David Meikle

Thanks go to Peter for this thread. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all contributors and staff. Northern Soul has lost two valued members in the past week or two. It is important that we continue to enjoy this incredible scene.

RIP Nigel.

RIP Phil.

Thanks to Geeselad who tipped a book on this thread 11 years ago. “The Sharper Word - A Mod Anthology” is the title and I got a second hand copy today from Amazon for £4.62 incl P&P. Over 200 pages.

Yes. I don’t know when the trend started but “the black glove” was definitely seen in 1970. I have a news cutting from the day after the “Ibrox Disaster” with my mate on the pitch with his “black driving glove” on his left hand. The photograph was dated 3rd January 1971. Twenty eight days later were at the Wheel for the final time. My mate bought Bobby Seale’s book in Manchester Victoria Station that day. Seale was co-founder of the Black Panther Party with Huey Newton in 1966. There was a lot of fuss when two Black American athletes raised their fist on the podium of one of the main track events in the 1968 Olympics. The world assumed that the silent protest was associated with Black Power but Seale later stated the it was to do with Equal Rights. Bobby Seale in 1966.

A guy who never made a bad record.

I made such a list from 10 years worth of Detroit Yellow Pages. see this link. https://soulfuldetroit.com/web06-studio database/studio text/index.html The list is at the rear of this link. Ignore the unfriendly note on the opening page! Detail can be copied as long as I am credited.

The two studios were at the same address. Pac-3 was only ever in Dearborn. The first studio was at the rear of the address in a separate building. The second studio was appended to the main building. Must have been an expansion as Richard was doing well with Parliament/Funkadelic in the early seventies.

Pac-3 was based at 7106 Greenfield in Dearborn and was owned by Richard Becker. There were two studios, the first of which was opened in 1967. Richard let me see it in 2001. It was very small and appeared to be used as a store. There was only one Pac-3 address and that was at Greenfield. Regards Echoic, Ron Murphy gave me some old documents which showed Albert Leigh as “Salesman”. I am sure he was also the owner.

One of Hornby’s top ten lists contained songs by OV Wright and Marvin Gaye. Twenty odd years ago.

A wonderful contributor to the Detroit Sound. RIP Pat Lewis.

Speedy recovery Mark. Soul Underground remains a firm favourite of mine. All the best David

Like I said this book is over 600 pages without an index. So this is what I recall without trying to find it again. I know that Al mentions Gene’s departure on Page 383. BTW the word used was ‘axed’ rather than ‘sacked’. Al does not say why. However there was a significant build up of comments over a number of chapters which left me to think that Gene was in Joanne’s office rather a lot. The joke in the building was that he seemed to run a lot of errands for her blah blah blah. So my assumption is that this led to Mr Wingate ending his contract. I could well be wrong but I think Al was leading the reader in that direction without saying it. When I read the book again I will report back if my thinking is wrong. However Al definitely says Gene was ‘axed’ while on the phone,

Thanks Roburt. If anyone can afford the book again I highly recommend it. Al displays a great sense of humour throughout and also a serious side when it is required. I will read the book again in the next few weeks. Price nowadays varies between £65 and £80 pounds but it is more than 600 pages after all.

Thanks Robb. I was very impressed with Al’s book. His 600 page essay on GW and Ric-Tic will never be beaten.