Roburt

Class Records was Googie's Rene's own record label; he started it after his discharge from the army in 1950. A native of Los Angeles, he followed closely in the footsteps of his father, Leon Rene. Leon Rene was responsible for Exclusive Records with his brother Otis being indentified with Excelsior Records. In 1945, Otis Ren was elected president of the newly-established Pacific Coast Record Manufactures Assoc. To support their record labels, Otis and Leon purchased their own record plant. However when the format changed from 78's to 45's they didn't have presses for the new format. Leon Rene's Exclusive Records existed from 1944 to 1949. His brother Otis's Excelsior label lasted from 1944 to 1951. In 1952, Otis Ren launched the short-lived Spin Records. Googie's son was Leon Rene & he also got involved in the record biz. Leon, whilst organising sessions for Class Records, he hired a 'struggling' Barry White to provide 'hand claps' back in 1966. ............ back to Googie .......... this one has a slow start but give it a chance; the initial 1min 30secs are like a movie theme but then the vibes (Jack Costanzo) kick in and it gets good. ....... and moving on a few years (early 1966) , he cut this true UK mod / soul club classic ........ ....

Bob, RE: "my girl is made of candy" is the only one that charted but that track is pretty hard to find. "Candy" was the 1st release on the then new Roc-ker label (out of Baltimore). I'd think (anyone confirm) that it got a local pressing first but was quickly picked up nationally by Amy -Mala-Bell. It was on the US Soul Charts in July 68 & stayed on the (Billboard) chart for 3 weeks. I have no idea if it was a regional breakout (I'd think it was) that sold well (Top 10) down the east coast cities but didn't really register in mid & west coast states. Maybe A-M-B ran out of copies (i.e. they hadn't pressed enough up) & so it dropped straight off the chart (It went No.40 to 39 to ? & then vanished). It may not have garnered radio plays in many regions & so the US record buying public in many areas never got to hear it. It's little mysteries like why a 45 sold heaps in one area but none at all in others that have always intrigued me.

The group were represented by A & D Booking of Baltimore (A & D being the initials of the 2 guys that owned / ran the agency). But it was a bit of a strange agency. They put out ads specifically targeted at High Schools ??? I know the US school system is a lot different to that in the UK, but if Don Valley High had booked a soul group for a school dance, I'd have had a fit !!! ...... I guess it was their agency that booked the group onto that oldies show.

The group certainly made records for some 'unconventional ' record labels, one being Canyon. Wally Roker's Canyon rose like a rocket, ran out of cash & instantly crashed to the ground. Some of the artists / groups signed to the main label (or it's subsidiary's of Soul Clock, Pride, Dispo, Maple) were very badly served between mid 1970 & the end of 1971. The label also licensed stuff out for UK release under false artist names (Rudy Love stuff as Tyrone Davis, various femme stuff as Doris Duke). They (Frankie & the Spindles) also had further name troubles as a 45 was released as by Frankie & the Spindels + Gamble put out a publicity photo badged up as Franky & the Spindles. They (the group) also took on some strange live gigs. In 1972, when they had really just established themselves as a up & coming recording group, they were booked onto a big Batimore Oldies show ????????

RE: WHISPERIN BOB .......... That guy came on the 1998 US Soul Trip to Vegas .......... he was a real pain in the arse; made me think his name should have been WHISPERIN KNOB !!! ........ BTW, does Pontins Prestatyn still count as a 'current venue' ??? If so, I nominate the mainroom dance floor there.

Sebastian, it is a good dancer; not very typical of their usual output though.

The group live, a few years back .......

This one is good deep soul ........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TisKYyDK9q0 "Count To Ten" ain't too shabby either.

"Makin Up Time" .......

I really like some of the tracks cut by this Baltimore group in the late 60's / 70's. They had started out on the Baltimore soul scene as two separate groups -- one was known as Frankie and the Spinners and the other, Little Ray and the Playboys. The groups eventually got together because one member had quit and another went to join the Marines. In 1968 the group started to record and had to change their name because of Motown group, the Spinners. Thus Frankie and the Spindles came to be. The were still playing gigs as Frankie & the Spinners in late April 1968 but had their Roc-ker 45 on the US national soul chart by July, so I guess they had only changed their name when the 45 had escaped into the shops. They cut tracks for Roc-ker, Funny, Canyon, Gamble , etc. I guess just about my fave from them is their Gamble outing "Makin Up Time" ....

A live gig for Top & Bottoms top act; Brenda & Tabs ...

Anyone got one of these Billboard Directories ?? They were published yearly with updated info listed in an edition of the mag about 6 months after each years directory had been published. For Record Labels it detailed the labels address, phone number, the names of the guys running each label, artists signed to label, best selling record releases (US + abroad), etc. Music publishers details again had contact address + writers signed to publishing house. No doubt the early thru mid to late 60's editions would contain many fascinating bits of info !!!

Thanx for that Dave.

That same week in Miami, soul 45's weren't doing too well. Mel Carter was at No.4 (!!!), James Brown 6, Supremes 9 & Barbara Lewis 10. The 4 Tops were at 12, Sam Cooke 15, Dixie Drifter 16, Ramsey Lewis 17, with O V Wright at 18. No other soul or Motown 45's were in the local Top 20. Back to the charts I've posted up; is there any connection between G L Crocket's "It's A Man Down There" & Jimmy Reeds "I'm The Man Down There" (very similar titles -- which seems strange as they're both on Chicago labels)

And yet more US city POP charts published in Billboard on 4th September 1965 ......... Its suprising to see just which soul songs were selling strongly in some cities back then ......... Philly, Baltimore & Washington are all close together (by US city standards) & so some listeners in each city would listen to pop / soul radio stns in the other city's. So, it could be expected that what was being played on radio stns in those 3 cities at a particular time would have been quite similar, but in many cases they weren't and the local pop charts reflected this. In DC that week, pop chart sales were good for the following :-Wilson Picket was at 12 (down from 8), Barbara Lewis 14 (down from 11), Edwin Starr 25, Dixie Drifter 27, Danny White (on Frisco) 29 & O V Wright at 34. in Baltimore; the Contours were at 10 (they always were a popular live draw in the city), Ramsey Lewis at 12, Barbara Mason 16, G L Crockett 26, Jackie Wilson 27, Manhattans 28, Harold Burrage 31, Gene Chandler 34, Derek Martin 39 & Aretha had 2 x 45s on the local pop chart. In Philly; Ramsey Lewis was No.1, Contours 10, Jive Five 20 (down from 14), Spinners 28 (from 15), Astors 30 (from 21), G L Crockett 39 (from 31) with Lee Andrews & Hearts at 40. In Detroit; Contours at 5, San Remo Strings at 6, Edwin Starr 11 (down from 6), Chuck Jackson 18, Little Caesar 22, Dixie Drifter 31, Derek Martin 37 & Bobby Bland 38. In St Louis; Barbara Mason was at 12 (down from 8), Edwin Starr 18, O V Wright 25 with Jerry Butler, the Impressions & Major Lance also on the local pop chart. In Cleveland; Edwin Starr was at 17 (Edwin had of course lived in Cleveland for some years when younger), Chuck Jackson 21, Major Lance 28, Derek Martin 32 & Dee Dee Warwick 33 (down from 26). In LA; Barbara Lewis was at 3, Wilson Pickett at 7, Edwin Starr 20, G L Crockett 30, Whispers 31 (down from 23), Little Anthony & Imperials 35, Bobby Bland 37 with the Spinners at 39. The Whispers 45 (on LA pop chart) didn't even make the US soul Top 100 !!! Danny White (selling in DC) also didn't even make the US soul Top 100 !! Dixie Drifter made the US soul chart Top 10 but only reached No.99 on the national pop chart !! It was a strange old world back then.

A few more US city POP charts published in Billboard on 4th September 1965 .........

Here's a few US city POP charts published in Billboard on 4th September 1965 .........

"Don't Burn No Bridges" by Jackie Wilson & the Chi-Lites charted in November 1975. It proved to be Jackie's last ever national US chart single.

A review of a show at the Apollo in 65 ..........

Hope they get the message .........

It was the Canterbury 45 by the Younghearts ...........

Bet you can't guess which full page 45 ad this is the artwork from .......

A fine southern lady .............

It seems that THE Chris Columbus who cut the "Tighten Up 70" 45 was from Columbus (he was Chris from Columbus; hence his recording name). He obviously didn't know that there was already a famous (in jazz / soul circles) drummer by that (stage) name. The 2 sides of that 45 were recorded (and maybe pressed) at Musicol (Mus-I-Col) in Columbus. At present, I haven't managed to make contact with anyone who remembers Lawanda Braggs. I'm hoping for more info soon.

The Raelettes ............