Sebastian

Here's the original sale of the acetate, from back in 2008: https://www.popsike.com/Little-Anthony-Gourdine-On-A-Magic-Carpet-Ride/330218343808.html The auction description was: Little Anthony Gourdine (??) - On A Magic Carpet Ride . Original UK 7" 45rpm "Unreleased" Single Sided Emidisc Acetate. This Acetate came with a collection of others that were once the property of Mike Vickers. Mike Vickers was responsible for the arrangements on Kiki Dee's version of this track that was released in the UK on Fontana Records. As far as I can ascertain apart from Kiki Dee's version of this, the only other version that is known of was recorded for Roulette Records in the USA by Derek Martin and that remained unreleased until recently. This appears to have been recorded for Demonstration purposes only and was sent to the UK on tape and then cut to this acetate for reference. I'm not 100% sure the vocal is by Anthony Gourdine but it sounds just like him and I'd imagine this track would have been offered to him first as Teddy Randazzo and Victoria Pike wrote a huge amount of material for Little Anthony and The Imperials. The label and sleeve are stamped "Franklyn Boyd Music Ltd" who were Teddy Randazzo and Victoria Pike's Publishers in the UK. In VG+ Condition.

Different flipsides on 102 vs 103 though.

This is 100% a one-sided vinyl test pressing, it's not an acetate.

Yes, and them singing on "Shining Star" (from 1980) doesn't add up either. The two songwriters of that track weren't even active until 1970 and 1976 respectively. The Debonaires might have provided backing vocals on some Manhattans tracks that appeared on DeLuxe or Carnival, but I find it highly unlikely that they as a group are included on the Manhattans Columbia recordings (or indeed The Spinners on Atlantic).

This makes no sense. Those songs are from 1973-1980. There's no way that "Shining Star" is based on a recording from the mid-1960s.

I had no idea about, and it's really interesting that Betty Willis version of Rita & The Tiaras "Gone With The Wind Is My Love" also got a release on this label (apparently after the Mojo release): https://www.45cat.com/record/nc108988us Both the Jim McFarland and Betty Willis 45s appear to be extremely rare.

They are the same takes/recordings, but the RPR release is mastered differently, sounds like it has got some reverb added to the entire recording. But vocal phrasings, the drummer accidentally hitting the rims of the toms etc are the same on both Key-Loc and RPR.

The US Ashford 45 is from October 1968. The Canada Stone is from late 1968 or early 1969 judging by other releases on the label. Eddie Parker "Love You Baby" is cat# GM 1. It is mentioned in Billboard October 18, 1969 that Googa Mooga will release "product selected from a dozen U.S. independents". That's about one year after the US/CAN releases. The Ironing Board Sam 45 on Googa Mooga which is cat# GM 3 is from around May 1970 according to a Billboard article, see below. The US issue of that 45 is from January 1970. The Billboard article also mentions the prior Googa Mooga releases by Eddie Parker and Al Gardner. The last Googa Mooga release is cat# GM 4, it's Eddie Parker "I Need A True Love". Its US counterpart 45 was released in Nov/Dec 1969. So with all that in mind I'd say that those Googa Mooga releases are from between late 1969 and mid-1970.

Here are the two Ann Byers 45s: https://www.discogs.com/release/12501712-Ann-Byer-Come-Look-At-Me-Forever-Yours- https://www.discogs.com/release/10414300-Ann-Byer-Lillie-Street-Living-It-Up

That’s great info! I’ve just found two 45s on the label with vocals by Ann Byers, but they don’t show up as such on Discogs or other discographies because most people cite the ”lyrics/poem writers” as the artist. I’ll edit the Discogs entries when I get the time to do it.

So... with the info from the ad above I'm trying to figure out Fox Century Plaza's modus operandi for making money... It seems like you sent your poems/lyrics to FCP, then they created versions by letting demo singers sing over pre-exisiting backing tracks, then they made acetate(s) of these which they sent to the songwriter. Like they did to Doug Wass here: https://www.45cat.com/record/nc892980us and here: https://www.45cat.com/record/nc359805us Then, if they approved of the acetate recordings, finalized Fox Century Plaza label 45s were pressed up for a fee. Does that make sense? Has anyone got any of the original paperwork from the label?

Just found this press clipping/ad about Fox Century Plaza Records and thought it might fit in here.

I've edited the Discogs entry to reflect this. Would be good if the entire Fox Century Plaza discography on Discogs was overhauled like this. Wonder who "A. Brown" is? https://www.discogs.com/release/29808745-A-Brown-13-Kisha-Conception-Keep-Your-Love

Another one is Kisha "Keep Your Love" on Fox Century Plaza Records. James Alexander looks like the artist and Kisha the songwriter. But it's a woman singing. Supposedly the same Kisha that did "I'm Just Raring" on Omega.

Very common record on issue/stock. Definitely a whole lot rarer as promo/demo. I've added the promo to Discogs now: https://www.discogs.com/release/29796028-Cecil-Garrett-The-Fascinations-Bearcat

My Soul Stirrers 45 mentioned above is now listed on ebay in case anyone is interested in owning it.

NICE! An even later one! That's now TWO undocumented Checker label 45s that have come to light in the past 24 hours.

Haven't bought the book yet, but Steve has replied to me elsewhere that this one is "new to him".

Was going through some records here to prepare for auction, and I think I’ve come across a previously undocumented 45 on Checker. It’s obviously gospel but might be of interest anyway on here. Appears to be the last ever release on the label. I can only find info on ACK-1264 existing. This is ACK-1265. Soul Stirrers - Christ Is All / Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone - CHECKER, ACK-1265 Anyone else out there with a copy?

Here are the label images from Discogs for reference.

And further on that Arctic connection, here he's doing Temptones "Girl I Love You" together with Fitz & The Tantrums:

No need for matrix info etc to confirm that the record that's being sold on the ebay link is 100% the styrene bootleg housed in a GSF sleeve. The styrene bootleg label has got distinct differences compared to the original vinyl and bootleg vinyl.

Here's another copy that sold in May 2015: https://www.rootsvinylguide.com/ebay_items/the-victones-my-baby-changes-front-page-1001-red-lbl-tempts-sound So it was mastered and plated at Bell Sound. Whichever pressing plant it was that pressed the red/white labelled release didn't add anything to the run-out grooves. But when ARP pressed the red/black release, they used copies of the Bell Sound plated stamper and added their "ARP" stamp to the run-out grooves.

It is from 1970 or very early 1971. Was reviewed in Billboard Magazine in the January 9, 1971 issue. The red/black variant is seemingly a whole lot rarer, but I can find two copies that have gone through ebay, is one of those yours?: https://gripsweat.com/item/122134258864/northern-soul-the-victones-my-baby-changes-front-page-m-rare-red-1st-press https://gripsweat.com/item/402760659091/victones-my-baby-changes-northern-soulsweet-soul-45-front-page-hear

Most likely just a case of a different pressing plants done at the time of initial release. Slightly different typesetting on the red/black vs. white/red labels.