Ady Croasdell

I just spoke with Karime, Kent Harris and Ty's daughter, who told me that her mother passed away 25 years ago on February 16th. Karime is hoping to get more involved in her parents' music, she is a soul/funk singer herself, resident in London. Her band the Killer Meters are gigging around, Greece this week! Her and her father would love to hear any thoughts on their mum's/wife's recordings. Coincidentally I'm doing a project on Ty at the moment and could do with hearing some of the 45 mixes to see if they match up to the master tapes we have, so if anyone has the rarer ones I could do with some dubs, I've got the 60s and 70s Lighten Up and the Towana but could do with any others or more info on her. I think Clarkie did an article for Steve's New Backbeat mag in the early 80s. The master tapes we have just serve to demonstrate what an incredible singer she was. PM me if you prefer. Ady

Fabulous collection of labels Sebastian. I think perhaps there may have been several releases because of the demand for the ballad flip which probably had a New York following. I'd love to hear a mint Atteru if it sounds better. Ady

How many peeps attended the dos so far please?

He was their producer and often songwriter at least in the Excello/Reforee period.

The really dodgy DJ behaviour didn't really start until Simon Soussain got manipulating people at Wigan. As far as I remember the Torch DJs played great records they found and dug.

Thanks Paul. Now has anyone got one I could hear to check the mix out please? Ady

Yeah I didn't know it had come out in the UK, have you got a catalogue number?

Did it come out on a European 45 in the 70s, and does anyone have it?

I picked up a Walk Like A Winner UK demo at Pasadena flea market about that time.

Same sentiments from me and Donna too, I thought the thread was going to be about someone wanting his phone number. This is a shock. We've both known him for years and he's great fun and a very knowledgable DJ with excellent taste. Ady

That might have been the Rock On one, I flogged him a lot of stuff over the years.

Absolute class which only shows that some of the most emotive and inspired artists/writers/musicians etc may not be the wonderful human beings we foolishly hope they are

When Rock On moved from Ladbroke Grove to Camden I snapped one up for £2 while in the process of getting bladdered on Ted Carroll's red wine.

I'm not surprised, I'll just have to make sure I don't tape any unissued stuff for anyone until we've issued them; which is a pity.

I was pretty certain Sweetest was cut in Nashville with Bob Holmes and maybe Ted Jarrett after he had moved there from Detroit. I've got a bunch of notes from interviews I did with Bob and the reason why he wouldn't include Roger's stuff in any deal was because he was very hard to work with, which I can concur with, he's one of the hardest people to do business with that I ever spoke to. So much so that we didn't in the end.

He's a brilliant singer, Ace did a CD with him that had Van Morrison co-composing a song and playing on it if I remember right(?) Once down the 100 Club I took Mary Love down for an evening when she was performing over here and he graciously let her get up and sing. She was completely unrehearsed but fantastic and had the audience in the palm of her hand, so much so that I felt sorry for James going back up there and following her, she really had stolen the show. However he didn't flinch and launched into his version of the early Sam Cooke number I'll Come Running Back To You and won the crowd back instantly; some show!

I can't hear it on this old PC but it may be Dee Dee Sharpe's version that I got and shouldn't be in circulation.

They also did a few singles, mainly BBK reissues but there's a Jimmy Beasley and Trini Lopez 'Sinner Not A Saint' as well

On issue or demo and which press?

I just spoke with John Poole and he assures me it's a family type entertainment Motown weekend thing that some of the advertising staff got a bit mixed up with. It's not aimed at the Northern crowd in any way. So goodnight to this one!

The Camber Sands 50s weekender was/is brilliant and has been established for many years but I did hear that even they didn't find the Pontins management easy to deal with.

Of course that's the exact weekend we're on, but since past dealings with Pontins have been so rubbish, I'm not exactly reeling.

Very sad. He also did some great tracks with Bessie Banks and Herman Kelley in the early 70s.

Or even Wylie/Hester! It is 'round midnight. I dig Banks/May Banks/Kelley Shirley Matthews songs produced by Fred Smith arr by James Carmichael And Bacharach/David take some beating.