Rich B

Crikey Ian, I'd forgotten the one with the full centre - saw Richard S dj'ing with one about '75 - never seen another one. Anyone know the story on that issue? Best, RB

Absolutely no doubt that the styrene copies are the originals. The vinyl copies, "I think", were produced for a dealer in the Nottinghamshire area. Initialy some were sold with white labels and handwritten credits, and touted as 'test pressings'. at the time there were copies of 'Little' Eddie Taylor (also with white label/handwritten credits) from the same source. They were widely regarded as originals at the time, the Timothy Wilson being very rarely seen. Even in the supposedly 'boot free' environment of Cleethorpes in '75 I only ever saw an emidisc of TW played (it had Doni Burdick "I have faith in you on the other side) and tht's the reason the dodgy vinyl copies were accepted, there was nothing to compare them with, and no internet and little printed media dealing with this sort of thing. I was widely criticised (localy) at the time for questioning records from this source - by people who had paid a lot of money for records - and were too embarassed to admit the mistake. If you ever get the two together it will all become obvious. best, RB.

Anybody familiar with the phrase "If you can't say anything nice..."? As far as it goes we probably all have some gossip on each other, and I have to say I'm not a fan of the intellectual (or lack of) capacities of some contributors on the forum - but what is the point of this thread? As far as I can tell, he was an intellectual, a humanitarian - certainly a vegetarian. He had fabulous knowledge of soul music and his passion was unquestionable. he didn't invent 'northern soul' - but he certainly gave it a name, and for those of us young enough (and needy enough) an identity as a 'northern soulie'. I suppose we could move on to his journalistic talents, they didn't seem 'inpenetrable' to me at the time, but time and old age does change your view on some things. I think 'all round good egg' probably sums him up for me. Best, RB.

Liked the Macy Girls - anymore info on them/it? best, RB

I had a similar thought - Del larks parts 1 & 2! best, RB

Absolutely ditto from me! ET was the song that made me realise I loved soul music generally which led to an entirely misspent youth. And "Hold one" was one of the first tunes in ages I heard it and then I just had to own it. I can't think of one tune I don't like by them. Best, RB

I have to confess I have never heard or seen a S.I.R. bootleg, but I can say that there many originals for sale in the midlands in the later 70's. I think Mick Flello and Steve Russell of the West Midlands Soul Club (original promoters of the Nottm palais) had some. Remember they also had Connie Clark, Tony & Tyrone demos and a whole bunch of other stuff in quantity. I paid £5 for my first and an unbelievable £2.50 for the second from Rob Smith in about 1980, he kindly threw in a Mel Britt dj to make it a round £5! We do forget how cheap things got in the early 80's when prices crashed. best, RB

I have to agree, I'm sure the Red/Silver were company reissues. I think the fact that all of the releases that aren't (weren't) in demand are Purple/Silver as well is telling. As well as "I need you" by Diane Jenkins. best, RB

I don't know what the flipside is like, as I never gotr around to playing it. But I sold an instrumental version on Hitbound with a handwritten credit to Zeke and the Soulsearchers when I sold the rest, that was quite interesting though not nearly as good as the vocal. Best, RB

You've gone too far now Webby! best, RB

I don't know when Guy was "the only other person who knew about it" but Bob Smith from nottingham was playing it in '74 until he could get a copy of the Bobby Paris version, he also played the Strawberry jam version of 'Per so nally' so that he cold be extra irritating! best, RB

Had a stock black US copy, but that is lovely! i would have definitely paid a bit more for one of those... best, RB

Hi Chaps, so, the important question is, what are the respective copies fetching these days? best, RB

Deep South Dance Band was "Don't it make you feel good" I love that tune! Found it in a box the other day, had forgotten how much I liked it. Thank heavens for dj's like Poke. Best, RB

Johnny Hendley - it was a bit beat up, cost a bit more than I really wanted to pay (£26) - but it worked out all right in the end! Best, RB

If only our MP's followed your lead in the honesty department....I had an issue and later on a demo - what a sucker eh? Thinking of tunes from the dark (pop) side, Keith was a pretty popular tune back in '74 too! Best, RB

So do I! But I just thought of one that practially caused a riot at the time - but you'd never dance to it now - Gary Lewis - My hearts symphony, it might embarass a few folk now, but you couldn't get on the floor at the time....and some of those folk must be on here! Best, RB

Interesting that JM has had multiple copies - didn't it originally come through John in the first place? Initially as an expensive cover up and then for a cople of quid a go? best, RB

No worries Grant, I would have to concede that as a non substance user I always (certainly in my earlier years on the scene) seem to have been in a minority! Never stopped the rozzers searching me as well though.... best, RB

I think it unlikely those particular tunes would get played, but at the last couple of "modern" nights I have ben too (bear in mind I don't get out as much as I should these days) they have played records that were clearly recorded in the sixties, albeit more "crossover" than yer traditional "northern" (we do love these classifications don't we?) but they sounded very nice. My Modern playlist on the ipod is littered with sicties tunes that sound "right" because that's the point isn't it? best, RB ps Should see you Friday @ the modern Room John, all being well!

I definitely never heard Wigan's Chosen Few, but the original Simon Soussan acetate of the "Sounds of Soul" was an absolute monster! I definitely saw people running pell mell downstairs to dance to it. And if anyones got an MP3 of it I would be very appreciative! Tainted love/Night owl/Cochise/Afternoon of the rhino/Condition red/Too late all have to be up there don't they? Best, RB

I always find these threads irresistable! I started going to "northern" clubs in either December '71 or January '72, thereabouts. It wasn't even called "northern soul" then. Archie Bell's "Here I go again" was being played as a track off a new release import album. By the time I was a regular at Wigan (early '74) I was dancing to things like the Salvadors etc which were often only 2 or 3 years old at the time. By the end of '74 things like Carstairs, Lou Edwards, Mel Britt etc were monsters, all, again only a couple of years old. "Modern" has always been played if you take those tunes as a measure. I recall in the late seventies being bemused by people trying to 'stomp' to Todays People - though they clearly thought it was "northern" and were having an excellent time without worrying about when it was made. And as a final point, I was at the first Nottm Palais Revival (oldies) alldayer in the late 80's, and I heard a couple of guys (who would have been the same sort of age I am now) in thier fifties, say "its not been the same since they stopped playing Howling Wolf"! Dave Godin always said if we stop listening to new music we'll become the new "Teddy boys" - and how right he was, look at the trend for people to have made the clothes they wore 'back in the day' - bar towels etc. So, as I, and many others, have said before, its not about the date on the label its what's in the grooves! Best, RB

Crikey! Thanks for all that Malc, I recall it coming up in relation to another post but couldn't quite bring it all to mind at the time! If its all the same to everyone I'm going to remember DG for Lyn Varnado rather than Steve Karmen (even if I am still very fond of it!) As the man himself would say - "Keep the faith!" Best, RB

I con't disagree with any of the titles quoted - and what can you say about James Jamerson that hasn't been said already? I always thought (though it isn't big or clever...) that the Malibus "Gee baby" rumbled along very nicely. Best, RB

Well Grant, It was meant as a joke - especially given its "Black ship to hell" c/u title. I attended the Casino virtually every week in '74 (membership number 1416), and I can't say that I ever heard the vocal played at the time (though given that the vocal was Jimmy Radcliffe I was always surprised at that) I think when the UA special products re issue popped up a few gave it the odd spin. At one point the issue copy I had was believed to be the only one known - which, of course proved to be nonsense! Though it had originated with Colin Curtis - I had always thought Breakaway was originally a Mecca spin. For the record, as those who know me will verify, in all my years on the scene I was never on anything, never something that I needed. Got to work on that S.O.H. Grant! Best, RBx