Roburt

As already said, Nottingham always had a big crowd of soulies (well from at least as early as 65/66 to my knowledge). They frequented clubs such as the Dungeon & Beachcomber and travelled to the Mojo (Sheffield) & Nite Owl (Leicester). We'd hitch down to the Nite Owl from Sth Yorks and if we got stuck (no lifts en-route), we'd head into Nottingham to visit the pubs the soul crowd hung out in (can't remember the names of em now though). Some of the Notts lads would 'jump' the train (no-ticket) up to Sheffield to get to the Mojo.

Snowy (Donny) used to borrow some of my stuff (he also bought many other items) & take them along to the Casino.

Tony Clarke & the Sapphires (as recording artists) were both well known to UK mods / soulies from the mid 60's via their UK 45 releases. Both of Tony's mid 60's outings got loads of club plays (The Entertainer was even reissued here as early as April 69) and the Sapphires HMV singles were also popular finds. So UK soulies like myself who were 'buying blind' off UK auction lists & from US warehouse lists (paying low prices for cuts we didn't know by artists we did) were picking up things like "Slow Fizz" from around 1968 ... (I never liked it coz of the stupid dance lyrics & so sold it in the early 70's). When B&S started doing their soul packs in 71/72, they bought in a whole truck load of old Chess 45's & I believe that haul included loads of things such as Tony Clarke's later biggie. I've no idea who played either 45 first in a UK club setting but copies of each single were floating around in UK soul circles from around 71.

With regard to UK tours by the Vibrations. I seem to recall they toured here twice in the mid to late 60's and on one (or both) of those tours Bobby Eli came with them as their travelling musician (the other backing guys being UK based). No doubt if someone contacts Bobby he'll pass along more info.

Maslar, so D Nathan didn't get the name wrong and it was actually Bill Barnes & not Bill Downs. Then, it must have been an entirely different New York Bill who was working with Dave G in 1969 (& who was the Ad Libs manager & an associate of Van McCoys) from the guy in 1970 who worked with Dave & was the Ad Libs manager + an associate of Van McCoys. It was definitely Bill Downs who worked with Dave on the 444 label and their Right On label project in the mid 70's (& who was the Ad Libs manager) ..... Unless of course, Pye Records also got the name wrong on their Right On press release ...

Maslar, if you don't know what 'double dealing' means when used to describe the record biz in the 60's, then you don't know much. I've read that piece by David Nathan and though he has the person's name wrong, I don't doubt the facts he states regarding the Chris Jackson sides coming to Soul City via Bill Downes are 100% correct. Bill represented the likes of Chris Bartley, the Ad Libs (& most probably Chris Jackson) at that time. Bill really liked DG and they were still working closely through to the mid 70's (Dave's 444 & Right On label period -- Sam Nesbit, Chris Bartley, Puzzles). If Dave had done anything untoward with regard to the Chris Jackson deal, I'm sure Bill Downes wouldn't have retained his close links with Dave down the years ... see attached clip that states DG was actually BD's official UK rep in 1970. This was around the same time that the 2nd Chris Jackson Soul City 45 was due for release. At that time, Soul City had severe financial problems (these resulting in the bankruptcy of the label / shop). I'd guess any sour grapes from Chris Jackson stems from the lack of ability for Dave or Soul City to supply him with funds back then. BTW, Bill was still in contact & dealing with DG even after the Right On period. I myself was slightly involved with Bill in the mid 80's when Move Records did a deal for some Chris Bartley releases here. Pity I didn't get the chance to talk with Bill about his dealings with DG ... but if I had, no doubt Bill would have sung DG's praises.

It's been available from THE WORKS @ £3 for quite a while. I bought a copy from them (on-line with free collection from my local branch) a good number of weeks back. ALSO ... as has been said before, the events at the Algiers Hotel have been written about many times down the years. There's a good stage play (which was written by Dominique Morrisseau & also titled DETROIT 67) that has been performed in the US since March 2013. The play's script (in book form) itself being published in 2014. The play is currently being staged in Detroit (no doubt to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the riots). Info on the play (which was a musical production featuring numerous Motown songs) ... https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/12567/detroit-67 One of her earlier plays actually enjoyed a run in a London theatre in 2012 >> https://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/london-shows/show/item135601/sunset-baby/

I'm sure this whole issue is not some great conspiracy dreamed up back in 1969 by Dave Godin. Many times, costs dictated what took place, as independent producers, in conjunction with artists, tried to land record deals. I'd bet any double-dealing over these tracks (if in fact there was any) occured on the US side of the pond. For many years folk on the scene have loved Lorenzo Manley's "Swoop Down On You" ... yet the track doesn't feature Lorenzo at all. The A side of this 45 (which does feature Lorenzo) was licensed for release by Original Sound but the cash on offer wasn't sufficient to fund a B side. So an old demo cut by Gene Dozier himself was used as the 'throw away' B side. At the time, Ugene was still using the false name had taken on to land earlier work in Detroit; Billy Jackson. In fact, Gene had started to write the song back in Philly (even before he relocated to Detroit & then LA), though it wasn't finished when he'd moved to Detroit. So his version (written by Jackson - Santifer), when completed, differs somewhat from the original Philly version of the song, which of course became Eddie Carlton's "It Will Be Done" (written by Norman Johnson !!). Don't forget, there were few businesses that were as cut-throat as the recording biz back in the 60's (the soul music end of things in particular).

I'm sure there was a full article on Chris Jackson & his UK record in an early B&S (around B&S 17 I think -- I have it somewhere up in the loft). I think it was put in the mag just after he visited the UK (a short while before Soul City shop & label went bust). If my memory ain't playing tricks on me (& I am very old), then Soul City was sent a copy of the US version of Chris's tracks. Dave G wasn't 100% sold on them but was sufficiently interested to say he might release them if some changes were made. So, the tracks were rejigged, resubmitted to Soul City and licensed for release ... that's the reason for the "A Commisioned recording made in the USA for Soul City " text on the label.

US CHART POSITIONS ....... The Radiants HIGHEST R&B CHART # 14 ON CHART FOR 6 weeks POP CHART #91 James Phelps HIGHEST R&B CHART #12 ON CHART FOR 7 weeks POP CHART #66 Knight Brothers HIGHEST R&B CHART #12 ON CHART FOR 8 weeks POP CHART #70

The Radiants 45 was released (& promoted) at the same time as two other Chess 45's ... the Knight Brothers & James Phelps biggest outings. It seems that, sales wise / radio tip / trade mag tip wise, the other two 45's did better at the time (in both R&B and pop chart terms). It's not that easy to find relevant radio stn charts from that period (around May 65), but again it seems that in many areas, the other two 45's featured more on radio stn charts back then too. So just maybe, the Radiants song was more of a club hit than a radio / chart success and it was this that spawned all the cover versions.

https://www.yahoo.com/music/detroits-67-riots-halted-music-helped-recalibrate-sound-040444042.html

Back to the Radiant's number & yet another version ... the Catalinas ...

AND another version of the 2nd song ...

Of course, this song ain't to be confused with Patrick Adam's similar effort ....

Thanks for the info ....

The original version ....

A couple more 45's he & the Panthers had out ...

In 1965 the Radiants said that "IT AIN'T NO BIG THING" but I beg to differ ........... Their version of the song made the R&B Top 20 (& the bottom of the Pop Hot 100) in early summer 65 ... but it was the impact of the song after that that really impressed me. It became just about one of the most recorded songs back in the day ... I know of versions by the Tempests, Electrons (which escaped on Shock & Date), Calvin Lindsey & Hysterics, Spontanes, Wingtips, Cotillions, Scotty Todd, Embers, Steve Jordan, Bill Murphy + 1, Ricky Vee & Stardusters ... AND OF COURSE the version that I first got familiar with back in 66 from Jimmy James & the Vagabonds. Are there any other versions of it out there (perhaps cut by none US singers / groups) ??

He did a few other goodies too. Though from Texas, he hooked up for a while with Ike Turner when that guy's Vesuvius & Pompeii labels were based down in Dallas ... A couple of his best cuts were included on the German released comp LP 'A Breast of Soul' back in the day.

The effect on the music ... as told by someone there at the time ...

The riots in LA kicked off in 65 ....

The riots in Baltimore started on the Saturday following MLK's murder & they continued non-stop for around 5 days. By that time, many parts of the city were in ruins. Just a couple of days later, the Impressions & their revue were booked to play a big local show. As it would have been just about impossible for the group to get to the city at that time, I'm sure the show was cancelled. I've also no idea if the big show planned @ the Civic Centre went ahead. This Balto show was to be staged at the same time that the Impressions were getting started on breaking from ABC Records and setting up Curtom. I guess they already had some acts lined up to join the new label and some of these just might have formed parts of their revue show back at that time.

Baltimore -- April 68 Most ghetto riots kicked off around this time because of MLK's death (the Detroit riots were different as heavy handed white cops raiding an after-hours black bar caused those) ... Many black owned stores / businesses were torched / looted. Record stores & warehouses were wrecked & looted. Clubs were closed (even if not damaged) as martial law was imposed. Many clubs stayed closed for some weeks as no one was going out late at night. Some venues were destroyed but even some of those that weren't attacked went out of business in the aftermath of the riots. Kenny Hamber told me that he & his group had been in Philly cutting some tracks that day & as they had been busy they didn't realise what had gone on. As they headed back to Baltimore in a van full of instruments / amps, they were soon pulled over by police / national guard units on the look-out for looters. It was only after the studio was phoned & confirmed their story, that they were allowed to head off to Balto. Needless to say, when they arrived back in the city, it was in flames.

Detroit -- July 67 .... these riots, MLK's assassination & the riots that followed + the Vietnam war both changed soul music in major ways ....