Frankie Crocker

We are drinking in the last chance saloon. If you don’t smash and grab the classics now, you ain’t gonna ever own them. Any aspiring DJ needs two dozen of these titles so it makes sense to splash the cash. I deeply regret not buying some of them when they were cheaper but sure ain’t paying thousands for records I can get by without.

‘Floorfiller’ suggests a record that prompts a mad-dash to a near-empty dancefloor, a real firestarter, rip-roaring dancer of a track, irresistible to the onlookers who stampede to strut their stuff. Constellations ‘I Don’t Know About You’ perhaps? Maybe ‘Seven Souls ‘I Still Love You’. Mel Britt, Joe Matthews, Del Larks, the list goes on. Not too sure of current floorfillers apart from Turley Richards, Barbara Lynn and Rubin but there must be others being spun up and down that we’d like to hear about.

Two very good tunes Ted but still outclassed by Martha Jean Love’s ‘Old Time Lover’, Joseph Webster, Walter and the Admerations, Parisians and a few others. Of course it depends on the tempo you prefer at whatever stage of the night you’re at, but whether it’s an exclusive to Butch or one of three known copies, he sure has the magic touch.

Available from Barnes and Noble bookshops in the US for $39.95 (and 10% off for members) make this a good buy in the States. Not yet taken the shrink-wrap off mine but it looks a top-notch production and superior to most Motown books I’ve come across.

Almost went to Liverpool uni but decided on Manchester in the end. Best choice really as 1975-1978 were great years at the Casino and Wigan was part of Greater Manchester. The last train from Victoria to Wigan Wallgate was a real buzz and amped up the mood nicely for the night ahead.

Cheers Billy. Long time no see. I was hopitalised and due to head off to university in 1975 so missed the second anniversary. Will always be a major regret as I was at the first, third and fourth. Off to college down south in 1978 so this meant the fifth anniversary was scuppered. Just got back from Texas with 100+ records so the flame’s still burning as strong as ever.

Ted Cassidy - The Lurch went for £84 - I saw a nice UK copy for $40 in Doc’s Records at Fort Worth on Record Store Day if this helps the underbidders. There were also two VG+ copies on Capitol for $40, perhaps a tad overpriced, but I took a third for a nice discount.

Thanks for this. My CD collection needs updating or at least playing it a bit more.

Woman’s Liberation by the Topics on the Castle label. I remember being up on the balcony by the snack bar and asking someone what it it was. Bought it soon after as it was available as an original issue. Great tune and one you never hear played out. Don’t think it’s been put on any compilation LP or CD to the best of my recollection. Wondering if the group is the same as the Topics with a string of good records?

Just started it. it is very different to other books as it is an academic tome written in hard-to-fathom language. It is a tough read, but for the serious devotee, worth the trouble and no-doubt some Open University credits.

Musical taste is a very personal thing. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. Some records sounded great forty years ago but their appeal fades with time. The records I don’t get are tuneless pop tunes without any merit ie. they lack melody, harmony and rhythm. By way of contrast, many of the 60’s soul 45’s that were commercial failures have considerable appeal, sometimes for reasons that are hard to fathom. Your question is a valid one but essentially it boils down to why are some records more likable than others? Neither is it negative to question a record’s popularity - we all do this on an individual basis when we listen to music, liking some tunes but passing over others. Remember, there’s no such thing as a bad soul record, just that some are better than others.

Butch has far better sounds in his box. The seller has a significant but unspecific quantity so is selling them off one-by-one. They are mint unplayed, unsold store stock BUT tested on a poor quality deck with bog-standard stylus causing crackle to the styrene pressing.

So there could have been a loss once PayPal and eBay fees of 14% are factored in. Crafty if the tactic pays off, but plenty of free advertising if it doesn’t.

If ever there was a group deserving a financial reward then the Servicemen would top the list. I hope they get something for their efforts.

Ching Ching. The sound of tills ringing up. Is it a ‘lookalike’ just to help confuse buyers even more? Two great tracks to play in the house I suppose.

eBay winners but few in pristine condition. Small wonder John Manship's offerings outclass these. Still, pretty interesting to see a Gwen Owens up for grabs. Condition of these higher-end rarities is definitely worsening. Oddly enough, Jimmy McFarland fetched double the usual rate. Larry Allen’s price tumbling as the seller lets them out one by one...watch this space.

Cheers Kev. So did George Blackwell somehow cheat Sammy over the black demos? Chalky’s article confirms George put a spanner in the works to restrict the circulation of Job Opening. Mick’s comment above suggests there was a really bad dispute between the pair. Maybe George lost his head on this one...

Great story. Thanks for posting. For what it’s worth, nothing George Blackwell was linked to comes close to the quality of Job Opening, easily one of the best records ever. Sammy can also consider himself fortunate to have escaped the curse of Levine. Any info on where the stock of Job Opening ended up?

But surely, he would have had the black demo pressed up first? Maybe the issues were pressed straight after the demos and he was stung for changing the label colour? Realising what the demo sells for now would aggrieve Sammy if he let some go too cheaply or trashed them for not being in demand. Would be good to hear the full story of this great record.

Who is this Manship guy? Is he new to the auction business? The top side is ‘Satisfy Me Baby’ - a great up-tempo track. The winner of the record will be in for a treat when they flip it over from the slow side.

I enjoyed the book. The approach was refreshing. I must confess, some of the latter day records were unfamiliar. Richard seemed to go to great lengths to avoid giving Russ any credit and this was a let down for me. Sure, Richard was sacked from the Casino but both parties should have handled the closure-transition period much better. Richard and Russ made a great team during their time at the Casino and deserve equal credit for their massive contributions to the scene back then.

Sure, the condition could be bettered but where will this spare copy be found cheaply? The buyer is fortunate to have the money and be in a position to make the purchase. Ultimately though, it is an achievement to own records like this.

£10,622 finishing bid on Manship’s auction confirms this is an extremely rare record and a highly desirable one to boot. I for one have enjoyed it out in public when fortunate to hear it spun. I would be more than pleased to own a copy as it is a great sound. The new owner is indeed a very fortunate person.

Spot on Martin. I can remember the furore in the days of paper lists. The same is happening on auctions from time to time. eBay auctions are littered with sales falling through due to retracted bids and shiv bidding. American dealers, usually chancers, put fake reserves on records they are paranoid about - then the crazy figure becomes the going rate. Trick is to watch the market daily, buy from reliable dealers, avoid auctions involving clandestine bidding trends and be patient as most records come up for sale sooner or later. All sales databases have errors and omissions but are a useful starting point when buying unfamiliar records.

Old Bill was there. White male, 35-45 years old, 225 lbs, pot-bellied, long greasy hair, dressed in a Hepworths anorak, Co-op jeans, polo neck pullover, Clarkes shoes. Shifty looking, known to loiter outside toilets and unlit car parks. Often seen rummaging through adidas bags...