Soulstrutter

For those disposed to garage ... there's a version by a German garage band The What...For! (you may well ask?) released on a 1989 album. Makes you wonder how they came across it?

Exactly what I said a few days ago ... talk about navel gazing! It's rare because it's sh*te! ... no one wanted it or bought it - apparently a vanity project ... so probably not many pressed and those that were probably 'gifted'to friends and family. There's one for sale on Discogs for £2k from US ... I bet the seller is rubbing his hands at the thought of some mug (in UK?) paying £2k for it! I think Robbk said he turned down the chance of buying it for 25 cents! That just about sums it up!

How poignant is this ... this year? This is the spoken version - she did another version on the flip.

Literally speaking! ....

... perhaps after a yard of ale played in the right setting? Rare, odd, weird .. definitely! Soul ... definitely not to my ears! 'Northern' well the scope of that seems to widen .... I'm all for pushing the boundaries .... within reason otherwise how long before Rock n Roll / Rockabilly will be 'accepted' under the auspices of rarity ... where do you draw the line? (Will an unreleased Cliff Richard record get discovered and covered up?) ... whatever floats your boat I guess ... 'Line & Track' and 'Stanky' get 'slagged' ... and this....? He makes George Lemons (on Uphill Climb) sound 'accomplished' ! Perhaps I should give it a few more listens to see if it grows on me ... I somehow doubt that it will ... but life would be boring if we all like the same things.

I have to say that this is one of the worst records I've ever heard ... and that's saying something ... a prime example of rarity over quality ... I really don't know what all the fuss is about! If it was a £30 record nobody would give a toss about it and quite rightly so! Country meets pocorn meets jewish folk music FFS! It's dreadful! .... only my opinion of course but PS isn't adverse to expressing his views on records that I happen to like

Thanks for info ... for some reason I was interested in finding out more about Jerry Cook and came across this 'old' thread, but as you've recently posted on it I thought I'd comment. The two records you've highlighted still aren't listed on Discogs or 45Cat (there's another JC 45 listed on Troyx (Hollywood, CA) from 1970 and one on Applause (Nebraska) from 1960 on 45Cat which I'm pretty sure isn't him (there's as clip of both sides on YT) so I went searching on BMI hoping to find some sort of a link. Several Jerry Cooks listed but none lists either of these songs (could be registered under a different name or spelling but too many cooks to search .... spoil the broth!), searched by title and nothing. It is not uncommon for someone being credited as composer on label who had nothing to do with it! So looked at publishers ... all listed on BMI but neither of these tracks are showing ... which seems odd .. it states BMI on label .... did they not bother registering ... or perhaps it wasn't their song to register and they just put Jerry Cook as writer to cover their tracks? The plot thickens - who knows what went on? References: Competition Music (seems to have been owned by Arthur Wright) , https://repertoire.bmi.com/Catalog.aspx?detail=pubid&keyid=69100&subid=0&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25 Trek Publishing https://repertoire.bmi.com/Catalog.aspx?detail=pubid&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&keyid=347920&subid=0 Lincoln Land Music https://repertoire.bmi.com/Catalog.aspx? detail=pubid&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&keyid=202916&subid=0 NB I found only one other 45 pubished by Lincoln Land - it is also on Mid West by The Ebonies and both these sides are registered on BMI. https://www.discogs.com/The-Ebonies-You-Got-What-I-Want/release/7155005 The Jerry Cook Troyx 45's B side 'Funky Wagon' is credited to Jerry Cook as composer and that doesn't exist on BMI either although the A side 'Hey Mrs. Jones' does which I think this is a different song to that recorded by Ramsey Lewis, Jimmy Witherspoon, Checkmates Ltd and others as different writers. https://www.discogs.com/Jerry-Cook-Hey-Mrs-Jones/release/9320695 So, anyway after all that still none the wiser! It seems a bit odd that all 3 songs credited to Jerry Cook are not registered on BMI even though the publishers are?

I did and it says: "Is AP1/AP2 right for me? Do you make a limited number of copies for direct sale through gigs or a personal website? The Limited Manufacture may be more suitable." I've emailed PRS for clarification so will relay back any response I get.

I'd certainly be interested in hearing from anyone who's done it ... as it seems 'too easy'! "The Limited Manufacture (LM) licence is quick, affordable and grants you ‘blanket’ permission to legally use any music in your own CDs, DVDs or videos (and other formats) – that’s any music, from any genre, by any artist including the names, from Elvis, The Beatles to Adele and Ed Sheeran." Reading furher in FAQ document it states: https://www.prsformusic.com/-/media/files/prs-for-music/licensing/faqs/lm-faqs.pdf Formats: CD, cassette, minidisk, vinyl, DAT, DVD, Blu-ray disk, HD-DVD, VHS, CD-Rom or any other physical format

Answering my own question above re: MCPS which you 'might' find interesting and enlightening! https://www.prsformusic.com/licences/releasing-music-products/limited-manufacture If I've read and understood correctly, it would appear that you can obtain an MCPS/PRS licence for virtually any recording for up to 1,000 copies for around £200 (only £70 for 250) - that's presumably for each side ... hence many are single-sided. However, it then states that 'The licence allows you to manufacture and distribute retail and non-retail, audio, and audio-visual products within the manufacturing limits of the licence, providing the products are not made commercially available through a third party distributor or retailer.' 'Copies cannot be sold through any third party retail distribution channels.' ... so presumably you have to sell them directly yourself .... do ebay/Discogs count as third party channels? So it would seem that as long as MCPS fees are paid then these are legit? So I'll shut up now!

I'm in no way condoing it ... but back in those days we were young and naive and it was literally the only way to own, and listen to the 'current' sounds without hunting down the original. There simply isn't that excuse nowadays as nearly everything is on YouTube or on CD so the only conceivable reason I can think for anyone buying these is they are 'wannabe' DJ's who simply don't understand the concept of OVO. Lets' not go down OVO route!

Jees! … just did a quick search on ebay and they are rife! One seller has almost 900 records listed as 'reissues' and virtually every one (that I could be bothered checking) appears to be a boot (and he's by no means the only one selling them). There's a (not so) cottage industry pressing these up. I stand to be corrected … but apart from some respected reissue companies (e.g. Kent) how many of these are likely to be legit? I note that Sonic Wax states that they pay MCPS fees - is that really sufficient (genuine question)? What are they pressed from? … original tapes - hardly - probably ripped from the many compilation CDs out there (ripping those companies off)? So just buy the CDs and support the legit reissue companies (who have presumably/hopefully paid for the rights and pay the necessary royalties) and not line bootleggers pockets FFS! (preaching to converted on here I know). P.S. There are currently 15 different listings for Billy Arnell pressing for less than £10 (some £4.99) so the mugs that bought them on Discogs for £30 need their bumps felt ... or were they daft enough to be decieved to think that they were getting as real one? I'll get off my soap box now

That's just the sort of 'apathy' I refer too! As long as it is 'tolerated' it will happen as no one is prepared to do anything about it ... so they continue making money by ripping off others - the original artists, companies and buyers ... and in this instance 'queer the pitch' for genuine sales on Discogs as price will now be distorted much lower than the actual value .. I guess I should just go and stick my head back in the sand then and 'accept' it!

I wasn't suggesting you were ... just seems we are getting a bit apethetic towards these sellers and we should call it out and if necessary name and shame ... but agree with Blackpoolsoul ... we are almost encouraged just to look the other way as more aggravation than its worth to do anything about it as we, rather than the sellers, just get 'shut down' or fobbed off! Do the sales sites really care that much... as long as they are getting their cut? I can just imagine the furore if someone was stupid enough to try it on this site! Why should it be different anywhere else?

That's becasue they shouldn't be sold cos they're illegal! If you created a piece of art and someone came along and photographed it and sold 'prints' on EBay ... wouldn't you be a p*ssed off?

I wasn't far off then! ... deliberatley ambiguous to deceive, shall we say, less knowledgeable buyers who 'may' think they're getting a bargain. Is there no way to report the seller on Discogs like ebay? Unless they specifically stated that it was not an original (not some ambiguous acronym) then this is fraud!

Yeah I get that ... I was being ironic (aka ... sarcastic )

You're probably right as the other 2 entries are blocked from sale! The 1st was NM the other 2 were M so they must be repros.

There's something 'fishy' about this listing - although they appear under the listing for the original - 3 have sold for around £30 in the last month or so and they graded as Mint ... what does NOC mean ... Not Original Carver/Counterfeit????

Putting some records up on Discogs and came across this: A marmite record I know ... Russ Conway on speed! https://www.discogs.com/Billy-Arnell-And-The-Sparkles-Tough-Girl/release/12650805 Is it a 'real un'? I thought these went for 4 figures? If it is genuine then someone got a bargain! £29.99 for a near minter! https://www.popsike.com/BILLY-ARNELL-THE-SPARKLES-Tough-Girl-7-45-US-NORTHERN-SOUL-LISTEN/310759745046.html

OK thanks for that - for some reason I was convinced I'd seen them both at the same time but when I found some old ticket stubs and there wasn't one for them both I started looking through B&S and couldn't find anything so began to wonder - hence the post. Mind obviously playing tricks after 30 odd years!

There was a report in B&S #521 that LV wouldn't be appearing with her in Oct '89 but it was 'widely reported that he will be accompanying her for a return visit next summer' (1989). He did several dates Mar/Apr 1989, one of which was recorded and released as a 90 min video (without AB). They both also did dates at Wembley in 1990 - LV Mar 24-30 and AB Jun 15-17 and there are reviews of these in B&S with no mention of the other. So it's all becoming a bit of a mystery - I'm beginning to doubt my own memory now as have been through B&S from 1987-1990 and there is nothing. It seems almost inconceivable that this event would have gone unnoticed by B&S as these were the top new soul artists to emerge in the 80s.

Thanks Tim ... I saw AB in Oct 88 and LV in Apr 89 as I've still got the ticket stubs from Wembley for both gigs but can't find ticket for LV with AB which is strange as would have kept it if I kept the others! Starting to doubt my own memory now! ... but seem to distinctly recall them being in 'the round' and being aware that they didn't get on - so it's very odd that there doesn't appear to be any record of the show in B&S or even on the web?! I would have thought it would have been around 87/88 when AB was at her height ... as there is a record of them doing 'The Heat' tour in US. I think I've got a tape of the show somewhere as I seem to recall it was broadcast on radio (might have been Radio London - Tony Blackburn's show?) - I'll have to have a dig around for it. Just though one of the knowledgeable people on here may have know from memory.

Thanks ... Of course ... now that you tell me! I've only got the promo with Rising Cost Of Love both sides! Just checked it out on Discogs and it's a cheapie £3!!!!! ..none for sale and the last one that sold was a VG copy back in 2012. I bet the next one won't sell for that! Now the reality check ... only 3 listed on Popsike 2 selling in 2019 for $203 an $225 .. why aren't I surprised?

I don't think it was ever 2 pages unless there was a special feature (as above). Generally a page ... but about half of that was ads for events. That's not counting ads from record sellers. There was the occasional full page add for Casino ... usually on back page. ... and usually only when there was a live act on.