Frankie Crocker

Who is Steve Sayles? Why does the cover have the word “funky” on it? Too many Northern Soul books have suffered from poor spelling and lack of proof-reading so I hope this is attended to before publication.

Royal Tunbridge Wells. Beau Nash pub. Last Friday of the month. Soul and Motown night. Nice hotel next door. Town a great place to visit. Not been to a do there but it’s on the agenda in the coming months. Anyone else out there been and can recommend it?

Nice one Arthur. Sorry I missed the show. Still in Detroit working out how to pack all the records in the hand luggage for the drive to Chicago...

Am currently in Detroit and have driven along 8 Mile Road. Both Cappy’s and Bob Mays premises have been demolished and the sites are empty. Using a 1994 map marked with locations visited on a 1995 trip, Cappy’s was located at 16060 East 8 Mile Road and Bob Mays at 126 West 8 Mile. The map has also got details of other stores visited such as Car City Records, Tom’s Tunes, T & C Oldie Centre, Record Time and Melodies and Memories. Back in the 90’s, you had to have a paper map to get around. Once you had ripped the list of record stores from the Yellow Pages, you were ready to go digging. I found plenty of records on five trips between 1995 and 2002. I’ve just added three more record stores to the old map and am about to drive out to them to see what can be found...

But did he play it?

Thanks for this Arthur. I can imagine Kev will request it again unless you play it first. Sorry I can’t be there to shuffle along but am currently down a Soul Mine somewhere between Chicago and Detroit.

And when you know who has the records, you’ll travel to where they are DJing. That’s why I’m a fan of playlists published after a DJ has played a set - take Dave Rimmer for example, as he regularly posts lists that would encourage you to go out of your way to hear.

Fair point - like a fine wine, perhaps enjoyed in select company. Not sure you can judge the scene from analysing dancefloor reaction anyway - never before has the rare-soul scene been so multi-dimensional and catered to all sorts of people. There are similar records making gains on the scene such as Sag Warfare and United Sounds but copies are so scarce that many wil have not experienced them in public.

Thanks for posting. Is that $2 or 2K? Numbers certainly few and far between. Odd though that there was a green issue but so few have turned up? I do not think I’ve heard it played out at the venues I attend in London so can not comment on dancefloor reaction.

A great DJ with some fantastic records. His sets always reflect imagination and a willingness to innovate.

The word on the block is this is their only record. That said, the group sound so slick and professional, they surely had some local impact that could reveal other material but don’t hold your breath.

Thanks for this Rick. I am sure we will be hearing much more of this record in minor venues where OVO is of little concern after the special reissue has circulated. With an estimated 20 copies in existence, several in the hands of top DJ’s, this soulful offering is destined to be one of those records that perhaps never quite gets the acclaim it deserves. As for dance floor reaction, not every record made will be a floor-filler but that shouldn’t necessarily disqualify it from the playlists. Personally, I would like to see more dancers staying on the floor longer rather than dashing off and on for the Top 500 or the flavour of the month.

Yep Louise. Spot on. You got to shake your shoulders to this one. Maybe shimmy a bit. Adapt to the music and let it take you back to the Ritz or Mecca.

Well, the vocal sounds as good as as any top performer like Jerry or Garland or Gene or Jack...a rich voice that delivers. The intro is unique and unmistakable, boding promisingly for a well crafted crossover tune that is sure to have some twists and turns as it unravels. It certainly gives the dancers time to pick their spot on the floor. I would agree with the comment about tricky to dance to - the record requires nimble footwork and definite change of pace, so not a track for those who only ever dance the same way all the time. This is a track that requires more thought than usual but maybe that’s not a bad thing. Definitely not one for the spinners and acrobats but a nice mellow medium-pace sound that lilts along soulfully.

Well, the seller didn’t get a bargain. Neither did some of the earlier bidders. As the winning bid was a late snipe, it looks like the person came to their senses and concocted a plausible reason to welch on the commitment to pay. I suppose the quick sale was negotiated with a definite buyer in mind - if this was the earlier underbidder, then they have done well out of the deal.

Some interesting comments above suggesting the record is not an instant floorfiller. If rarely spun out, most folk will be unfamiliar with it and reluctant to dance. Then again, it may be more of a slow-burner as it is a slightly different sound. Lots of good points - please keep them coming.

So there copies around well before the days of eBay. Again, not surprised to hear Arthur has factored the record into his sets.

Thanks for this. Doesn’t surprise me to hear these two maestros were on the case early.

Has this elusive track on the Heavy Sounds Inc label been played out much? There are 12 sales listed on Popsike, 8 white DJ copies and 4 green issues. Clearly it is a rare and expensive track, but has anyone witnessed it spun in public? If it has had a public airing, I would be interested to know who the DJ was. Any and all comments on the topic would be much appreciated.

Please do Stan and let us know. Is the seller the one who turned up the Frank Wilson test press? All the records they have auctioned recently looked kosher and some were very tasty.

Advert says Excellent but this is two copies from the same seller. Has a box turned up?

A few tasty bits and pieces there, but similar to previous months with just a few big hitting Northern numbers and a range of other soul genres dominating the picture. Professionals was in nice shape so jumped 50% on previous prices. Servicemen seldom seen, but that’s two copies on eBay recently, fetched more than expected. Turley Richards issue went for a monstrously high amount as current demand remains feverish - demos are much commoner. Condition has evidently become of lesser significance to buyers with some raritiesin rough shape being snapped up to DJ with.

It’s OK and certainly a track worthy of discussion. It has enough to merit spins during a warm-up spot but is just a little too commercial Girl Group to put in the DJ box for a big venue.

Steve, look after those boards as one day they may find a fitting resting place... Were some of them used in the special museum exhibit a few years back? Sad that Wigan Pier did not establish itself as a tourist attraction but at least the council helped to preserve it. Oddly enough, the car park adjacent to the Casino is still a derelict site as it was not developed as part of the shopping centre project. Now I’m thinking about it, there could have been scope to preserve the facade and put a museum in this part of the redevelopment. Along the road of course is another council aberration, the loss of an Olympic size swimming pool to accommodate offices. Maybe one day, the museum will be re-housed in an impressive building like the new library so the Casino exhibit could receive better coverage.

Valid point. There was a considerable revenue stream and little of it appeared to be invested in the fabric of the building apart from Mr M’s that seemed to have had a facelift. That said, the Victorian ballroom complex was reaching the end of its working life and probably approaching demolition, was not worth the major investment. Much of the revenue went on staff wages - look at the poster to see the team of people involved. A lot must have been spent on publicity with adverts in Blues and Soul, posters, badges etc. We know Russ had a raw deal as he opted for a fixed fee to DJ and missed out on a cut of the weekly takings. Bottom line is nightclubs are expensive to run, involve huge hassle, and legal issues often result in premature closure like it or not.