David Meikle

Many thanks MDS aka Rod!

Can anyone please tell me what this is circa 9 minutes. Sounds like the punchline is “Help me“ but I haven’t got a clue. Anyway sounds amazing to me.

My own favourite from The Blue Album. RIP Sharon.

Our scene was very special in those early days thanks to guys like Tony. It’s terrible to hear of his passing. RIP Tony Jebb.

Both Labron Smith of Nightchill and Ken Sands Magic City’s Sound Engineer told me that Ernest Burt was shot in his premises in the seventies. Ken told me that Ernest staggered into the street and into his car which was across the other side of the road. With the door ajar and the hand brake off he passed away leaving the car to drift slowly down Grand River Avenue. I found this clip from the 1981 edition of the Detroit Free Press which appears to have been some kind of inquest outcomes for fatal killings in the city.

I asked Robert Bateman if he would draw me a sketch of the Magic City studio layout. He duly obliged and signed it for me. The stairwell leading from the image’s front right hand door is shown on the left. The word window is scribbled above and below the word Studio. The control room is at the foot of the sketch. I know it’s rough but hopefully someone finds it interesting. Robert Bateman R.I.P.

I reckon there were at least a dozen quality sides issued on the Magic City label. From so called Northern Soul to Ballads and the Funk of Butch Cheatham’s Mad Dogs. Remember this operation was primarily a recording studio, not a record label. The studio was above the shop/office and the entrance to it can be seen at the right hand side of the above image. Despite comments on this site a number of years ago about Popcorn Wylie not using the studio, I can reveal that he told me he did. Not only him but Revilot, Ric-Tic (post Golden World) and MAH’s. There is no record of who else used the studio during 1967-68 but it was probably significant as there were many labels without proper studios. Ernest Burt bought Wilbur Golden’s Correc-tone studio in 1966 and it was established in 1967. Proof is in this extract from a 1975 listing of recording facilities In Michigan. The turnover is poor but a lot had changed in the previous nine years in Detroit. From Billboard......April 1968.

Interesting read. https://www.soundonsound.com/people/marvin-gaye-whats-going I was watching an old Detroit Riots video last night when this image flashed across the screen. Thank goodness for the rewind and pause buttons. In the window the word Delrick can be seen which was the publishing arm of Magic City. The words painted on the window, ‘Soul Bro’, was an attempt to save the building from looting. 8912 Grand River Avenue, long gone, but never forgotten.

Never under estimate the role that this man played in the success of the Motown Corporation There would be no Northern Soul Scene if it wasn't for this company. Please ask whatever god is yours to save the African Americans in the amazing city which was and still is Detroit.

Carl Piper from one minute in if necessary

Lady in white dress

For Blackpoolsoul https://youtu.be/j6rDT4qnBHU

Interesting extract confirms his views on much of what he sold.

Kris has come back to me again and tells me she has contacted Cholly and asked him if he will write to me. She also provided Cholly with the link to the song on YouTube. Any news from Cholly will be uploaded ASAP. I thanked Kris for trying to help.

I did but to no avail. The mystery goes on.

Cholly Bassoline is on Facebook. I asked him THE question some time ago but didn’t get a response. Worth a try anyone else? (Edit I’ve asked someone else who knows Cholly if they would speak to him - will post any response) Palmer label was owned by Handleman Distributors if that is any use. I asked Popcorn about Palmer and he couldn’t recall the owner(s) or Jimmy Mack. They issued People’s Choice and distributed Jimmy Soul Clark as we all know.

It was refreshing to hear John’s account of this part of his life. However the many interruptions especially towards the end grated quite a bit. I’m uploading an advert listing the shop John got Hoagy Lands in. It was a treasure trove for many years and was a room within a store which sold virtually anything. The shop was Silverdales and the record room was called Record Bazaar. I’m almost certain that John sold a substantial amount of his unwanted cargo to the owner after one of his trips. it was good to hear that John also purchased pop records because he used to dee-jay in the Phonograph discotheque at the top end of Buchanan Street in Glasgow. I remember climbing the twisting stairwell only to have the biggest let down of my life over what he was playing! When he could get a word in near the end of the interview it was also good to hear his interpretation of what was being mooted as Rare Soul in this country when in actual fact quite a bit of it is/was not! Hear, hear. Also downplayed the idea that no one cared about the old records in the States. I immediately thought of Ron Murphy, Carl Pellegrino, Joe Moorehouse, Robb Klein and many many more I met over there. It was great to hear John but the interviewers could have done so much better. Pffft.

There was a Top Ten of John Andersons doing the rounds last week but I can’t find it. I am pretty sure there was only one Northern track on it albeit the best one ever made IMO, Alexander Patton. Nobody has said John didn’t like Northern; Tomangoes said John was ”not a great fan” which is a pretty accurate description. He was a ”deep soul” and “rough uptempo soul“ man. But it was Northern that gave him a great living.

I met the guy on the right of another Godin image in London Euston. We were all sleeping rough and I noticed him and his mate carrying some imports. His preferred shirt was a pink checked effort. Never had it off his back and he’s wearing it here. His name was Mike Curtis and I think he lived in Moss-side. Worked in a Durex factory which was a bid laugh back then. His mate was Dave Hall who I met many years later at the latter day version of the Wheel. Dave said he approached Mike about coming down for Wheel reunions but he virtually slammed the door in his face LOL. Nobody was into the scene as much as Mike was and I met him in Catacombs after the Wheel closed. I guess Mike was the one who got away. The boy with the sideburns got his pic on front of a Goldmine cd doing a backflip.

Dave Godin took this photograph and Dave/Keith is at the back with his favourite shirt on. We were poor but we had the time of our lives. I don’t think a day has passed without me thinking about the Twisted Wheel. I spoke to most of these guys but most names are lost in the sands of time. I’d Still love to know their names again. Francisco O’Brien is centre with moustache.

Fantastic image!

W.....It’s thanks to Dean Anderson/Chalky. I just blew it up from the radio show image because I knew Marissa when she was young.

Nice to hear Val mentioning Marissa too.

More later if there is an interest.