Epic

Think my days of asking Ian Levine anything are now behind me!!!

While we are on the subject of British "soul" music - does anbody else remember Martyn Ellis at The Ritz (circa'76/77) playing a record by Rainbow Cottage called "Let Me Make You A Woman" I hazard a guess that he played it for a bet - has to be one THE worst records ever played.

Come on peeps - Boz Scaggs or Mickey Moonshine ? I know where my vote goes!!

Feel free to look at post number 2 on this thread!!!!!!!!

Lost your credibility as a true "baggy" - you failed to include "a bit of Frankie Wilson" - as I was once asked for at a gig. What "bit of Frankie Wison" do you think he wanted ?

This is just a blatant plug for your mix!!!!!!!!!!!! - yes I have downloaded it - most enjoyable. Baggy House - Urban Blues Project - "Love Don't Live"

Judging by the amount of interest on this site in that wonderful slab of "soul" music - Mickey Moonshine has to be in there.

Judy Freeman & Blackrock - Hold On - RCA

What a talent - so many great sides he was involved with. Absolutely love "Cool Off" a tune to brighten up anyones life. Respect to you Richard "Popcorn" Wylie.

The point I am making is that these artists don't sound like they did nearly 40 years ago - when they were in some pokey studio in Detroit or Chicago recording on a mixer that would be laughed at nowadays. I am not knocking what Ian did I am just pointing out that it is naive to think that these artists can still cut it in a recording studio without a huge amount of studio wizardry - which they didn't have or need all those years ago.

In fairness Ian I think people have made their own minds up about the vocals on some of the tracks on SWONS videos. Whether they are the truly new vocals only you & the people involved in the studio genuinely know. I have watched the Eddie Parker - "Love You Baby" video & I cannot believe that 30 years after the original that Mr Parker would sound as much like the original without a little "help" from a sound engineer- even the original uh's are in there - but not actually coming out of his mouth in the video. This is not a dig at you Ian but I just wish you would treat us all with a bit more intelligence - it comes across as insulting. I understand that some of the ageing artists must have been struggling - I don't mind if they did mime - it is such a joy to see these artists that it doesn't matter to me - but to talk about adding syllables etc is just semantics. Let's just agree that some of the artists had a little "help" from the original recording & leave it at that.

Good job they didn't build a golf course,swimming baths or graveyard on the "hallowed" (sic) site. Northern & rare soul will be better appreciated hopefully,(if at all) when our generation is long gone. The thought of geriatric soul fans celebrating Wigan Casino's 57th anniversary in a shopping mall makes my blood run cold. Some forward thinking promoter should open a "Northern Soul Retirement Home" where toothless,balding, incontinent (& that's just the women ) old soulies could sit round a piano while "Matron" belts out "Elijah Rocking With Soul" - because "the old dears" like to reminisce.

Don't see many copies of "Yes I Love You Baby" - The Dynamics - where does that sit in the list of rarities?

Which one - The Scottish DJ or the American jazz guitarist Terry Christian - Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

The only reason I question this is for a long time someting has been puzzling me. I have an original 7 inch of Deon Jackson "That's What You Do To Me" & I can remember at a certain point in the record there is a high pitch noise which sounds like microphone feedback. If you listen to the recording you did at (YouTube) 1 minute 53 seconds this noise is also there. There is also a You Tube of TWYDTM which is the original recording posted up by someone else & guess what happens 1 minute 53 seconds into the recording? Either you have gone the extra mile to re-create that authentic sound or your answer to my question isn't totally honest or you have another explanation.

Yes - but some of the vocals are so obviously mimed to by the artists - was it only the backing tracks that you had to re-record? I suspect that elements of the original backing tracks may have been used also.

Tune I like which is hidden away on an old Barbara Pennington (United Artists) album is "Spend A Little Time With Me" - I am surprised you haven't revisited that track more recently with the new artists you have worked with.

Think the words "Shopping Centre Soul" tells you the answer to your question.

The one of Ian in his white "boiler suit" will be shown unless he meets our ransom demands.

Always thought The Soul Notes was a bona fide discovered record - not a tailor made. I stand to be corrected if I am wrong.

It was called "Moochers" - they also had ton & tons of reggae singles (things like Harris Wheel on Crab etc) - there was one in St Annes also - remember pulling out lots of copies of Vibrations - "Surprise Party For Baby" Incidentally back then Starpic had Motown "cut out" albums for 49p - Marvelettes - Barbara McNair - Tammi Terrell etc.

I am sure the 12inch white label promos had a cover up name similar to this - Ian Dewhirst will know,

Uptown Festival by Shalamar is the closest thing to a Northern "Stars on 45" - Mr Soussan had a hand in it - got a few plays at Wigan I think - wasn't it covered up as Motown by Commotion or Chaos - something like that.

It was The Gallopers - saw the Detroit Emeralds there in '73.