billbaker

Graduate was owned by Dave Virr & Mike Williams. Started in Dudley at back of Dave's Dads hardware shop then opened in Walsall. Me & Neil got Saturday jobs there. Then they opened in wolves & I went there as manager must have been late 71 or early 72. Front of shop was albums & top 20. Back room dedicated to soul. Later they opened shop on Hanley & Barry Morgan joined as general manager. We sold a mixture of 2nd hand, originals & latest presses. After a fall out they split the shops between them & I think sold the wolves shop to Sundown. I had left by then to work for Barmy Barry in Dudley. Neil actually later bought the Walsall shop.

I was one of the original intercity s c dj's for a while in 74. Launch was at new 67 club in wolves. Edwin Starr performed. Dave Godin was guest of honour - gave me K C Sunshine Band, Qeen Of Clubs to play! Dave mcaleer, Pye was there gathering info for future Pye DD releases. Apart from Ian Levine can't remember who else dj'd that night. It was Roger Humphrey from wolves- a bit older than us but a great guy, I used to work with him at Graduate. In 74 he let me in on his secret supply of top sounds. Although I never knew he was working with John Harvey in Worcester. John Harvey was based in Shrewsbury at the time, he was a showman & had his own tour bus! I think he just jumped on the soul bandwagon as it was about this time that the scene began to explode into the mainstream. His vision was to form a club that would unite the soul world under one banner & of course he would make his fortune. But it was all relatively short lived. Dropped me when me & Neil Rushton promoted Dudley Zoo & we wouldn't put under IC banner.

Sorry Pete had not read all of the posts. Like I say my memory not as good as it was

There were definitely a few around the midlands as I had one as well. I think mine came direct from selecta disc as I was buying most of my records from there at the time. Sold it in late 70's for next to nothing as didn't realise how scarce it was. My memory is probably playing tricks but isn't the band of grooves on the inst visibly narrower than on the vocal?

When I first started on the scene in the Midlands in 1970 it was known variously as 'The Rare Soul Scene', 'The Soul Scene' or simply just being 'On The Scene' - as a previous post mentioned if you were on it you knew. I believe it was also earlier called 'The Rhythm & Soul Scene'. I am sure that there would have been other regional variations. Back then there was very little national advertising of events & not that much local either. It was very much word of mouth and yes mention of venues and DJ's said it all. It is well documented that Dave Godin used the term 'Northern Soul' as an internal reference system in his Soul City shop but I do not recall the term being used externally until about 1974. Yes Dave's article about the scene was headed 'Soul From The North' or similar but crucially not actually 'Northern Soul'. A few years ago I helped with some research for Neil Rushton's Northern Soul Stories book and had the opportunity to look back through old Blues & Soul magazines. Although it was only a cursory glance through I couldn't find a mention of the term 'Northern Soul' before 1974. I would love to know for sure when the term actually appeared for the first time in print. So back to the original thread pre 1971 the scene already had a few names.

I concur with Conchita regarding release date of single & the RCA font details after they took over from EMI in distributing Tamla Motown in the UK in the 80's. They would have repressed the current on catalogue sellers at the time, with existing TMG numbers. All new product then became subject to the new ZB number system. I am pretty sure that the MFP album was released after the single around May 1974. Although my memory is not what it was I seem to recall Baby Hit & Run being played at the Torch after Tell Me Just A Rumour had also been big. Which would seem to point to EMI sending demo's to the Torch DJ's etc. & releasing the single once demand had been generated.

As many have said the question as stated is a little unfair in terms of the imbalance of numbers. But I would like to turn it around slightly to ask. How many others (especially the small labels) would there have been, without Motown (as their inspiration)?

Like both but definitely Darrell Banks - much more passionate. Heard Open The Door To Your Heart first in early 1970, it was one of the records that first hooked me in to this great scene. Has to be the best ever double sider, certainly to this oldie's ears.

Was first released as a 7" single in the UK in 1994 on official Motown label with a picture sleeve TMG 1426. Radio edit on A side with Pure Soul Mix on B side. It was released to coincide with the CD release 'Very Best Of Marvin Gaye'. It is probably quite scarce now, hard to believe it was 20 years ago. But at the time I think it even flirted with the charts - Woolworths certainly had stocks.

Go for it. Went with my wife April 2012, stayed 3 nights in Memphis as part of 2 week tour of deep south. IMO Stax museum is better than Hitsville which seems very sterile these days. Stax museum is rebuilt on site of original with the façade a replica of original. Museum is not just Stax but American Soul & well worth it. Parked on parking lot at back with no problems. Only about 15 mins drive from centre. But we did have a problem driving back in that we couldn't find exit off McLemore Avenue back to the city. Unnoticed by us the road we drove down from the city had changed name part way down. So we drove up & down McLemore a few times & got a few strange stares from the locals before we found our way back to the city. Beale Street a must & well policed so no bother there. Went to a number of bars with great music including BB Kings where Memphis Jones (Trevor McDonald interviewed him) was on & did a great show. There is a free shuttle between Sun Studios, Graceland & R&B/Soul Museum (opp Gibson Guitar Factory tour). All well worth visiting. I'm not an Elvis fan at all, but found Graceland interesting although the souvenir stores are as you would expect a bit tacky. Also went to MLK museum on the $1 tram & walked back to city no problem. If you are in the area the Blues Museum in Clarkesville south of Memphis is worth seeing. There is a glass case exhibit in there dedicated to Denise LaSalle including a copy of 'Love reputation' on Tarpon! But be aware Robert Plant has been there before you - in fact it seems everywhere over the deep south. Enjoy it.

The 2nd press with small 45 was an official Okeh re-press I think instigated by Selectadisc. As far as I recall they actually used the same master plates to press it. The original had large 45 on the label & is probably worth around £250ish. There have been various other obvious boots over the years. Hope this helps.