Steve G

Another one is thanking the dj who'se been on before you and getting their name wrong

Strewth he wasn't that bad with me.....but I did get an "endorsement" as being "OK" Problem was his store although full, wasn't exactly the treasure trove that he thought it was. I think I got massive credit too for turning down "Would you like a copy of Frederick Hymes III?" (from his supply under the counter). Best thing I got out of there was a "Perfect love" (Diplomats) acetate for $300, and a few nice about right priced sweet soul bits. But there was also an awful lot of what I'd call "WALOP" (Worth a lot on paper) that no one will ever buy, and some dodgy re-presses too. The best thing he did was tell me about a group appearing at an off-strip Hotel that i would have never of otherwise known about, turns out one of them was in the Natural 4!

Not related as far as I know. Nick did grow up in Michigan but as "the yank" says he wasn't born there. Arthur Ashford member of The Precisions? Don't believe he was related to either......

Ha ha Richard well spotted! I wasn't far out was I? "Soussan instrumental" v "Felice Taylor instrumental", "Soul Bowl £5" v "Soul Bowl £6".....etc...I am still going with a NY Jamaican booty

TNJ's. They had a 45 on that label that's pretty good.

No album 45 only. Steve

It did peak out a few years ago at about £600, but it's not that rare a record......quite a few about.

As promised somewhere here a while ago here are a couple of Guy's articles for Blackbeat one from 83 and one from 84. Plenty more where they came from too! Steve

Here is the original article I wrote on Johnny Scott, it references when the second version was discovered. Remember talking to Johnny like it was yesterday even though it was over 30 years ago now! There's two pics of Johnny and one of "The singing dentist" OT Sykes.... Steve

Yeah I have always liked Brenda Southall's version of this song. Latin Breed another good version.

Kev you are not the first person to say this, but strip the vocals out and listen to the background tune and chord shifts....it's absolutely similar to me. Not identical obviously but it follows the melody and breaks.

I think 63 maybe 64, Sehorn left NY that year, but I'll check my notes.

New York recording then.....63

Some fab stuff there fellas! Well done.

I can't get excited if people want to pay for a plaque and stick it on a wall somewhere......let em get on with it, it ain't harming anyone.....Jesus the amount of plaques I see scattered around for things and people I've never heard of in London is amazing. "Fred Bloggs lived here 1673-1674" Etc. I get the irony point however, since most locals didn't like the Niters in "their town", and we had to march through a war zone to get there sometimes with bottles being thrown, soul people being chased up the road by thugs etc. The council hated it too if Russ's book is at least accurate on that aspect. Local police bullies stop & search etc. But all part of life's rich tapestry I guess! Don't ask me for a donation though, and Roburt get off yer high horse man! We all know about the pop, done it to death in countless threads on here, there were also some fab records played there too and some great nights had by many....

Thanks Pete, I was there that night!

There are quite a few others including one played briefly at Stafford I tracked Johnny Scott down when he was all the rage and covered his work in Blackbeat with a pic....he sent me one of each of the Portra 45s which I still have!

He certainly walked about a lot, since I believe they met when he turned up at her church at White Rock in search of a meal, quite a way from Bryant Park. I prefer V&N's original too.

Yeah agreed, it was supposed to be underground, "This thing of ours" etc. Completely wrecked by the commercialists and bandwagoon jumpers. These days I just say I'm into rare soul - eventually the folk at work stopped using the term "northern" after I'd bitten their heads off a few times..

I think 68 Dave. That's when Jimmy did his 45 city tour and was known as Mr Soul Spectacular. It says on the Moonshot record. We often forget that the Dutch had an asian community from the old Dutch east Indies who loved soul music. A lot of imports went there.

That's funny....Reminds me of standing at Tonbridge station in the 70s with those absurd 48-inchers that Spencers used to make......Some passing civilian was overheard to say "I thought that bloke was wearing a skirt"......

My player won't play most of my discs anymore....they clunk and whirl then come up with an error message half the time.....I've given up with it.

I always had it down as a cheapie. he did it off of the back of a major 45 city tour and on the US release it credits him as 'Mr Soul' or something similar(memory I haven't dug my copy out!)

Yes it's a cracking mix.

Hurrah! At last there is some recognition that there are two completely different scenes. For most youngsters now it'll be a passing fad, same as it was for most youngsters in the 1970's. You'd be amazed at how many people I meet down here who "went to wigan casino" when they were young, bought a few pressings, then drifted away and who'se musical stimulation today comes from watching The X Factor or listening to Lady GaGa. I don't get upset about these nostalgia types bouncing around in their baggies, they're no different the Teddy Boys, the 40s housewives and anyone else who dresses up to badge themselves. Only comment I'd make is that although I'm not on their "scene", I obviously still like some of the music that they like. But by contrast they probably don't like any of the music that I like.....