Roburt

I went into FOPP today and they have books like DETROIT 67, YOUNG SOUL REBELS and (not soul but mod) PRETEND YOU'RE IN A WAR ... you get 2 for £5.

I worked for British Rail in the late 60's / early 70's ... so got free trips on trains & BR / Sealink ferries. We used to take regular trips on the Harwich -- Hook of Holland ferry service. So back then, I got to pick up quite a few Dutch 45's .... though the initial enthusiasm of Dutch record shop workers on hearing my British accent died instantly when I asked for Tamla Motown / Stax / soul stuff .... a Chi-Lites release (the black label was the 1971 release, no idea when the one with the coloured label followed) ...

Weren't the UK shows prompted by Spencer Wiggins' trip to Europe for a big Soul Weekender show there (along with the Vandellas, LaLa Brooks & Swamp Dogg) ??

We all know that many 45's got released in the UK (+ across Europe & the British Empire countries) coz of the British soul scene and it's fascination with 60's dancers ... but it seems Canada joined in with reissue mania around 1971. The Impressions had "Senorita I Love You" out in the US on Abner in March 59, the track escaped again there on VJ in early 62 and again in October 64 ... Canada only got involved in 1971 when it escaped there on GRT ... other GRT 45's at the same time included a couple of Jerry Butler VJ's from 64 and a Wade Flemons pairing, also from VJ in 1960. STRANGE ....

The journo's at this paper had a good go but I'd drop 4 of their choices and substitute the Impressions, the Dells, the O'Jays and the Artistics. ... their list ... https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2016/06/12-of-the-greatest-soul-groups/

Loads of good Motown books; Berry Gordy's, Raynoma's, Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson's. Mary Wells bio (part Motown), Gladys Knight (part), Dennis Coffey (part) & more.

I always struggled to understand the Tamla-Motown strategy in Portugal. Many record companies there, pressed their own records & printed their own sleeves ... but lots of T/Mot 45's sold there were just the UK single packaged in a locally printed picture sleeve .... I guess the picture sleeve (rather than the UK made label sleeve) was to tie in with the local practise of other companie's single releases.

A message from Lou Ragland ..... I have already spent 17,200 dollars of my own money, over 5 years, collecting raw video footage of the Cleveland Soul Music Men and I have this in the can. I now need help to edit and complete my story -- this will cover my 63 years in the Entertertainment Business and all of the artist that I have produced and helped. My story will show that no matter what area or broken home you come from, one can create a positive productive life !! ............... The Title is: "Man Invisible - the Lou Ragland story !" Lou has set up a crowd funding campaign via gofundme.com ..... the $77,000 he needs is to allow him to complete his project to a first class standard .... .... see here ... https://www.gofundme.com/wh4949-documentary?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=upd_n

I have good quality copies of most of the above ... BUT never really thought of selling my old B&S's.

He can do oldies too ....

Sounds good live too ....

This cut ain't too shaby either ....

Here's TILL THE END ... this should be coupled with NEED YOUR LOVE on a 45 for over here ...

These ladies had a great effect on this 18 year old lad when I saw them at the Wheel in 67/68 ... This is how I remember them, a US TV clip from 68 (when they spent a really lot of time performing in the UK / Europe) ...

Next Monday (after 11pm), FILM 4 are screening the music documentary '20 Feet From Stardom'. It's a great watch ..... https://www.channel4.com/programmes/20-feet-from-stardom

The cover to the album is a gatefold (opens like a book). In one side is the LP itself, whilst in the other is a 12" square booklet ... this is also worth having, so check any copy you intend to buy still has the booklet.

Paul, when am I getting that Spinners 45 back (at the same price I sold it to you of course) ??

That's from much later ... when Jerry B was milking his 60's fame by running special dances for older folk & people who had been teenagers in the 60's (agin a link to the NS scene ??). Jerry's STILL running dances and has a FACEBOOK page to help promote them. He's also involved with themed cruises, running dance classes / dance sessions each day / night on ships for the duration of those cruises ... so once agin a link to the NS scene here.

Jerry even identifies the dance you should do to each track. I know lots of those dances ...BUT ... WTF was the Disco Spin (back in 67) ?? It seems you did the Cha cha to the Astors, Frankie & the Classicals plus the Tymes cuts ... I feel some more NS classics may be appearing on STRICTLY in the near future if the BBC find out.

I know that the first intentional NS comp LP was put out by Pye here in the mid 70's ... but I would suggest that before that a few comp LP's had escaped in the US that would (if they were 70's releases) be classed as releases aimed at the NS market. Here's my tip as a probable 1st NS comp album ... compiled by Philly / New Jersey radio / TV DJ Jerry Blavat. It was released in late 67 and featured 20 tracks in all, of them I'd say 16 would count as NS cuts -- The Jerry Blavat TV Song Storybook (no label identified on the record or album sleeve but 95% certain a product of the Lost Nite label / Crimson Records). Jerry was part owner of these record companies, so it makes sense that 'his' LP would be put out by them. As Crimson were releasing new product by the likes of Lee Andrews & the Hearts, Soul Survivors, Damon Fox, Brothers Two, Chuck Trois & the like at the time, he obviously was aiming his product at teenager dancers who loved soul stuff.

Didn't manage to get up to Palm Beach Gardens to see Joey Gilmore perform ... BUT ... the venue must be a decent place as .... The PGA Arts Centre is the PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS ASSOC ART CENTRE and Palm Beach Gardens is just about as expensive as Boca Raton as all the top sportsmen / women have pads there (all the golfers & the likes of the Williams sisters). It might be a hang out for the rich but it don't make it that safe ... as many sportmens homes are empty a lot of the time (& full of expensive goodies), PBG's is a top spot for burglaries ... Venus Williams place was done while we were there & the robbers took $1000's worth of stuff.

Pye Records had the top 45 equipment & acetate / test pressing team in the UK in the 60's. They could adjust the track (if an LP take or a non- club balanced US effort) to maximise how the cut would sound on the radio / dance floor (boosting the base & other little tricks). I too would guess that they're from the 60's and not 70's efforts. There's a UK test pressing of a Linda Carr track she cut for DCP in 65 (which would also have made it an EMI release here, probably on United Artists if EMI had proceeded). That was also made by the Pye Records team. If you want to know more about Linda Carr & her career, you might try buying the next edition of SOUL UP NORTH mag. Now, TALL PIMPLE, you got anymore questions ???

STRANGE SMALL WORLD ... as we either hitched, caught the train or got a lift down to the Owl from Donny. If we hitched, we went past Clumber Park to Notts & then onto Leicester. If we caught the train, it was via Sheffield. Must have been in the club on the same night at least once .... ALSO, went on to live in Worksop from late 70's.

Curtis on Jools BBC2 show ...

He toured all over & was famous for his high energy stage act ... at one venue, he'd throw a chair through a window ... at another, jump up on the bar (sending glasses / bottles flying) & sing from up there ...