Frankie Crocker

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...

Not even an auction record. Really common and widely available in decent condition at set-sale prices. Played to death so rarely spun in public. Sure, a classic and a must-have record for the dedicated collector, but not at the sum we are looking at. The bidders must have so much money, they can bid any amount for any record and expect to win. OK, fine, they’re stinking rich. But what’s the point of being rich if you are stupid? No wonder the Yanks stick high prices on non-rare records in the hope some rich fool gets sucked in.

The Case Of The Missing Records - this is a job for Benedict Cumberbatch...

Not quite. If he has committed crimes in multiple States, it becomes a Federal offence and of interest to the F.B.I. As he has allegedly stolen records in New York and Ohio States, he could be apprehended before he reaches U.S Customs. He was recently in the Rochester area of New York State, perhaps heading for an airport. If the dealers in America act swiftly, the thief could be stopped with the evidence of his crimes in his possession. Anyone on here known to I Spy For The F.B.I?

Thanks for this Chris. I’ve just emailed a contact in a Columbus store to be on the lookout. Hopefully word will spread.

Well that certainly lets the cat out of the bag. Have you alerted the authorities so he could be arrested if returning to the States?

I have just contacted one of the record dealers in the States who has had records stolen. He has inventoried his stock and identified a large number of missing records. Many of these have apparently been advertised by a British based seller who has used an alias. Record theft is a scumbag’s crime. I hope the person who has committed this act is fully exposed.

I came out of the closet to buy Rose Battiste. The record is now filed in the closet. I also helped push the price of Larry Allen to a silly level with a special secret strategy bid... I also helped push the the price of Maurice Williams up a few years ago with a similar bid - now every seller seems to think the highest sale price ever is the current going rate.

The Well’s Gone Dry. Higher And Higher. What Condition Is My Condition In? Same thoughts as for previous results. Folk buying as though these copies will be the last to come up for sale. If you have the money, then splurge it on good sounds like these.

Thanks to contributors for their thoughts. Although Record Collector is a general magazine, it is excellent overall. February’s issue had an obituary for Nancy Wilson, a Bay Tripper spot for Walter Wilson on Wand, a CD review for a Kent soul release and other features of interest. The magazine certainly caters to a broad range of genres and is inclusive of all types of soul music. I just wish there were more in-depth Northern Soul features that would encourage me to buy the magazine regularly.

They don’t play properly. There is conspicuous distortion to the music. As the record is off-centre, half the record plays at above 45 rpm and the other half at below the correct speed. The record spins around eliptically and each rotation produces a variable sound that wows as pitch increases and decreases. The record can be re-centred in a number of ways so that it plays the true sound. I think there are threads on Soul Source explaining how you can do this. Records being pressed off-centre sometimes explains apparent scarcity, as whole runs could be scrapped never to be re-pressed.

Don’t think it is the DJ Honey above comparing photos. An interesting clip nevertheless, watching other people getting right into their music and seeing Simon Cowell, who hasn’t a musical bone in his body, squirming away as he just doesn’t get it.

Honey says she DJ’d there on her birthday in 2017. The article mentions her residing in Singapore, spinning 45’s on her radio show in Australia, online and events all over the world. The article concludes by mentioning her show, Kiss! Kiss! Bang! Bang! can be heard on Mixcloud.

I reckon these people should be buying more 45’s... Does the readership figure include the W H Smith browsers?

Didn't realise this - W H Smith must’ve sold out. I read the book though, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Good to know the soul scene is receiving coverage.

That's true. Give me 45’s anyday. That said, I have kept all my Northern Soul albums and a few others.