Mark Bicknell

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This I'm sure will be of interest to members on Soulsource, you maybe aware of Minneapolis based Secret Stash Records a contemporary recording studio and record company formed in 2009, they release new and classic Soul/Blues/Latin/African/R'n'B etc. they also hold the rights and full licence for the legendary Chicago based Leaner Brothers One-derful, M-Pac, Mar-V-Lus, Toddlin' Town, Midas and gospel label Halo. This was starring everyone in the face so when I became aware of the label and this awesome find I contacted label owner Mr Eric Foss way back last year, after the first contact it went quiet so I tried again with a few ideas and bang it has resulted in me becoming the UK hub for Secret Stash basically marketing/promotion/retailing and A&R for future releases, Eric sent me some 250 sound files of the existing Masters tapes, you can imagine I freaked out and spent the next 12 hours going through stuff, alternate takes on the likes of The Inspirations - 'Your Wish Is My Command' - Midas, The Ringleaders - 'Baby What Has Happened To Our Love; - M-Pac, Alt takes of Big Daddy Rogers - 'I'm A Big Man', unissued material some of which has been put out on the Albums and 45's, finished masters of Mousie And The Traps. Jimmie And The Entertainers, Admirations, Harold Burrage, Otis Clay, Beverley Shaffer, The Blenders, McKinley Mitchell, Alvin Cash, The Sharpees and pretty much all the Northern related tunes from the labels, there are some missing masters but not many, some of the tapes are MP3's of sessions and I keep finding some very tasty tunes indeed. Little snippet of information according to the studio work sheet and written on the tape box of The Ringleaders -'All Of My Life' is simply 'Sweet Little Girl' which if you go and play it makes sense. The attention to detail Secret Stash put in to these releases is second to none, fully licenced from the Leaner Family estate, no disc dubs, dues paid and 100% legit, there are some really nice releases coming out with the next one being simply off the scale due out in about 12 weeks, Chalky has kindly offer to do a far more detailed feature on the project nearer to release date so thanks in advance to him and Mike at SS. All current releases are now available in the UK making for a much quicker delivery of purchases, there is a pre release reserve list with over 70 people requesting to reserve, no payment required as yet it just secures a copy. There is a Facebook group please feel free to join - SECRET STASH NORTHERN SOUL RELEASES UK DIVISION. Finally just like to thank everyone who has warmed to this news the support has been staggering, Mark White hat's off to you buddy for marking my card, all the DJ's who have offered to support the label and all the radio and podcast boys who have all been only too glad to receive a prom CD or MP3, I've pretty much contacted everyone I know on the scene to spread the word, if you have a Radio show or podcast please contact bicknellmark@aol.com and I will send promo and information. Mark Bicknell.

Looking to add radio/podcast shows to our new promo list for future Secret Stash releases, can supply MP3 and CD versions for promotional purposes, PM here if interested or email bicknellmark@aol.com - New release due out in approx. 12 weeks promo ready now.

I saw that been on there for sometime but the clip sound distorted so passed on that one, yes a real sleeper of a record I think, so good hooks you in wonderful stuff.

Cheers Acky, managed to get one on Discogs for £55.00 all in, so now sorted.

Wanted - Ann Duquesnay - You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man - Capitol 2525 - Nice clean copy please - PM here or email - bicknellmark@aol.com

Different text, Lime green instead of the deeper green, the Gateway manufacture text at the bottom and I think it's harder to find than the yellow and other green copies.

And you see this even less.

Just picked this little beauty up on Ebay for £19.00, had an issue for ages but just had to have the demo, real sleeper of a record.

The Ringleaders - Grin And Bare It is currently out of stock.

Better a legit re issue than a dodgy look - a - like bootleg, I think it matters very little to the original's value and kudos, when you consider the amount of big records that have had a legit re issue or a straight bootleg, in this day and age it has no impact on the sale of a rare original, sales and auctions of the real deal prove that, bootlegs/pressings/re issues have pretty much gone hand in hand with the Northern scene since it's inception and I can't see it changing now, I personally don't have a problem with the likes of Ace/Kent, Soul Junction, Hayley and a company I am now working for Secret Stash and others who pay their dues, licence the tracks etc. there will be split opinion on this I'm sure what the legit side of re issues do is payback some recignition and money be it small to the people who own the publishing rights on material, we know bootlegs don't do this, legit re issues should be embraced as they at least allow people access to the music to be enjoyed because at the end of the day the music is to be shared I feel, bit of a can of worms as it all get's mixed up in the Northern Soul pie.

ALL THE FOLLOWING 45'S ARE £8.00 EACH PLUS £3.00 POST AND PACKING - ALL NEW RECORDS UNPLAYED MINT CONDITION 3 RECORDS FOR £20.00 PLUS £3.00 POST AND PACKING. LITTLE TOMMY - BABY CAN'T YOU SEE B/W I'M STILL HURT - SOUND OF SOUL SSR-2001 - RE ISSUE OF THIS AWESOME RECORD - £8.00 PLUS £3.00 POST AND PACKING. THE SHARPEES - TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER B/W DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT ONE-DERFUL SSR-2003 - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED FROM THE VAULTS OF ONEDERFUL RECORDS - £8.00 PLUS £3.00 POSTAGE AND PACKING. ALVIN CASH AND THE REGISTERS - SWEATIN' - VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL - MAR-V-LUS SSR-2004 - PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED FROM THE VAULTS OF ONE-DERFUL RECORDS - £8.00 PLUS £3.00 POST AND PACKING. ALL ABOVE £8.00 EACH PLUS POST AND PACKING £3.00 - OR THE 3 FOR £20.00 PLUS POST AND PACKING £3.00. WILLIE PARKER - I'VE GOT TO FIGHT IT B/W LET'S START A THING NOW - M-PAC SSR-7-35.3 - THIS IS A DIFFERENT MIX IN STEREO TO THE RARE ORIGINAL RECORD, THIS SECRET STASH RELEASE WAS NOT OFFERED FOR SALE AS A SOLO SINGLE AS COPIES CAME WITH THE M-PAC ALBUM, A BLINDING STORMING EXAMPLE OF QUALITY NORTHER/R'N'B - LIMITED NUMBER OF COPIES AVAILABLE SO PLEASE PM TO RESERVE - £20.00 PLUS £3.00 POST AND PACKING. (THIS RECORD IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 3 OF THE 4 OFFER). THE DU-ETTES - EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART B/W SUGAR DADDY - MAR-V-LUS SSR-7-35.2 - STRAIGHT RE ISSUE OF THIS CLASSIC NORTHERN RECORD, AGAIN THIS WAS NOT SOLD AS A SOLO SINGLE AS IT CAME WITH THE MAR-V-LUS ALBUM, TAKEN FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER, VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF COPIES AVAILABLE SO AGAIN PLEASE PM TO RESERVE - £10.00 PLUS £3.00POST AND PACKING (THIS RECORD IS NOT INCLUDED IT THE 3 OF THE 4 OFFER). FINALLY I CAN OFFER ALL OF THE ABOVE RECORDS FOR AN OFFER PRICE (SUBJECT TO AVAIILABILTY) BASED ON ITEMS SOLD SEPERATLEY WHICH TOTALS - £60.00 FOR AN OFFER PRICE OF £52.00 PLUS £4.50 POST AND PACKING. BASICALLY A FREE £8.00 RECORD. PM TO ORDER/RESERVE OR EMAIL bicknellmark@aol.com OUR STASH IS NO LONGER A SECRET - NEW RELEASES COMING SOON.

Oh no, Mick was a good friend to me when I first started out on the scene, used to travel to venues with him many times in his Mark 1 Cortina, he was a true gentleman and a soul man through and through, had the pleasure of DJ'ing with him as well many times during the early to mid 80's, he used to make me laugh so much with his dry whit, last time I saw him was when I DJ'd down at Bisley must be well over 10/12 years ago, one of the originals and a diamond geezer.

Going fast, thanks to everyone so far for your orders.

SECRET STASH RECORDS 45's MINI SOUL PACK OFFER. SELECT ANY 3 OF THE 4 RECORDS LISTED HERE FOR £20.00 PLUS £3.00 FIRST CLASS SIGN FOR MAIL IN THE UK. THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF THIS OFFER. ALL RECORDS ARE BRAND NEW IN MINT UNPLAYED CONDITION, SECRET STASH RECORDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE DIRECTLY IN THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME MAKING FOR A MUCH QUICKER DELIVERY, SOME FANTASTIC NEW RELEASES COMING SOON. THE RINGLEADERS - GRIN AND BARE IT B/W I'VE GOT TO FIND SOMEBODY - M-PAC - SSR-2002 THE SHARPEES - TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER B/W DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT - ONE-DERFUL - SSR- 2003 ALVIN CASH AND THE REGISTERS - SWEATIN' (DO WHAT YOU WANT TO) VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL - MAR-V-LUS - SSR2004 LITTLE TOMMY - BABY CAN'T YOU SEE B/W I'M STILL HURT - SOUND OF SOUL RE ISSUE - SSR-2001 ANY 3 FOR £20.00 PLUS £3.00 FIRST CLASS SIGN FOR MAIL IN THE UK - LIMITED OFFER. ALL 45'S ALSO SOLD AS SINGLE ITEMS £8.00 EACH PLUS £3.00 FIRST CLASS SIGN FOR MAIL IN THE UK. PAY PAL WELCOME AS A GIFT TO AVOID FEES ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE SECRET STASH RELEASES WILL BE AVAILABLE DIRECTLY IN THE UK FROM NOW ON.

Class.

I've had a Seven Souls Okeh Issue since the early 80's somewhere down the line I pulled it out of it's sleeve and it was cracked, repaired with tape on the flip side but it play's with a slight click, never bothered to replace it, when I let most of the big stuff go from about 2004 onwards I just couldn't offer a cracked record for sale it just does not seem right, I actually think no matter how rare the record is if it's cracked then it has no collectable or sellable value, still got the Seven Souls in my odds and sods box lol

Ditto that on Cobbles top man when it comes to tunes.

Hope this helps, I think the light Green copies are more recent.

The thing is and despite being very much into the scene back it the day and what I'm going to say now is perfectly honest and I stated this in giving Mark White credit when I played it down the phone to him that it did not register with me, I guess people think that we know everything about the history of tunes etc. that's simply impossible and despite the kudos of this track I don't ever remember hearing it out and about and may have missed it being played way back, never had a tape with it on or anything I simply just knew it was quality and I certainly don't ever remember having a conversation with anyone about it as you always do and never read anything about it or certainly have no recollection of it so if that makes me lacking in some knowledge then so be it, I simply never moved in the in the know circles in that way, sure I paid attention within my premise outside of that perhaps blinkered at times, my role with the company is more marketing/promotion and distribution of current and future releases and projects, if I don't know something I will ask for help, I guess it's down to not really moving in the more upfront circles that certain information and tunes are alien to me, the project will include alt takes of some well known records, some unissued stuff etc. which will I'm sure be of interest to the majority of people, some of the activity on the scene in recent times and since it's inception I guess many tunes have been re issued/bootlegged used and abused, if there is a flaw in my knowledge and I don't know something then I'll say so and get the second, third, forth opinion, so I've come across by accident, default whatever but what I will say it's down to luck that this track has not been put out before now as it so easily could have happed as the source had no idea of the tracks history. I think the preservation of the music is paramount, should sharing it as the likes of Ady Croasdell, the Soul Junction boys, Hayley records etc. do with the upmost respect and integrity, fully legal and above board and if the amount of any financial kick back however small goes back to the publishing/artists label owners and so on is not the issue as it's far better to give back a little something than nothing which is exactly what they get or don't from the bootleg scene, I'm not going into the rights and wrongs of that issue more to convey, there is not a huge amount of material here unissued anyway but certainly some interesting stuff, in the future I will always get a second opinion as I say, so far the general response to this has been pretty good, I respect everyone's input good, bad and indifferent, I sincerely hope this pretty much covers everything, I've not had the best of rides in recent times from a personal perspective so this has come along at the right time, I know what I know and do not pretend to an expert by any stretch of the imagination certainly enthusiastic though , bit like knowing about a book or a movie but not actually ever reading or seeing them if that makes sense, there are obscure books and film that unless you have seen it or it's recommended or endorsed by someone it remains unknown to you much the same about music, I've forgotten about records I've actually owned and just put it down to being part and parcel of it.

Just like to add I'm sorry if the post comes across a little vague and not specific to detail it's just at this stage I can not expose all the information, if any points are incorrect in my original post please feel free to fill in the blanks, I just tried to give a little background to the origins of the original acetate with the information I had, I am pretty sure that the full story will come together, so sorry if I've rambled a little it's simply a case of excitement and enthusiasm on my part.