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Dave Moore

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Everything posted by Dave Moore

  1. LAI - April '66 RW - April '69 Though the writers should have given the game away straight away. Regards, Dave
  2. Nick, Why? Is that because of wear or fragility? I've just changed 4 Stanton headshells out for Shure WL's so am interested in their longevity and robustness, 9or lack of it), when used by a group of DJs. Any help appreciated. Dave
  3. The full story of Joe Stevenson's Imperial Sound Studios which included his Del-Val recordings is all in the new book - Philadelphia - The City Of Brotherly Soul. (Coming soon). He made some fantastic records. Regards, Dave .
  4. Rumour has it that in 1976 Ian Levine at Blackpool Mecca announced that "Northern Soul is officially dead", to which Colin Curtis' reply was to drop the needle on this for the first time. Ian said it wasn't true though so don't take my word for it? Regards, Dave
  5. Plus "HI STANTON NO LONGER MAKE THEM, HOWEVER COPYS OF THE 500 ARE ABOT £8, CARTRIDGES WHY DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE THAT? THEY LAST & LAST FOR MANY YEARS" This is poor advice no matter what you used to sell in your record shops. As Kris says and is 100% accurate, the Stanton 500 cart and styli are defunct. They no longer manufacture them and the replacement styli is almost impossible to find as a stand alone item now, which is why you have buy the Cart/styli package every time you want to change the stylus. It's OLD STOCK, nothing more. The generic copies that Dave refers too (Chinese ?) of the 500 styli is a cheap knock off that will damage your 45s eventually. If you prefer the Stanton Brand then you could purchase the 520 Cart and Styli package but I personally would spend the extra and go for the Shure White Labels so you are guaranteed a supply of needles in the future. I ran the Stanton 500 v3s for 5 years and can't for the life of me understand why they've stopped the replacement stylii. I've gone for the Shure White Labels rather than keep buying replacement carts for no good reason. If you're looking for a cart/stylus for home use the you can't do better than a Grado 200DJ. (I used these for 5 years for the Hitsville weekender but they are a little too fragile for some blokes! LOL!) Everyone that has used them that I speak to are impressed with them, they'll pick up sound you didn't know was there. Not cheap though. Regards, Dave
  6. TOPPS 45s — “Yeah, But Can You Play ‘Em?” The memorabilia available to collectors of Berry Gordy’s Motown and its subsidiary labels and companies covers the whole spectrum of artefacts. From rare unreleased acetates that never made it past the infamous Friday quality control meetings to The Supremes vintage advertising on wrappers of loaves of bread, the Motown collector’s thirst for all things ‘Hitsville’ knows no bounds. In the past I’ve found every type of artefact from beer glasses to Hot Rod engines that have borne some branded connection to West Grand Boulevard. I’ve even found a teenagers handbag bearing the “Stop!” sign that was manufactured as a Motown inspired item that some Madison Avenue middle ranking executive must have thought was gonna get him up another rung of the corporate ladder! Don’t worry, we’re not gonna spend the few minutes discussing the bakerlite telephone used by Martha Reeves when she entered 2648 WGB as a temporary stand in receptionist or the number of sequins in the glove used by Michael Jackson. (A Motown fan who shall remain anonymous actually knows the answer to that question - I kid you not!) We are however, over the next few paragraphs, going to discover that not all Berry Gordy’s collectible 45s were in fact made of vinyl/styrene and that the picture disc which became popular with record companies in the 80s were in fact, a rehash of a sixties promotional tool. Oh yes indeedy. TOPPS, an American company better known for baseball cards, sold cardboard flexi picture records of Motown stars in the late 60s that included a stick of bubble gum from candy stores for fifteen cents. I’m not 100% sure as to whether they were manufactured under licence from Gordy or whether he commissioned them himself but either way whoever made the decision opened up a whole can of worms for collectors a few decades later. The title of this feature is taken from what is usually the first question people ask when they see the discs. The answer is a resounding “Yesiree!” However, unlike the similar, (but smaller), Philco Rocket Record series that the ford Motor Company manufactured around the same time, the TOPPS 45s don’t require a specific record player and can be played on a generic standard turntable as long as it has a 45rpm speed. Granted that the records are made of cardboard, are 40 years old and were sold as a disposable item with that other piece of Americana, bubble gum, it will come as no surprise that mint, sleeved copies of the discs are now very much sought after by Motown collectors worldwide. Along with the company’s picture sleeves, EPs and mini LPs they provide a slice of memorabilia from the vintage years of the company’s success that is unusual, and the set is pretty good to look at as well as to listen to. Many people confuse these discs with cereal company giveaways. The cereal discs that used the Motown connection are in fact unrelated to the TOPPS company and were issued as a completely separate entity and were a later promotion using The Jackson 5 as the conduit. It’s also worth noting too that many of the discs, when you find them for sale, are actually glued either together, (back to back), or have been glued to another record from the era. I suppose their original owners thought this would make them play better but of course 40 years later it’s a pain in the proverbial trying to separate them. In fact I gave up after a couple of attempts and simply accepted the fact that I’d have to find them as separate discs. It also of course destroys the flip side graphics and the bio of the artists of course. Same frustration when you see a nice UK rarity with the centre dinked out eh? GRRRR! Each of the TOPPS record has a playable song that the artist has had a hit with on one side with a brief synopsis of the artist/group on the flip side. All the records included on the discs were both Pop and RnB chart hits so there are no out and out Northern Soul rarities included but rather it’s a time-capsule of 1967 and the success Motown had experienced with its top stars up to that period. Some of the pictures of the groups are worth the cost of the disc alone as they are pretty much unique in that they don’t appear on LP covers or picture sleeves. A good example of this is the 1004 — The Temptations — My Girl which portrays the group in a relaxed pose dressed in tropical shirts and adorned with ships captain’s hats. Most of the discs show a good quality vintage colour photograph of the artist and are worth collecting for this feature alone. All the really major Motown acts are represented in the set and, like all sets of collectables, there are some that you can’t help tripping over at record fairs, garage sales etc but there are others that are much harder to find, especially in Mint condition. For instance 1007 Martha and The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street can usually be picked up for a few dollars whilst in my experience the 1011 The Miracles — Shop Around is particularly hard to locate in reasonable condition. Similarly 1013 The Temptations - The Way You The Things You Do also appears to be difficult to add to your collection in mint condition and is probably the best picture of all the discs. The group is shown in classic pose during a show with David Ruffin out front and the remaining guys wrapped around their trademark mike stand. The best representation on the discs in my opinion goes to The Supremes. The group is featured at the height of its popularity and shows the original Hitsville line up of Diana, Flo and Mary in four classic poses from their heyday. Where Did Our Love Go and My World Is Empty Without You were probably from the same photo session as the girls are shown wearing the same dresses* but the latter is somewhat of a special photo, in that it shows Florence Ballard front and centre. Not many press/PR pictures show Ms Ballard as the centre image. It must have been company policy to utilise a set wardrobe for these publicity shoots as many artists can be found on pictures wearing the same outfits. Probably the most noticeable “double up” is the green dress worn by Kim Weston for the MGM LP. It’s exactly the same dress as seen worn by The Marvelettes in their classic LP. I also seem to recall seeing a vintage picture Martha and The Vandellas in the same outfits. I’ve attached a complete set of the discs here but have to confess that The Miracle ‘Shop Around” doesn’t belong to me so if anyone can help me out with that last one I’d be grateful. In fact if you could all bombard Mr Rod Shard with threats of dismemberment unless he takes the one off the inside of the lid of his old rekkid box for me that would also work! So, there we have it…a slice of Motown memorabilia that don’t cost the Earth, looks good, takes a while to put together I good nick and ……you can play ‘em! What’s not to like about this collecting palaver eh? Dave Moore December 2012
  7. The memorabilia available to collectors of Berry Gordy’s Motown and its subsidiary labels and companies Tap to view this Soul Source News/Article in full
  8. Has anyone ordered this package yet? When is it due anyone know? Regards, Dave
  9. Great live footage of the girls belting it out. Regards, Dave
  10. Forget the gimmicky hair, the legs, the Mad Max stuff and The Acid Queen....This snippett of her and blues legend Robert Cray is well worth watching, Cop the 'understanding' look at 4.50. Proper song, proper singer, proper musician = quality soul. Regards, Dave https://youtu.be/_1pk6E8K9ZE
  11. "Dick Clark couldn't tell a good record from a strawberry....but he sure learned quick!" Regards, Dave
  12. Exactly. Mainstream soul didn't just slip away, it evolved into something else. It only sounds 'timeless' to it's ardent fans. Sylvia Robinson has a lot to answer for though! Regards, Dave
  13. 60s soul music sounds like it does because you're listening with 60 year old lugholes. Ask a twenty something and he'll tell you 'it's old and mouldy sounding." Regards, Dave
  14. Going to lock this topic now. There's not even a Thread in the Events Forum for this event (which is where this topic would (should), have been placed. AATS is not really the place for this but have let is sit for a while. Just a gentle reminder: If folks want to feature a gig/event why not give Chalky a knock and provide an articl. All you need is a few pics, some text and Chalky will do the rest. Regards, Dave
  15. Grant Higgins (Rod Jordan), was a white rock n roller. Kinda in the mould of Matt Lucas from what I can gather. His nephew wrote a book about him a few years ago. Regards, Dave
  16. It's reasonably tough un for sure but not mega bucks. It's finding it in the first place. More of a collectors piece I would have thought. I think I paid about 150 about 15 years ago when I was a bit flush and looking to complete Ollie's 45s. As Master Po would say to Kwai Chang Caine ..." Be patient, dig deep Grasshopper, and it will come to you". :P Regards, Dave
  17. Eddie, It's Rod Jordan on Karen. Got a few spins mid 80s. Rod Jordan was a pseudonymn for Grant Higgins who also had 45s on the label Regards, Dave
  18. Mark, You missed a plug for yer book there...Get It There!! Regards, Dave
  19. Clark loves all his TV Presenting/Game show stuff, he was a natural, born to it. Hence his immense success with that genre. I have to say though, having spoken to an inordinate amount of both white and black people who were acquainted with him during that American Bandstand period, the two words that I never heard anyone utter in relation to him personally, was 'racist' and 'hate'. Guess we'll never have the opportunity to ask him now eh? Regards, Dave
  20. Bob, Where'd you hear that he 'hated' American Bandstand? He certainly had personal issues when the show was at it's peak with the Payola scandal etc but American Bandstand was the one thing he refused to divest himself of. Everything else went out of the window in order to retain his Bandstand position. That meant losing all the record labels, (Hunt, Swan etc), artist management, publishing companies (Clark-Corp), his financial interest in manufacture and distribution, (Jamie/Guyden), record stores, the whole shebang. I wouldn't have thought that was the action of someone who hated his own show/cash cow. His TV career was based wholly on his success with the American Bandstand brand. Without that show's success the remainder would probably not have happened for him. I'd be interested in any references that stated that he 'hated' Bandstand. Regards, Dave
  21. Racist? After researching the man's life for 3 years it's not a word I've come across in relation to him. I've heard lots of other things but never that. Not about him personally anyway. Was it Bandstand related perchance? By PM if you prefer Mate. Regards, Dave
  22. Where'd you get that from Chris? Proper question. Dave
  23. Sold last one (Demo), albeit a couple of years ago for 180. (UKP) Regards, Dave


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