, all that long hair and wide lapelled suit, scarey bit is that I've still got the jacket and silk tie somewhere in a cupboard at home. Would anyone on Ebay want to buy them, lol. 60s fashion was much smarter, but of course someone of my age would say that I guess. And fashion was not static, plenty of different styles of shirt, 2 or 3 button suits, tweedy sports jackets, plus the odd things that you seemed to see for about 3 weeks, e.g. Norfolk jackets, and those Beatle things that buttoned up to the neck. The funny thing I do remember when Lesley and I used to go to the Royal Tottenham on a Thursday night was that sometimes it seemed as if everyone had been given instructions to wear suits, the next week everyone was wearing shirt and v-necked pullover, and so on. Perhaps we were all receiving subliminal instructions. I had an original Harrington from the Squire shop in Brewer Street, loved it, but can't remember what happened to it, a few years ago I got another from Simons of Covent Garden, but have never worn it to a soul night, don't want it to get saturated by the smell of smoking. Hope that doesn't offend anyone. As you get older you do dress for comfort, and if you want to dance that is most important. It's not as if anyone is really interested in how I look, after all who am I trying to impress. It's the music that counts. Unfortunately there aren't a load of nice ladies looking for guys like me.