Darkes

Last Sunday's F.A.B. Three choices each from our special guests and residents. Should give you a flavour of what we do. Due to Christmas and New Year the next one is December 17. Little George Williamson (guest) Ole Onabule - "Soultown" (Nigel Lowis remix) Jospeh Malik - "Take a Left" Little Samson - "Don't take your love" Dave Shaw (guest) Brenda Lee Eager "When I'm with you" Ilana "Where would you be" Debbie Taylor "Just don't pay" Bernard Heap Erma Franklin - "The right to cry" The Supremes - "Misery makes a home in your heart" Carl Carlton - "Don't walk away" Jeff Parish Bill Brandon "Streets got my lady" Ed Townsend - "This too shall pass" Junior Walker "These eyes" Stu Parish Rick James - "Moon Child" The Jacksons - "Blues away" Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie - "Hot butterfly" Leigh Wilson Donald Height - "Rags to riches" Lou Johnson - "The last one to be loved" The Volumes - "Gotta give her love" Alan Darker Rufas & Chaka - "What am I missing" Phyliss Hyman - "No one could love you more" The Drifters "Chains of love" I forgot to ask for the labels so hopefully no one was playing snides!

My top ten plays from last month - always the last Sunday of the month - see events: Jerry Butler - Just Because I really love you - Mercury Troy - And tomorrow means another day we're apart - Columbia Annette Snell- Get your thing together - Dial Shirley Brown - Even if the signs are wrong - Kent select Viola Edwards - Love me baby - Renfro Otis Leavill - I'm so jealous - Atlantic Laura Lee - If you want to try my love again remember me - Hotwax Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers - Malinda - Gordy The Montclairs - Wait for me - Sunburst Nolan Chance - I'll never forget you - Thomas

And I thought it was only me she was interested in!!! Yes, looks like loads got the same message. I understand that Discogs have dealt with it.

I think I've got a real one and boot at home, if no one responds will check when I get home. Regards Alan

Supposed to be the rarest 45 on Malaco: 1018 - Jewel Bass - All Good Things Must Come To An End / I Tried It And I Like It ( I cut and pasted that from the Malaco discography on the Soulfulkindamusic site). There is a legit re-issue on Sticky records. Was a big Manchester tune courtesy of Dean Johnson. It was covered up and took me a long time to find out who it was: a record that you could only hear in club. I know my mate Phil Wainwright has a copy and still had a cover up label on it last time I saw him play it. Can't remember the cover up name. Now idea how much it would cost you, no sign of it on Popsike. Not sure if that helps!!! Regards - Alan

I remember an interview with Lou Reed, in Mojo I think and probably about ten years ago now, where the interviewer recounts handing Lou a copy of the Dave Godin Eddie and Ernie Kent CD as a thank you for the interview. Lou gave him a knowing grin. Not sure how much Eddie and Ernie influenced his music but he obviously had exemplary taste. Regards - Alan

A couple of covers of "Northern Soul Classics" spring to mind:- "There's a ghost in my house" The Fall. The video was filmed in my local boozer. "The Night" - Intastella a cover of the Frankie Valli Casino favourite. Going way back there's always the Manchester's Playboys "I feel so good" and of course the works of Wayne Fontana: "It was easier to hurt her", "Come on home", "Something keeps calling me back", "Give me just a little more time". Regards Alan

Thanks for that Roburt. An interesting read. I picked up a copy of the Brother Tyrone Davis album back in the early 90's and clearly it is not Tyrone Davis and always wondered who it was. Not played it for years but remember a couple of up tempo tracks I used to play out back in the day. I never saw the Doris Duke and friends album that must have come out around the same time. I suspect both must be quite rare. Interestingly, at the end of the 90's a friend was working at the BBC at their Oxford Road site in Manchester. I was able to acquire a stack of the BBC radio play albums. The beeb were ditching vinyl completely and had a few record sales to members of staff, proceeds to charity! I never came across the Rudy Love radio play album or the other one you mention. As you point out Motown acts were well represented. In the main the albums contained well know hits, however, I do have one by the Detroit Spinners with a slightly alternative take of "what more can a boy ask for". This must have had a radio play release before the "from the vaults" release where I first heard it. These albums are not particularly attractive design wise but are intriguing as I'm not sure of their purpose, given that they were produced in the mid-80's and certainly did not reflect the BBC play list. There was an earlier radio play design different to the one shown above. Bizarrely I have a Black Ice album on this earlier design. I have no idea why the BBC would have needed a Black Ice album on their own label and would be surprised if anyone had any idea what it was or played a track of it. Regards - Alan

​Good call, a fantastic album all way through especially Ballad for a child which is the Henry Hull/Carl Hall track. A beautiful piece of music. It was my understanding and I could be completely wrong but Carl was Little Richards stage manager back in the 90's. Not sure why this is my understanding but seem to remember Little Richard did a rock and roll revival gig in Manchester in the 90's and Carl's name cropped up. He was a really talented singer. All the best, Alan

I may be guilty of sarcasm but not guilty of playing an Eddie Parker pressing. I've never owned the record, then or now. I don't have many pressings and wouldn't play em out. Overall the music was excellent imo. Can't remember the battle of the ballads but that sounds great would do that again at a drop of a hat. Can't for the life of me remember what we would have played. Regards Alan

Cause it had an early finnish. The feckin postmen had to be up at 4.30 the next morning for work Seriously, its hard to imagine such a venue in any city centre these days. Three floors dedicated to pleasuring postal workers and their families with Holts, billiards and fried egg sandwiches. When we booked the room for the first time they seemed very bemused and remarked that they had never had a music event before other than a Gary Numan conference. That didn't bode well. Musically I think we did alright. Dave had all the in records although it is open to debate whether he played them in the right order! Chris and me filled in the rest. A mixture of crossover, northern and 70's. We did have some excellent guests; the then Caroline Shard, Julie Halliwell (now Mrs Molloy), and an unknown David Ripolles, and not forgetting Phil Wainwright who was a tad controversial with his choice of music on the first night. That said, Phil did have some followers which is more then the rest of us had. I think Bernard Lowe, who sorted out the sound system also did a bit. The night never really took off, although the people that did come along were all great and many became lifelong friends. I do remember the last record of the whole thing was Jimmy Delphs "Almost". The venue ended up a dreadful Australian theme bar. Bizarrely the only time I went in there I bumped into Rolf Harris, but that's another story. Regards Alan

Sounds very much like Dave Hind. I will post some memories just as soon as I have remembered them. - Alan

I remember first hearing it around 96 possibly 97. Me and my mates started going out in Manchester on Sunday nights and would have a walk around what is now known as the Northern Quarter although at that time it was pretty dead but with some good old fashioned boozers and Dry Bar of course. Anyway pubs and bars were closed by 10.30 - 11 except the Burton Arms next door to the Band on the Wall. The Burton Arms had a late licence due to some historical anomaly due to being close to the old Shude Hill Market. A guy called Martin the Mod had a residency there playing, not surprisingly mod scene records which was pretty good and had a good following. Martin always played Glen Miller and none of us had ever heard it before. I remember one week David Ripolles had, for whatever reason a copy of Willie Wade "when push comes to shove" with him (like you do) and asked Martin to spin it after Glen Miller. A perfect blend. If my memory serves me correctly, a year or so later my old mucker Dean Johnson started playing Glen Miller at crossovery type events and subsequently in the tent at the Fleetwood Weekender. Whether Dean heard Martin play it may be incorrect and Dean has an extensive collection of all things relating to JA music, although I do have a vague recollection that the two of them DJ'd at a Rufus Thomas gig. Taking a tongue in cheek Manchester centric approach!, Martin the Mod discovered it and Dean made it popular on the "crossover" scene. I certainly don't recall it being played at Parkers but stand to be corrected. That all said, it must have been known, as Pete points out, to collectors of the label just needed a scene to play it on. Regards Alan

No, completely different band. Please don't run is by the George Clinton Band and was initially Album only. I think they were a white group and the track fitted in with the "northern" sound at the time and got a 45 release in the UK on ABC on the back of the demand. Great track btw but not on the one!