Dayo

All great names, but I'm talking about the superstars of our music - ones that crossed over. There's no-one left, is there?

For the longest time I always said my 4 favourite male singers were Sam, Otis, Marvin and Jackie. Singers so good, so powerful and influential, that a first name is all that's needed for you to know who I'm talking about. Sadly, they are all now have long gone. Add Curtis to that list along with James, Donny, Bobby, Teddy and Luther. The first name thing actually isn't the point. And you'll have your own list, I'm sure. The real point is this: Of the truly great male superstar soul singers, who is still living? You might say Al Green, maybe Stevie Wonder, but I'm struggling to think of anyone else on that level, and to be frank, much as I love Stevie, his latter output has been - let's put it kindly - patchy. And the last time I saw Al Green he was more interested in throwing roses to the "ladies in the house" than really singing. So many of the true male greats died relatively young didn't they? Is there anyone really left?

Noooooo! Another legend gone.... From a whisper to a scream.

I guess it was kind of obscure, but didn't Dave Godin reveal the mentioned discs as his secret sounds in his swan song column for Blues & Soul? Hope my memory is serving me correctly....

A deliberately cryptic thread but I know that there are some very smart soul fans out there, so - if I've set this correctly (and I'm trusting my own memory here) - I'm sure someone will supply the answers in a heartbeat. Just a bit of fun: What connects these three discs and (I'm pretty sure) there are two missing ones - what are they? Sweet Darling - Jimmy Soul Clark Key To My Happiness - The Charades Take Me Home - Donna King

Just curious: Has the market and value of doowop held up in recent years? I ask because I'm guessing that many of those collectors will be getting on in years - a generation older than most of us perhaps? I guess I'm trying to divine if our highly prized soul 45s will still have value when us lot are all grown up or shuffled off! So I'm wondering if there might be any parallels with the doowop vs NS collecting scene...

I don't know the answer, but it sure is a great song. It floored me the first time I heard it and it's one that I try and avoid playing too often in case the magic ever lose its lustre.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

On the basis that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask: When was the Profiles first played out? My time on the scene was the 1970's and I don't ever remember hearing it, but then it seems to have been around forever and my memory is doing all kinds of crazy things at the moment. I guess it's a well overplayed oldie, but it still makes me smile. Many thanks

Oh no - he did two of my all time faves. I'm gutted! RIP Big Fella!

That is a bit strong but I get all goose bumpy when I see a UK Chess demo...

Sorry everyone; no question, that's definitely Francis Tee's shop in Kidderminster....

... for starting most of the world's dance crazes. We did the Twist, The Monkey, The Duck... and now we're gonna do the Skate, so come on!" If those lyrics need explaining, well, you were probably never on the scene. But I want to know more about these dance crazes. Other than the Twist, I'm not sure how many made it over here. Where did the American kids learn the steps? TV? With so many "dance crazes" referenced on our favourite songs, I wonder how many of us can actually Boogaloo? Wouldn't have a clue! Shing-a-ling? Shing-a-what? And as for the Peanut Duck? What the $%&?! The point is: have all these dances been forgotten? I'm sure I did see a James Brown video once where he demonstrates some of the well-known dances of the day, but I wonder if any other fragments of these dances survive on video? Did the Twist start it all? What's the story? Let's tighten up baby!

Only had time to skim it through but can't wait to read it at leisure. Just fabulous... thank you.

Loving this thread. More, more, more please!

Spinners - It's a shame. I sometimes think I could hear this all day every day and never get tired of it. Perfection from the first note to the last.

Nice one Pete! Worcester City Youth played a lot of those around '72. "Breakout" used to get everyone in a right frenzy. Scruboard was a huge favourite too, along with the Shakers, Devil with a Blue Dress, Purple Haze and Love Train. One Minute Every Hour was played every hour at least!

Stumbled on this fantastic treasure trove this morning and just had to share it: https://www.thirteen.org/soul/ A little goldmine of live soul from the early seventies from New York Public Television station WNET. King Curtis was musical director - enjoy!

Sorry to take issue, though it may not have been widespread, in this neck of the woods they were "good disco sounds" along with Ska, Rock Steady, Pop etc that was also played. I also sometimes heard it called "Mod Music" - I'm talking 1970/1971. It is true that the scene may also have been called "Soul" or "Rare Soul" - not disputing that. I'm guessing each enclave had their own term - it just didn't have a name - it was not a "movement" back then was it?

I was trying to think what we called it before the term NS was bandied about. As far as I recall they were simply "great disco sounds".

Robb Is Bobby Eli still on there? I'd love to quiz him about some of his guitar work...

Oooh - should love to have talked to Lou Barreto about Blowing My Mind To Pieces

Thanks for posting these!

Must be a big deal for Richard - wasn't he the first one onto both of those Volcanos' biggies? I certainly remember Laws of Love being almost a signature record at Va Va... probably helped to make his early reputation.

Some might be surprised to know that she had a UK release on that track: