Jerry Hipkiss

Mikey, if that came from where I think, the quality must be appalling! Jerry.

My first was Rita DaCosta "Don't bring me down"/Stagemasters "Baby I'm here just to love you", bought off Pep in' 73, with the Catacombs office rubber stamp on the labels! Then a copy of "Thumb a ride" with the inst. of "Cool Jerk"! In my defence we needed them at the time to play the tunes to the locals - the luxury of buying originals only didn't come until a few years later. Jerry.

Well said that man - comparing the crap that's played in yer average town club of a weekend with proper soulful/jazzy garage is like comparing Heineken to a decent pint of proper beer. I really thought that the garage route was the way the modern rooms should have gone in the early nineties, but it never worked...plus the fact that the "urban"/black crowd I was playing to at the time wouldn't dance to it because it was too fast, the pop crowd recoiled because it had vocals, so I ended up buying it just for myself! Check Joey Negro's remix on Roy Ayer's "Sugar" - now THAT is class! Jerry.

Christmas 1965, I was already aware of Wilson Pickett, James Brown, the more obvious Motown etc., but just as part of the pop pirate radio culture. Then Big Sis takes me to the local Mod hotspot, and I'm hooked. The DJ was playing Willie Mitchell, Chuck Jackson, Invitations, and was one of those responsible for hammering "Barefootin'" and "Shotgun Wedding" until they became pop hits.Then he left, to be replacedby a gorgeous blonde all-American girl about a year older than me...somehow I seemed to spend most nights in the DJ box from then on ...stuck with the music while the rest of my mates were getting into rock, finally started dj'ing in '68, just as there was a soul revival starting, had a youth club residency where loads of the Cheltenham crew attended, and the first imports turned up...the rest is the usual Torch, Cats, Yate etc. Now most of the old guard still show at the Saracens, and still it goes on... Jerry.

IMHO this is one that Manship's got wrong - there's a lighter green issue which I believe has a stamped matrix, and the darker one with the details scratched in. But as far as I can see the pressing plant mark is the same as that found on many Chess and Chicago-related singles, and although this was the one imported in bulk, I've always thought that it's a case of two pressing runs in two cities. Mine came complete with drill-hole, something that didn't normally happen with boots! Not conclusive proof, of course, and I await being shot down in flames... Jerry.

errr....stumped - that's the only one I'm aware of, I'll bow to someone else's superior knowledge! Jerry.

Different outfit, the Capitals was on Omen records from the west coast, not to be confused with Ollie McLaughlin's Karen outfit. Jerry.

Different outfit, the Capitals was on Omen records from the west coast, not to be confused with Ollie McLaughlin's Karen outfit. Jerry.

Your vital organs (and your kids!) are safe - no, there were no demos, it was part of one of the further "unreleased" lot...love it to death, but like you can't play it out at a venue as there's no original vinyl OK, the thought police might let me off with it, but I'd better not risk their wrath Jerry.

Thanks for that Pete, just what I needed to know. Jerry.

Thanks Lofty - yes, the Canadian release was on Quality, so now all I need is to sort out the US demo situation! Jerry.

FIDELS TRY A LITTLE HARDER DJM 10689 UK 7" DEMO (in company promo sleeve with publicity blurb) is all I have listed Ady - odd really if that was all they issued when they had the rights, unless sales were so poor that they just didn't bother following on. As far as I know, the same group were on Keymen, Dore and Maverick but I don't know the Imperial release. Jerry

Anyone tell me current value on "Unsatisfied" demo copies? And were there vinyl and styrene demos, if so what's the difference? I'm only used to the old blue issue... TIA Jerry.

Correctamundo Paul - a couple of extra bars that were edited out before the original Calla issue (and the Exit one as well I expect, though I can't remember it. Pete F, I'll have to stagger round to the shop one day and check!) And before anyone else says it, the easy way to check a Calla second issue without listening is that it has the 1973 reissue date on the label, and that there were two different first issue demos, a plain one and the normal red/white design. Jerry.

Haven't heard this in years - nice track as I remember. If you like this one check out the other singles she had out on 4th & Broadway in the '80's. And if you like soulful garage she did a fair version of the old Salsoul "Runaway" as Urban High feat. Dee Dee Wilde, however the fairly primitive drum programs sound dated now. Jerry.

Years ago, at Yate, John Farrell accosted me with a copy of "How" in one hand and their "I got the power" in the other. I couldn't afford both, so went for "I got the power". I've often wondered if I made the right decision, and although "How" is great, I still think I bought the right one! Jerry.

Sums up those sweaty nights in '73 beautifully...how anyone could manage to dance right through Cindy Scott's "Time can change a love" in that heat beats me - but I'd love the chance to try again, and this time I wouldn't sacrifice the last half-hour for a little (ahem) "quality time" with the girlfriend in the back of a car round the corner Jerry.

What about Robert L. Martin "Come and go with me" on Didcot....actually Fluffy Falana "My little cottage"! I can well understand why RS covered that up Anyone tell me what his Tomassos "Wait till I get to know ya" c/u was? Jerry.

Certainly did, along with the "Arctic Strings" (yeah right!) "Turn me on", and talking of which wasn't that "Meditation of the soul" sitar inst. on there as well. Did someone just hijack the label? Jerry.

Thought that might be one of the answers! Jerry.

Can some kind soul give me chapter and verse on this please? Mate picked up an HLS demo yesterday and wanted to know the history. TIA Jerry.

Well, there goes another NS myth - is it the usual "standard" RCA black, Pete? Jerry.

Ah but we're not talking finance here - you don't have to own the tune either - it's just trying to nail that record that says it all! Jerry.

This could be fun...what one record captures the essence of Northern Soul to you? Not your current fetish or the biggest cover-up, but one record that gives you goosebumps and makes you realise why you love Northern Soul? The track that made me think of this topic? Well, vibes, key changes, awesome female vocals, and a beat to die for... The Uptights "Shy Guy" Any advance on that? Jerry.

Certainly remember it getting plays here in old Glostershire, but don't think anybody bothered covering it up. Jerry.