Frankie Crocker

Three high bid retractions makes you wonder... Mainly British releases and reissues with potentially a few originals but you would have to do your homework before taking a gamble. If some of the bootlegs were actually originals, the pile could be of interest to a dealer. The photos are not particularly revealing but are suggestive of treasures galore

Nice track. Move over Little Richard... Flip’s pretty mellow. Wonderful these sounds keep turning up.

You only need to check Popsike’s most valuable record auctions to get a clearer picture. Magnetics on Bonnie and Parliaments on Cabell have sold for thousands of dollars in cracked condition. A really rare record in cracked condition could sell for 25-50% alue of a mint copy. Cracked vinyl is less of a problem than cracked styrene as it produces a tighter crack less susceptible to stylus disruption. Better to have a cracked record than no record at all - then the challenge is to find an unbroken copy...easier said than done.

Flash McKinley did not sell at the higher price as the winner withdrew - the same record then sold for the lower value of $2,400.

Nice one Ged. Give my regards to Broad Street...assuming it hasn’t had to undergo a name change?

Yes, that’s the rarer one. The cheaper one is also up for auction too - both just popped up on the Soul Source eBay selection.

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.