Mike Lofthouse

such a strange cover for a Soul Lp and sat alongside all those Who and Hendrix volumes - still have my copy!

This is an unusual one and nice too - promotional album for bog paper!!!!

This was very true last year at Soul Essence when Richard Caiton appeared as a bonus guest to celebrate a significant anniversary - greatly appreciated by the crowd.

do you know I don't think I've had any warped 12" LPs - lots of 7" singles but not LP's

you have me worried . that's how you spell 'Loleatta Holloway' isn't it?

Don't think anyone has nominated Loleatta Holloway.......

As featured on the last podcast of Ian Levine - one of the first five played as not known or listed anywhere. 'Hello Friend' b/w 'It Takes Too Long To Learn to Live Alone' - Toni Mathis - US Capitol 3764 (from 1973) Beautiful Mint playing copy - probably only played the once, complete with company sleeve. However, it has a slight edge (storage) warp that does not affect play at all, I probably have loads like it. UK postage £2.50 signed for Thanks for looking Mike,

I like to see playlists from nights or events that I have supported. If I see a playlist from a venue I have not attended and I like the look of it, I'll make the effort to go. Why does everything always have to be so extreme on here, there are lots of reasons why people can't always get along to venue - and living in another country seems high on the list of good reasons! Mind, I don't particularly like playlists that are published just to show what rare records the poster has Mike

totally agree Bob - I think the Chess family and Wexler and co at Atlantic always had an eye on the bigger prize - as much as they loved R&B they were in it to make money and why not?

Chess were always trying to position their artists in the Rock/Pop market and did some awful things with (to) Muddy and the Wolf. Wexler was the same at Atlantic - Picket singing Hey Jude, Sugar, Sugar and the likes and Aretha of course- he lumbered her with some awful stuff. It just does not work for me - Soul and R&B singers doing Rock. As Otis said when Dylan offered him 'Just Like A Woman' - 'too many words man' !

As featured on the last podcast of Ian Levine - one of the first five played as not known or listed anywhere. 'Hello Friend' b/w 'It Takes Too Long To Learn to Live Alone' - Toni Mathis - US Capitol 3764 (from 1973) Beautiful Mint playing copy - probably only played the once, complete with company sleeve. However, it has a slight edge warp that does not affect play at all, I probably have loads like it. £75 or best offer. UK postage £2.50 signed for Thanks for looking Mike,

Glad you mentioned Edwin. Way back when Greg Tormo had his own chat group, the magazine Mojo posted up their 100 top vocalists - black artists featured heavily with the usual suspects featured highly Marvin, Aretha etc I ran our own poll and we all voted for our top 10 (maybe 20) - I then compiled quite a long list. Edwin featured very high indeed. But the artist that was highest in our poll (not top) that did not feature in the Mojo 100 was Chuck Jackson. If anyone is interested I'll dig it out and post it up. Mike

do you think an artist needs a substantial body of work to be considered a great vocalist?

Womack, Dees & Pickett - now that is a lineup!

interesting that the Dells was mentioned, both the Dells and the Hesitations did 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' - a standard of sorts but I have never thought Soul Artists sound comfortable on these 'wordy' Rock songs............ We skipped the light fandango turned cartwheels 'cross the floor I was feeling kinda seasick but the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink the waiter brought a tray And so it was that later as the miller told his tale that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale

James Carr Bobby Bland and Linda Jones Bettye Swann Mike

a quote from the late great Bobby Bland.... "I get a lot of pointers from different people, diction-wise or phrasing-wise. Nat King Cole, as I said, for that softness, Perry Como for the old standards, because he shows no strain whatsoever when he's doing a song. Andy Williams and Tony Bennett.

and the 'New Born Free' album which includes the aforementioned track is fantastic - essential for any Soul collection!

There is another on ebay (see below) which looks a lot neater than your example - so it could of been factory pressed in addition to the small center run. However, I don't remember the plastic pop out spiders being in UK 45's as late as 77. They tended to be the Polydor distributed stuff like Atlantic, Mojo etc - late 60's early 70's. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fat-Larrys-Band-Center-City-Wmot-70s-hear-/281164070587?pt=UK_Records&hash=item4176af3ebb I know our local record shop - Alan Fearnleys in Middlesbough had a hand held contraption as mentioned by Kev for dinking out solid 45's for Juke box use. But would there of been so many copies of Fat Larry done this way so that there is now a decent supply of them on ebay?

Cress I was not defending or justifying their actions just trying to answer the questions you posed. The behavior you describe was a lot worse than I ever seen there but just reinforces my view that no one would want to intervene to stop it as it would of resulted in a serious punch-up! The venue is a Miners Welfare club (a very famous one at that) and as such many of those causing the trouble would be regulars - even members - and probably feel they have more right to be there than bus loads from Middlesbrough or wherever. And with due respect to others who have posted , Easington is not Banbury! - It is officially recognised as being the most economically deprived town in the United Kingdom and has the largest percentage of long term illness and unemployment - it's a pretty rough place with not a lot to do on Saturday night after the pubs shut. As such I think it would be very difficult to 'police' the door and any subsequent trouble. Did any of you party attempt to remove any of the troublemakers? I know I would of got my coat and beat a retreat down the A19! BTW are you the Cress I met at the O'jays gig in Primm Valley in 2010? Mike

Well I would guess that when they let them in they were not 'obviously a lot worse for wear' and it was not until they got in that they started 'drinking, spilling drinks on the dance floor , taking the piss out of every one'. It's one thing running a Soul night and another fighting with a load of pissed hard cases in a place like Easington - some of whom will be regulars in the venue when Soul nights are not being run.

THE NEW SOUNDS / "HAVING YOU AROUND" Rare Japanese pressing LP complete with OBI & insert P-VINE (PLP-6528) 1990 EX+/EX+ (cover/vinyl) - a lovely copy £80 inc UK postage - Royal Mail first class 'Signed for' 45's - £8 each or 4 for £30 HERMAN GRIFFIN & THE BOYS IN THE BAND - Are You For Me Or Against Me/ Gettin' Better - Magic Touch — E+ Lenny Williams — Problem Solver/Choosing You — US ABC — E+ Great double sider! The Staples - 'Unlock your Mind' - mono/stereo - US Warner Bros - WBS 8669- E+ Getting spins at the more chilled out venues. The release date is hand written on the label. Mary Wells — ‘If you Can’t Give Her Love (Give Her Up)’ - mono/stereo — US Reprise — RPS 1308 - E+ SOLD Burney Reynolds — ‘Try Me' b/w 'If She's Your Lover' - US Surkar — SK 101 - VG+ Great crossover - pressed slightly off centre - most copies are, including my own copy i'm keeping.. William Bell - 'The Man In The Street' - b/w 'Lovin' On Borrowed Time' - US Stax - STA - 0157 - E+ Classic Crossover backed by wonderful slowie John Edwards — ‘There'll Never Be Another Woman’ - mono/stereo — US Weis — WEA -3007 - E+ Early John Edwards Deepie from 1970 - written and produced by Jo Armstead - took me ages to get this copy then quickly got an issue! Bill Withers - 'Harlem' b/w 'Ain't No Sunshine' — US Sussex - SUX 129 - E+ One of the more imaginative spins on the scene in recent years. Drill hole W. J. Moore & The Dynamic Upsetters - 'Shame, Shame, Shame' / Gee Whiz - US Gutter Records - GR 86-004- E+ The Dells - 'Closer' bw 'Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation' - US Cadet - Her Love (Give Her Up)’ - mono/stereo — US Reprise — RPS 1308 - E+ Nice copy but labels are reversed Shirley Brown - 'Yes Sir, Brother' b/w 'Woman To Woman' - US Truth Records - TRA 3206 - E+ Great 70's backed by classic slowie Aretha Franklin - 'April Fools' b/w 'All The King's Horses' - US Atlantic - 45-2883 - E+ Another belter from Aretha Little Milton - 'Let's Get Together' / 'I'll Always Love You' - Checker 1225 - VG++ Fantastic crossover b/w awesome Deep Soul - one of the best double siders going Hot Sauce - 'Bring It Home (And Give It To Me)' / 'Echoes From The Past'- Volt VOA-4076 - M- The wonderful voice of Rhonda Washington - Bring It home is a great version of the Na Allen on Ronn - 'Lay Some Loving On Me' Great crossover b/w nice deepie Johnnie Taylor - 'Ain't That Lovin You (For More Reasons Than One)' / 'Outside Love' - US Stax 45-209 VG+ Fantastic version of the song - great E+ playing copy graded at VG+ because the drill hole is at the end of the run out next to the label!! Kim Weston - 'That's Groovy' / 'Land Of Tomorrow' - US MGM K 13804 VG+ Bit of styrene hiss on this one UK - £2.50 recorded , £3.50 recorded if you buy 3. Overseas at cost. Paypal or cash Please PM me, thankyou

Does anyone know if John Ellison will have a band supporting him on his upcoming shows? I have asked elsewhere but have been ignored for some reason Thanks in advance Mike question answered - thanks.

Saw the O'jays at a resort south of Vegas in 2010. It was a mainly black audience - so humour was different than we are normally treated to by visiting acts. Eddie Levert was quite a comedian too!

Dave - I had my ticket lined up for the Newcastle show....: Hi Michael The Debbie Taylor event at Hoochie Coochie last weekend was unfortunately cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. The organisers would like to pass on there sincerest apologies and make you aware a refund for the face value of the tickets has been processed. Please note this may take anywhere between 1-5days to clear into your account. Apologies for any inconvenience, The Skiddle Team