Frankie Crocker

In the same boat here. Received a record so badly buckled and twisted it was unplayable. Seller has refunded the record cost but not initial postage. Now the seller expects me to spend further money sending his dud record back. He refuses to enter into correspondence despite the possibility of dreadful feedback. The situation is compounded by excessive GSP costs despite a request the transaction be done outside this extortionate imposition. Is it actually the case that I am liable to pay for return postage when it is an extra cost brought about by the ineptitude of a seller who admitted in the original advert that he was no expert?

Are there original issues of Gee Baby? I've only come across promotion copies. Pat Brady has an 'issue' up for auction but it is described as a DJ copy and it appears to be the re-issue/bootleg with the lower case text. Now more confused...

or another by him on Gamble or Sassy...

Never noticed. Never heard this before either. Will try my copy when I stumble across it again. Thanks for the heads up.

Copy of Terrible Tom sold for a fraction of this on eBay a fortnight ago, go figure. Intrigued by the Frank Beverly story - why have so few turned up and are there others awaiting discovery?

Great stuff. Thanks for posting this. Corking tune - so chuffed to own a copy.

Thanks for this. I'm still trying to get a refund of the GPS surcharge but with little success. The cost of the record has been refunded though. Trouble is, the GPS funds are with the off-shore tax duckers mentioned by Ted, namely Pitney Bowes. So having paid handsomely for a pair of records, one an unplayable dud, some Jimmy who is a second-hand dealer rather than record dealer, expects me to finance the return cost of a useless record AND kiss goodbye to funds that he committed me to paying via the GSP...

Well, in spite of this discussion, folk are bidding on it like it is an original whether it is a reissue, label variation or perhaps, putting the cat among the pigeons, a Sheldon stamped very first issue, making all the rest later reissues timed to coincide with a subsequent Halloween...QED...

Great ring-tone by the way...

This continues to plague us and I have joined the list of those badly stung, $150 on two records, badly packed and one so buckled and twisted it was unplayable. Dealer was asked if there was any way around the excessive charge but was evidently under the impression that he had to be in the GSP to participate on eBay. Dealer refused to refund the cost of the 'warped' record but has been ruled against and restitution made following a series of acrimonious emails. The Global Shipping Programme is a totally unnecessary imposition that does not benefit the buyer or seller - I now plan to boycott all sellers involved.

The two songs are totally different so I can't see what the fuss is about. Marvin's song is distinctive and a well known disco classic. Pharrell's song is feeble, bland and forgettable despite making loadsamoney. The lawyers are the only people who've gained anything, but that's what they're in it for, nothing to do with justice.

A quiet Wednesday for John - a few more like this and he'll be laying off staff...

I don't see anyone accusing this Chicago outfit of anything illegal but the bigger issue is the proliferation of re-issues and especially lookalike labels that are clutterring up the sales lists and DJ playlists. Now, we are looking at a boxed-set trend that puts the scene on a par with Star Wars and Downton Abbey. Nothing wrong with a small, local project salvaging lost master tapes etc but getting pretty fed up with packaged product overwhelming the stacks of decent 60's lesser known records worthy of attention, and certainly worthier than much of the reissued stuff.

I'd already had the Excuses via an auction before visiting the Las Vegas store. As I was sorting out the piles into expensive, extortionate and ridiculous, he went around the back and slid this under my nose. He said he had a few and wanted two or three hundred for a copy but this was dependent on how much I spent... I now avoid Las Vegas, much as I like the place, and shun the Las Vegas dealers as too many peddle bootlegs etc.

Wotcha Dave. It's one thing to issue unreleased tracks on vinyl but another to re-release tracks on lookalike labels. Other outfits get by releasing series of CD's and this suits plenty of music lovers. It's worth noting that Ady combs through hundreds of studio takes to identify one or two high quality gems for 100 Club exposure and/or Anniversary singles and Kent label releases; wholesale reproduction of dud takes with a few marginally tolerable tracks is hardly something to be applauded. I can remember Rich Rosen trying to sell me 'Ringleaders' carvers a while back - I would be fairly dubious about anything put out by the Ringleaders unless there was sufficient evidence it was absolutely genuine. Sure, legacy is important but so too is the rare soul scene and the rare records it embraces.

Ditto - makes you puke...

Put the bootlegs away and play some original vinyl. No one's fooled by Eddie Parker, Mello Souls and Al Williams these days so put on some cheap oldies. Use the warm up slot at the start to mix things up a bit, and if no one dances, hand over to the next DJ pretty smartish.

...'get bookings'...the wannabe DJ's will be having agents next... Being a purist at heart, I'm gonna pretend it's going to someone who collects Detroit labels by number and is more concerned about the state of the vinyl than the aesthetics of the label.

True, but a savvy British buyer could have the record directed to a U.S. contact. The purchaser may well be a U.S. dealer who feeds John auctionable items.

I see one on eBay offered by fancyjoe in Portland with a reserve of c$300. This is rather optimistic and totally unjustifiable given the record is probably a bootleg until proven legitimate.

Suspicion is the yellow copies are boots but something in the thread hints that it could be genuine QED. Have still not delved into the cellar to locate the remaining boot, regular issue or yellow vinyl, but have acquired a second demo so the boot will eventually be moved on...

Well spotted. Possible case of double-your-money misfiring. Great record but this copy looks doomed by the felt pen swirls reducing the value by 20% or more.

Seller probably wanted £3K for Al Williams but might be better off on eBay with the market continually peaking on the bigger ticket items. Joe Douglas - crazy price. US imports generally lower than Manship #6 valuations - will the priceguides need rewriting if this continues? Just wish he'd put those pesky records with the push-out centres on a set-sale list to spare the majority of us having to flip past them to drool over the proper stuff...

And look out for the sequel, Robin Hood set to Modern Soul, RnB, Crossover etc during matinees (half-term holidays only). Special Christmas event forthcoming, The Sound of Music Northern Style showcasing the talents of The Pristines (Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do), Brenton Wood (Molly Malone), etc

Just played this back...can't believe the BBC have the nerve to peddle such tripe. Not sure how the sound track fitted with the dialogue. All in all, a complete waste of time, effort and license payers money. Would still like the mole at the Beeb to be unmasked...anyone any idea who is stuffing Northern Soul into every other advert, link, programme, jingle whatever opportunity arises?