Steve G

"Everything" has stood the test of time to me. thought it was a Richard spin, and Pete Smith you can blame me I was one of the kids asking for it to be played at T'Casino. Don't like his voice on "You fooled me"

London is pretty dead for record fairs soul wise. Haven't been to Des's for a while, Olympia mega fair had Soul Provider and Dick Sniff and nothing else. Almost a complete waste of a saturday morning. Very little going on unless Mick turns up with his UK stuff.

So I am not going completely made....just yet then

Mustn't forget Mark Houghton's do's in London. They are across the board and if it wasn't London (where people rarely cross the street to attend a venue), I am sure the numbers would be stronger. Sean, agree on Spondon - cracking little venue. Steve How's the Orwell these days? As you know I haven't been up there for a long long time. I do think the gaps between genres is closing a bit as we get older. Fraser anmything happening in Scotland? Seasons greetings to you all amigos. Steve

Fantastic stuff! I knew that Texas connection was there and the connection to the road (there is also a Stemmons Expressway in Dallas). To add I did ask a local who "Stemmons" was -basically a major property developer in Texas in times past. And to confirm the group were white for what it's worth. gr8 tune.

Like Pete I remember Russ playing it at WIgan in 77 - massive record. Think Clarkie went with the Precisions at Yate. Anyway Stemmons Express(way) is a major road running into Dallas Tx. I know the record mentions "touching down in Memphis", but I always thought they were a Texas group. They are white 98% sure, but it's still a very good record.

"Thanks to X for the last hour and a great set of Goldmine and Kent compilation CD tracks"

Yup, as an occasional DJ (when anyone allows me behind the decks) what you play in part depends on the type of venue you are at, and also the time you are on. So if I can put it another way using two examples, at the Bass Museum later this month it'll be mainly new (i.e unplayed / less played) material from the 70s / 80s. At an across the board northern night last hour or two (as in Letchworth last Friday), it'll be mainly known sounds / oldies with fewer first time spins. IMHO starting DJs should always thank the previous jock (whatever they might think); it's just common courtesy after a set. No one sets out to play a bad set, so all this "last set cr*p" stuff sounds severe.

Ian has always had impeccable taste! Never understood the fuss over Elipses either

I have both and don't believe it's a remix either, just lighter vinyl and a 12" groove making the sound slightly different. Played the 12 for years before managing to squeeze a 7 out of someone for a reasonable price.

Fascinating, another story from NO in the old days. There was a record distributor that had these Ice Cream type vans, but with a record player and loudspeakers. So instead of ding-a-lings you'd get the latest Bobby Bland 45 blasting out. Anyway he'd go out to a neighborhood on a daily / weekly basis, park up and start playing all the new releases, before moving on a few blocks to the next location. People would come out and buy the records they heard from his van, which was to all intents and purposes a converted Ice Cream van. Absolutely true story.

Reminds me of a story doing the rounds pre Katrina in New Orleans. This dealer has all his stock of rare rock LPs in a van which he parks up in the hotel, the night before a record fair. These two dudes come buy and steal the van overnight. On discovering the LPs in the back they systematically remove all of the covers and throw them away - we are talking rare rock LPs here, loads of them. They then go to some record shop (by which time the word is on the street) and try and resell all these rock rarities minus covers. Swift call to 911 and the two dudes are "bagged, tagged" and sent off to a correctional facility pending trial. Whilst the records were retrieved, sadly the covers were never located.

We must remember the role the Mafia played in the distribution business. Some of their finest were buying and reselling and rebuying and reselling stock (and more often than not pretending to buy and sell as a tax scam). They had truckloads of old records going back and forth across the USA and conceivably shipped lots of records by boat. I don't believe 45s were generally used as ballast, but it's quite conceivable that crates / containers of records were going backwards and forwards on vessels under some sale / return con.

Agreed, MasterKeys shades it for me, the lead vocals are just superb....

LasVegas record isn't it? Same label as Buck Ram Platters.

Yes that's the other side of the Will Kerr 12" - it's a different True Image to the "Haven't stopped dancing yet" Malaco / Glades etc outfit.

but that's by True Image rather than Ike Strong? Simon I will have a look round for you.

It's one that has evaded me as well Trouty so you are in good company. Had a couple of sniffs at a copy but by the time I had reached down and extracted the wallet it had gone -both times.

Have had a good few plays out of this - excellent "must have" Xmas pressy for you all from Aunty or Sis. All of their hits on original TV shows from the 60s / early 70's, the only let down being the speeded up version of "Rolling Stone". Other than that it's hits all the way and some curious shots from UK TV in 66 with some very early northern / mod dancing as well. I reckon this is the best DVD you'll get this Christmas.

A Vietnam classic! Lovely tune.

How can Flanny sell a record like that???? I'd sell my last pair of shoes and my Mum before I parted company with my copy!!!

Saw him a few months back at Dezboro Ritz - I'd swear he hasn't changed at all in 25 years - I am sure he is the living incarnation of Dorian Gray (picture in the attic etc.). But seriously a down to earth and friendly guy. He ended up trading garrige / house / r&b / rap etc and told me he has a warehouse of that stuff. Top bloke

As far as I am concerned no one can touch the mighty Ruffin. HOWEVER Williams was also a fantastic singer, and his voice was stunning in it's own way. So whilst not fully agreeing with you, I know the point you are making, and agree with your sentiment that we should also recognise Williams for the pure talent that he was. Steve

As we didn't have cars in the 70's and could get to Wigan by train, we only ever went to Yate once, in 79-80 I think. This was on one occasion when Kev Griffin's girlfriend (who could drive but didn't have a car) hired a minibus. The idea was we would go down to Brighton, pick up Graham Constantine, and then drive to Southampton, pick up "The Wid", and then up via Newbury to Yate. I can't remember much of the night - would have been around 1980 - Dave Withers was guest DJ on the night, and we all thought it was good to hear Dave out and about. Seem to recall Cheryl Berdell was big at the time...oh and part of the Soussan record collection "appeared" for sale that night as well via "Colin Bee" etc. so mucho flim-flamming and jostling around the record boxes! All very hazy now, and suffice to say I didn't really know any of the bods on this thread at the time, apart from the DJ's. Going back I seem to recall stopping off at Wid's aunties house for a cup of tea, but that's really it....very dim memories. I think if we had cars at the time it would have been our regular haunt, the place sounded really good - and obviously hosted some great nights too. We did venture to an allnighter at Abingdon, a do at Newbury and also an allnighter or two in Bournemouth at this time as well but then Kev split with his girlfirend so it was back to "billy no cars".