Dave2

Yeah, saw Crock of Gold recently. A good view. Never knew Shane was front and center at most London Clash and Sex Pistols early gigs - getting his ear bitten by Jane Crockford (Mo-dettes bassist) whilst dancing together! Been walking around singing 'And a roving, a roving, a roving I'll go...' all week. (Pair of Brown Eyes - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash). RIP Shane.

My reissue Florentine (Tramp Records) has 'D.J. Copy' on it - label is a very light lilac colour with purple writing. Run-out groove reads 'TR-125 A' on 'Walk With A Groove side' (b side: 'Everybody's Talkin'). My original issue Florentine copy has a white label with blue writing. Run-out groove reads 'DRP 3719' and some small initials to the right. (b side: 'Daddy's Home').

Yep, I second that! A few youngsters there with plenty of attitude and nice footwork.

What a great night that was! Loved it. Thanks for recording and posting up.

One here, mate. https://www.raresoul45s.co.uk/servicemen/a/16370/

Defo yes. Yes. And collectively, no. Those who specifically film themselves/ other dancers in this context, generally want to reach a wider (social media) audience: to inform, entertain (and even educate) maybe? Not saying it’s a bad thing to see people performing like dancing monkeys in front of a lens at soul venues - you’re there to enjoy the night socially - but personally, NS dancing for me, has never been about entertaining or performing for anyone. You can’t truly be ‘in’ it, if the aim is to gain social media attention (likes/ views/ re-tweets etc). This isn’t what NS dancing is about. A camera lens pointing at me, is never going to influence me to move a certain way. If it ever did, it would be like following a script, and the spontaneity of what you are hearing the music making you do, would be false and feel fabricated. That doesn't sit right with me. I doubt a new order of social media influencers filming from the edge of dance floors, is changing the form of NS dancing across the scene, but it's certainly noticeable and part of everyday norm. I’m not saying social media/ filming has not strongly influenced the NS dance scene - rather it has operating it’s at the fringes, widely tolerated and accepted, but always from the ‘outside’. ATB Dave.

Great read. Thank you!

I liked the episode. Think he came across well, with a genuine attitude and Jordan and Charlotte were the perfect hosts. Would like to know what he was actually dancing to during that clip! but he seemed to enjoy himself.

Could never say I'm a collector... too much out there, too much cost involved. Always thought about collecting a specific 45 label where there's only half a dozen or so in the entire label. But where do you go after this? Where would it stop!

Congrats Mike. -and thanks to all the Mods past and present.

Just Sunshine funk sister! They said you were Different! I hope she got some well-deserved, re-newed recognition through the Light In The Attic releases/ re-issues. RIP Betty.

Thanks for the hard work /effort on the info. Have always wondered about the 'Destruction' 45. I could never find anything similar on the 'Wood City' label!

Not keen on synth drum type sounds on soul records, reminds me of disco cheese - don't know why, so not the Dells. Four Tops sounds alright, but the simple chorus on Laura Lee's version just sounds lighter and fresher, a bit more uplifting - thus meets my tiny dance brain's approval. Laura it is.

Great memories of Mtume’s ‘Tie Me Up’ blasting from the block from boogie boxes, all tuned into Robbie Vincent early 80’s funk! Also wrote ‘Back Together Again’ for Roberta Flack/ Donny Hathaway. RIP James.

To me, it looks like the an project/ assignment for an art student. What you saying Andy, students have lots of time on their hands? !!

Sexton, in this case has been fabricated. It's a fictitious label made up by the artist as in 'Sexton Blake' - "fake" (cockernee rhyming slang).

I like the artist's sense of humour wrt the fictitious 'Sexton Blake' theme throughout. Whoever it is (art student?) they show clear attention to detail to fonts and styles of the various original labels. It's 'only Art' Kev...

Thank you for everything you did for us. In a small corner of the soul world: Yate, Cheltenham & Gloucester, Bristol /South West etc. you helped put us on the map, big time. Your influences have helped keep that heritage alive, and for that, we are truly thankful. RIP Hippo.

Jimmy Robins - I Can't Please You ?

Great article. I will always welcome any alternate view to the usual Top 500 oldies list, because I'm interested in how things have changed. I'll certainly be delving into Excel spreadsheet territory, to get a feel of how many I know/ I've heard played out over the past 10 years, and in comparison to other material already mentioned. Anyone who currently owns 20+, I think they are doing exceptionally well under the circumstances!

The guy in the photo has a Global guitar Les Paul copy. Never heard of Global guitars, so I googled it. They were a budget brand based in Illinois importing from Taiwan and Korea, aimed at American household catalogue market (SEARS, KAY, etc). Impossible to say the actual year, but the ‘script’ logo (not a round globe, or block logo on the headstock) points to a later period: late 70’s, early 80’s. I would therefore say the photo was taken after 1978. Possibly early 80’s.

Seeing Jud out and about a few years back, was actually assuring. He captured some good nights, and if you saw him out, you knew you were at a fairly decent venue. I can’t say the same for other snappers, strobing flash in your eyes and generally buggering up any decent vibe on the dance floor. His material has well cemented a bona-fide period of the scene, and nobody - regardless of the flack he’s had – can ever take that away from him.

Firstly, excellent tune! Answers: a) Lonnie Liston - Expansions (RCA) which is 70’s. Sounds double bass to my ears, hard to tell! b) Late 90s I worked in a London music shop, one floor completely filled with bass guitars, about half were vintage. The first ever electric bass guitar was way before Fender and Gibson complemented their 6 string electrics with own bass brands, early 50’s. The Precision (a la James Jamerson) was out slightly before Gibson’s EB1 bass guitar, and here is evidence ‘from upright bass to electric bass’ as you say - via the Gibson EB1 design; it was violin shaped, with painted on fake ‘f’ holes and could be played either sideways, or, upright (as it came with a floor spike attachment). We know great soul bassists used the Precision, or Tele, or Jazz Fenders in the 60’s. Compared to the EB1, these Fenders were preferred for several key reasons. 1. They looked really fcuking cool! 2. They sounded so much better, as per those Motown basslines! (and probably felt better). 3. The EB1 periodically ceased production late 50’s, so weren’t available anyway (only 2nd hand) until late 60’s when they were re-issued, by which time Fender was dominating the market. No idea, who, or ‘if’ soul bassists put the EB1 to good use. It may have sounded like a woolly mammoth farting in a cave, but could be considered thee instrument that bridged the gap from ‘upright bass’ to ‘electric bass guitar’. Can’t mention the EB1’s ‘violin shape’ body without mentioning the Hofner (mid 50’s) electric Bass (later aka the Beatle bass - no f holes, hollow bodied). For interest only; clip below on the Gibson EB1 if you want to see and 'hear its sound (it's a yutube plug, flogging one, but stick with it...) Best, Dave.

As a closet Bowie fan (who’s ‘waltzed’ many times on dancefloors to the Chandlers!), nope, never saw any similarity -until now. He was close with Ava Cherry during his soul phase. Did he ever come across this 45 to be influenced? - maybe she’d know. (A litmus test would be to imagine Bowie covering this track, which wouldn’t work -it’s too pure! He'd struggle to pull it off! )

"I'll Bet You" - Top Northern. Thank you Theresa. RIP x