Steve G

Nice one! And not a backflip in sight

Good. It's a top tune.....

Am guesting on Soul People this sunday on www.solarradio.com Sky 0129 from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Hope you can catch the show. As posted elsewhere this time I am doing something a bit different - playing two hours of records on the Chess label from the later "dark" years of the Chess empire. In the required Soul People style this will be a mix of crossover, funky, deep, and steppers. All off of 45s, and all on Chess. Very few are really rare and most of these are available with a bit of searching., even though a number are quite obscure. The years feratured are not the widely acclaimed classic soul years for Chess (OK we all know the TNJs, Vibrations and Free Spirit) but features music from 68 onwards and after the main acts started drifting away from the label. It encompasses the years when Chess was a shell company under GRT, buying in mostly songs from other Cities such as DC, NY and SF. Promise some interesting stuff and I'll garnish it all with what I hope you'll find is some interesting info on some of these obscurer names under the Chess logo.

Yes it's one I got as a new release from the Bowl (and then cracked). Think it was about £8 at the time which implied quantity was limited. Incidentally I got my second (replacement) copy some years later that is also now cracked......Old spin for SouL Sam etc.

Etta James only available on Kent CD. They are thinking of putting it out on 7. Does anyone know anything about Ilana - like who was she? Van McCoy production as I recall. So NY, Philly?

Played by none other than Richard Searling at Wigan - GTGYIML that is......I bought a copy on the strength of his plays

Agreed Bob. I have the shortened version of "In the Rain" as well which is pretty good which Volt put out as a promo because the radio jocks wouldn't play the 5 min version.....

Can we do their worst one? "We are the champions" - the Queen song.....did it with Thomas The Hitman Hearns as I recall.

"What Can I do" is a dead ringer for Levi Stubbs on a slowish crossover style tune.

2 different B sides on this one.

Ha ha, I know - but I don't work in Banking....more's the pity. If I did I could afford more records : Bonus, what's that? Hope you are well.

Yeah right Terry : Up with the lark this morning were we?

Take it to the limit was massive everywhere as a new release. I remember Adam also used to champion it.

You can record it on sky Pete, if you have sky that is. Solar have a regular roster of DJs and times and so I guess it's a case of fitting into a gap in the schedule. Steve

Some interesting points coming out on this thread. As a collector and soul fan these things can throw up a real dilemma - and it is all too easy for people to dismiss just how hard it is to find new records. I think some people think they are still lying around in junk shops waiting to be discovered.....much much harder than that. This one is from what I've read licensed directly from the Hopkins themselves so they will see some benefit. Andy mentioned Tommy & Derbys and it's a fair call that reminded me of a conversation driving on a way to a gig with a friend. He was gutted because he'd heard Tommy & Derbys wasn't coming out cos the (UK label) stock was damaged. I went "yippee" and was delighted much to his surprise and shock. But that's cos I had the record on Swing. And credit to Butch and Andy for breaking and making this. It's the real deal when it comes to rare soul Niter music (unlike Bobby Patterson records covered up - ho ho!!). But I am also sure the Hopkins Brothers will continue to be a big spin at Lifeline (and elsewhere where Butch and Andy (and Mick) DJ) for some time to come.

Mine has labels reversed as well.

Oh yes agree the flip is horrible.....

Reissued as a Soul 45 on Lookalike Wand label Tony. Originals are styrene.

What "Right now"??? It's a lovely floating mid tempo sound. I've played it at crossover dos and been asked what it is etc. Got mine years ago for £20, and I do agree it doesn't show up. But have another listen..... And Ted I was joking .....Whitechapel was cleared out in the 80s......there were some pretty good records there but nothing on Shrine or Mirwood.

WOW! Wonder how many he has on that Bob & Earl store stock??

Ted, the guy in Whitechapel has about 50 copies of J D Bryant on Shrine. My advice if for you to sell your copy quick before the market gets flooded and the price comes down

Yup I would have done if I didn't have FS.

Just talking to a bloke who lives in Whitechapel. He reckons there's a garage storage place there with over a million US 45s from the 60s in there and he wants to sell them....Off to check after work. I mentioned the Shrine label and he thought there was a few boxes of 'em....

...send the taxman round..... :lol:

Hey Andy, Don't remember this level of anger when the Ravins or Salt & Pepper came out in the Uk to think of two recent examples? It's one record that's been played for a while now by those lucky enough to have it, and I don't think it'll do irrepairable damage to the rare soul scene by being put out. Salt & Pepper is still played out quite a bit. And the two surviving Hopkins Brothers might actually see a bit of benefit from their work as well.