Dayo

I've got a PHD in Loveology...

See what I mean? Vocally, this lady was right up there with Linda Jones. That's a stunning piece of deep soul - what a performance. I hope we get some more answers soon and that at least her family can know that her small output of work is highly revered all over the world.

If it's not unseemly to ask so soon; what the heck is gonna happen to Lucille?

Thanks for all the input again everyone. What a tragic story. I know there are a ton of great singers who never made it, but Alice Clark just stands a class apart to my ears. I guess it's a good moment to salute those soul detectives who have often tracked down our heroes/heroines of the scene and allowed them to feel the love. I'll bet there are some great stories to be told!

I know it's almost a tired old cliché now but the first time I experienced it was at Top Rank Hanley when Duke Browner was big. 1973, I guess. I just thought it was the coolest thing; the togetherness - it was like a massive wink to each other.

What does the CD booklet speculate about what happened to her?

Just a quickie: We don't get out much, but I love all things NS, especially sixties. She is a Surrey girl and loves her funk. Is there a large event nationwide or a smaller one in the Midlands that will keep us both happy? And what the heck is "funky edge" anyway? At a guess, something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMRSMRBPIvM Or is this more like funky edge? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3i_feNNUD4

It's weird isn't it? We don't even know if she's still with us and yet she's made one of the outstanding albums of the seventies and one of the gold standard NS singles....

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'd seen the little piece that accompanies the album release, but she is still an enigma. Did anyone ever track her down?

Did a search on here and elsewhere, but how come there is so little info on Alice Clark? I mean, is that a soulful voice or what? How come she wasn't a massive star?

They had the same barber....

Now here's another five faves pre-Wigan - do any of these get played these days? (They Call Me) Jesse James - Dreams Band Up And Down The Ladder - Intruders One Night Affair - O'Jays Nothing But Heartaches - Artistics Oo Wee Baby I Love You - Fred Hughes

Surely they were all better before Wigan weren't they? Here's five that prove it.... Oh My Darling - Jackie Lee What Kind Of Lady - Dee Dee Sharpe Key To My Happiness - Charades Just Can't Live My Life - Linda Jones Help Me - Spellbinders

Pete The Ballads, Eddie Foster and Terrible Tom were local to Oakland, so it's not a great stretch to imagine them booked as local support. Funny man Wally Cox died in '73 - wasn't he always known by that name? Maybe he was on the bill as compere?

I wonder who started the concept of soul packs? The first one i got was from FL Moore, 1971, but I think maybe Contempo had been doing them for longer...

Move on up - the Curtis/Impressions story... There's a wicked Atlantic one that I can't remember the name of... John Lee Hooker - That's my story... Respect yourself - the Stax Story

I stumbled on this youtube video. An American collector gushing about a poster in his collection. On one level, this guy knows exactly what he's got, but he doesn't appear to grasp the significance to us lot! I don't collect posters, but if I did.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ6zj-rwCpY

I guess what I've learned from this thread is that some record shops pre-ordered singles blind just to keep in stock. I would imagine that HMV in Oxford Street probably had some kind of a duty to stock all the EMI stuff. Ooooh - there's drool on my keyboard now! When I worked in a Worcester record shop in 1974 the focus was almost entirely on the top 30 and only new releases by very well established artists would get ordered and stocked before they reached the charts. The approach was conservative, but I guess things were different in the sixties. Cue: "passage of time" harp sound effects..... Hmmm.... Major Lance has a new single - we sold a few of that Um, Um, Um record.... let's stock a couple just in case.... ok... "Investigate" times three. Now, who on earth is this Hoagy Lands chap? Hoagy Carmichael is very good..... Can it really have been like that? And I wish some of the first generation R&B/Soul collectors would post on here. I'd love to know more about the early collecting scene, how much records went for and so on.

Any info on that Jay Boy release? It's labeled as "Picking up", though I'm sure they sing "packing up"... Was this a UK recording?

Always wondered about that myself. Personally I like the Keymen version as it's the one I first heard. By the way, anyone agree some of those JayBoy and President 45's were some of the best pressed vinyl we ever had? My copy of PT109 is as heavy as a half brick and sounds amazing...

Great stories - keep 'em coming....

Just curious.... I'm thinking about iconic early NS favourites, Wheel spins like The Incredibles, The Invitations and The Saphires.... Major Lance Investigate, Dean Parrish Determination et al. Get the picture? Now the point is, that I've seen plenty of demos and issues on all these titles. I can understand that demos find their way into circulation from DJ's, local newspaper reviewers, record company staff and so on, but how come there are so many issues around? That says to me that some incredibley tatseful people actually bought these UK classics - and many more - when they were issued - or were lucky enough to get them on back order, even after the'd been deleted. But the point is, I've never met anyone who started collecting rare soul before about '69. Ok, maybe Dave Godin, but he was, well... Dave Godin! So who bought all these classics at the time? Anyone here? Anyone even know anyone? How did so many UK issues get out there?

First allnighter for me was Va Va. First time went with a couple of mates on the train from Worcester, sometime in Summer 73. It wasn't that busy and I confess I fell asleep. But not before I'd heard Linda Jones JCLML, which, there and then, became my all time favourite. Others that night included the Adventurers, Earl Grant, Lord Thunder, The Gems, and for some reason Ann D'Andrea sticks in my mind. Next time, two of us got a mini-bus going with a couple of older lads on board who had been to the Torch/Cats. A short stop at Knutsford "for fuel" ensured no-one slept later. This time the place was rammed. Landslide was playing as we got in as a new discovery. It was electric. One great thing was the booth was right on the dance floor. Anytime you heard a record you didn't know, you could peak at the decks and gaze at it in (very wide eyed) awe. Happy days...

How many records are considered to be Northern Soul? Realise that's an impossible question - especially given the wider diversity of sounds played these days. Just a fun, frivolous thread really! What is the size of the treasure trove?

Thanks for the reply Robb. I don't know you, but I hate you Seriously, has anyone ever interviewed you?