Roburt

I (with the help of Bernie O'Brien, Lou R & Nancy Yahiro) set up the trip for numerous UK soul fans ... we headed straight to Vegas (via in-direct flights .. but that's another story). Spent about a week in Vegas visiting soul shows in various Casinos -- Isley Bros, Touch of Silk, Bobby Wade & Emperors (Imperials really) plus more. Visited some record shops + recording studios, etc. Went to Motown Cafe (after letting them know we were coming) & was filmed by LA News crew. Spent time with Lou, Freddie Empire & more. Shot over to LA for a show Nancy organised (with Brenda Holloway & Nth Calif Mod Soul Band) then held big live show in Vegas (with about 15 soul artists in attendance). Quite a few US based fans also attended (Greg Tormo & more). After about 8 days, everyone headed home (though Dave Leedham headed off to spend time in LA with an old mate & the wife & I visited our son in Hoboken -- where Greg Tormo was kind enough to take me to a big NY record show). So, all in all, we had a great time. BTW, it was February 98 when the trip took place.

Knew Mick for many years, at niters & the like. A good fella, last saw him on a regular basis when he went to the soul nights in Newbury. RIP

With a name like John Smith (& me being very late to join this site), I had a struggle to find a name not already taken, so I corrupted my middle name (Robert) as my ID. Seems there will not be a Mojo CD as Ady thinks there aren't enough 'under-used tracks' that could feature on it. So, I guess this is where we met then .......... the night that Lou Ragland organised for me (& the visiting Brits) ........

A section from the 'Alan Bown Set' book ............

Guess this is the 45 version then (from 72 it says) ...........

Stringers appears in this clip ... talkin' bout King Geno & the King Mojo ....

What, this one .............

It's now being reported that Billy Paul has passed (though earlier this was thought to be a scam). Seems that it is unfortunately true !!!

BTW, some discogs list Billy as being the guy who also worked in Detroit (as 'Billy the Kid' on cuts by Theresa Lindsay & Pat Lewis). That wasn't so. That was Gene Dozier (after his spell with Motown), Gene using the name of a 'more famous' Philly guy to get 'an IN' with the folks in Detroit. Someone who knows the Philly recording scene better than me should do a full run-down on Billy's many musical achievements.

Famed Philly writer / producer / arranger dies Tap to view this Soul Source News/Article in full

Not only did Lou arrange this Imperial Wonders 45, but he also played drums on the track ... coz the group's drummer just couldn't get it right !!! Lou also played guitar & bass on the track, but he was supposed to do that. This was almost the 1st time most of the Imperial Wonders had been in a studio (Agency in Cleveland) & so they were a bit raw. Lou cut 4 tracks on them that day. Lou says that the group's lead singer, Leo Green, had a great voice & was really easy to work with in the studio.

Another montage of Mojo / Stringfellow related bits ......... ... the Fantastics had just changed their name from the Fabulous Temptations & had appointed Stringers as their new UK manager. If the big Queens Hall show had been held around 7 / 8 weeks earlier, Stringers would no doubt have had the Topics on as well (they had just been touring the UK as the Impressions).

I'm not complaining about the tracks ... just about the audio quality on those 70's albums (which was a bit shite !!).

I have the 70's 'Loma' LP set BUT am told the audio quality on these new ones mean I can throw those away ... PLUS .. theres the unissued stuff .... I'd go with this new release being a real goodie !!!

I posted these bits (see below) about Linda Cumbo up on Facebook AND tagged them as 'Linda Clifford'. Linda came back when she spotted them & we had quite a long electronic conversation. Upturn is, she's now looking thru her old belongings for a copy of the Calla 45 and has suggested we meet up to chat when she's over in the UK in June ... NOT ARFF !!! I'm sure she'd love to get info on when / where her Linda Cumbo 45's were played !!

Anyone know if George Fowler (RIP) went on the road with the Motortown Revues back in the 60's ??

BTW, Benday Music (these days) is based in Jamaica, New York.

Had my usual Tuesday afternoon chat with Lou today.The subject matter moved on to more modern work AND his time on the road with the O'Jays and Terry Knight. Lou had become a bit disillusioned with the music industry in 67 but local Cleve guy Terry Knight had a big seller on his hands late in 66 ("I (Who Have Nothing -- a UK Cameo Parkway 45 released on 13th Jan 67). Anyway, Terry Knight needed to go on the road to cash in on his hit 45, but he needed a road band. He hired Lou to play guitar behind him, lent Lou a guitar (as he had sold his own) and off they went. Terry played the white club circuit where the pay was better and so was the treatment. So Lou was well paid & had guys (roadies, club techs to set up / sound-balance his gear). So for about 12 months, Lou toured & lived well. Eventually, with no follow-up 45 hit, Terry Knight went cold & came off the road. So in late 67 Lou became Road manager for the O'Jays. Lou always has been a good businessman & so set about sorting the O'Jays finances out. They played the chitlin circuit where life was hard. Off they went, all over the US, playing black clubs. Their fee (for the group, musicians, roadies, tour manager) was $1000 a night but the group members & musicians were just on salary (by their manager Leo Frank -- owner of Leo's Casino back in Cleveland). When on the road, the group members got a salary of $350 a week each with the musicians getting $75 a week. All other monies went back to Leo Frank. Work was hard but enjoyable & Lou went about their biz. The group hadn't had a hit 45 in over a year, so it was hard work pleasing audiences & club owners. But in Dec 67 they had their 1st hit for Bell. Work really started to flow in but at the usual fee; $1000 a night. They were soon turning work away as their 45 climbed the charts (where it stayed for almost 3 months). Lou could see what was happening, so started to tell the group to stay on the bus when they arrived at a venue while he had a chat with the club managers. Lou negotiated an increased fee as the venue could charge more for tickets now. So the fee went up to $1800 a night ($2500 for some big venues like the Apollo, Howard, Uptown, etc.). When they weren't working on the road the group member's salaries dropped to $100 a week though many times Leo Frank would have them work Leo's Casino back in Cleveland those times. With a hit, work was also secured in white venues (blacks would watch the shows in black clubs, whites only in white clubs). So the group would play 2 shows in each city; one black, one white. They worked all over the US and were kept busy. Lou stayed in that post till 1970 when he quit and went off (to many of the same venues) as leader of Hot Chocolate. More later on more current work & the artists involved. A few pics to finish off (the group is Lou with Hot Chocolate) ..........

Sometimes you just can't win ............... I chased up my New York contacts ..... that's coz ......... Earl Jackson was a singer & a songwriter but he had little success as a singer, so I went off down the songs road .... ..... Turns out that Earl wrote in partnership with a number of guys ....... 1st off is Gregory Carroll: GC was originally from Baltimore but was then NY based & wrote for the likes of Doris Troy. He produced stuff for NY based Twirl Records (Jo Ann Courcy) + Tina Florence for APT. GC also wrote FOR J R Bailey (Chuck Wood -- who was also from Baltimore originally but moved to NY to finish his schooling & then stayed on) and for Billy Frazier (NY based ?). 2nd; He wrote with (Josie) Armstead & (Valerie) Simpson - then NY based. 3rd; he wrote with Johnny Mitchell, a NY based guy. He also wrote with Bobby Smith (who arranged stuff for Sonny Knight & Jimmy Robins). He wrote with Morty Craft (who worked with the likes of Faye Adams, Tony Middleton, Diplomats & Earl Grant in NY). Lastly, he also wrote with Roger Bass (Gwen Owens & the Utopias). I chased up the little indie music publishing company Benday Music (based in NY) that represents Earl. There I got in touch with the publisher's rep Vanessa Benton. I got this message back ........ I'm sorry I can't be of any help to you. I do wish you the best on tracking him down. If I come across any information that would be helpful I will let you know. Best of Luck. Sincerely, Vanessa Benton ........... (no doubt she's the Ben in BENday). So it seems that we are fated to never get the full SP on Earl Jackson ........... SORRY .........

Scans of EMI 45's from some of the countries they used to operate out of ............

Earl Jackson was a guy in his own right ... I'm chasing up a lead in New York that (hopefully) will result in us (finally) getting the full SP on Earl .... MORE LATER ...

I didn't make mention of it in my article coz it doesn't really relate to the Mojo or other allniters back then ... BUT in 67 we made a few longer 'soul related' trips as well. After the 1st 'LAST' niter at the Mojo (15th April), we were initially at a loose end on Saturday nights. Some of us would shoot across to Hull as that city always had a great night life scene (port & all that). So Frid / Sat / Sun 21/22/23rd April were spent in Hull & it's 2 soul discos (The Discotheque on Whitefriargate & the Gondola on Little Queen St). BUT we were bored by the next weekend (when some of the Hull lads came thru to Dony) & so organised a trip down to London for the 6/7th May. We met up as usual on the Saturday nite (drinks in the Coffee House & then Danum), we killed time till the early hours & caught a Kings X bound train at 3am. Early arrival Sunday in London. Down to Petticoat Lane (clothes & record buying). Then up the West End in the afternoon (think we got some decent 45's -- UK Major Lance singles, etc.) down the Kings Rd. Night time found us heading to the Saville Theatre (owned by Brian Epstein & the Beatles) to see Garnett Mimms live. Then an early exit from the theatre, dash across London to catch a late train home to Dony. SEE RELATED BITS BELOW ............

Eli, Maxine Brown arrives in London on the 8th June (to perform on 11th June). Are you hanging around the UK after the 7th ?? BTW, I really love "Hold Out" blue-eyed gospel-soul at its best.

Track produced, arranged & conducted by Johnny Pate who also co-wrote the song. I visited him back when he lived in Vegas and made a point of asking him about this cut. "Who was it by & what was the song title" he said ... "have no memory of that session at all & can't even recall working with a guy called Earl Jackson". So much for getting the low down on this NS anthem then. Picture of Johnny with a few of the 45's I'd taken along (got the sleeves autographed).