Michael V

Not sure why Dean did'nt make any money from the UK reissue,but UK Records was owned by Jonathan King; the label's top act, 10 cc, were very unhappy with the paltry royalties they received (which was the reason they left him,apparently)-and they were having Top Ten hits inc. a No. 1!

Lovely tributes from all the above-and Dean deserves them;a fine singer and artist whose great records really have meant something special to all of us and given us much joy over the years

Yes,I think Johnny was lead guitarist.The flip of Burning Bush- Keeps On Burning, 'Evil Eye' is a sought after 45' by 60's US Garage/Psychedelic collectors-one of those unusual Northern 45's where the other side is coveted by Psych collectors -the flip of Esko Affair's Salt & Pepper is another example

Sad news indeed- Lloyd was a sometimes overlooked figure,not only of 50's R&B and Rock n' Roll,in which he first found fame as a singer, but in Soul,too as a label owner, recording those great Wilson Pickett early 60's sides for his Double L label (jewels like It's Too Late and If You Need Me) and later in the 60's/early70's, some fine Howard Tate sides for his Turntable label. He still sung himself from time to time, eg.most notably for Soul Sourcers,his nice 'Love Music' for GSF in 73' which many of us have enjoyed dancing to over the years. From his 50's Specialty classics like Lawdy Miss Clawdy ( his later 50's ABC-Paramount re-cut was even better,I think) and Just Because (the UK tri London 45' a top R n' R rarity that has long eluded me and many collectors!) to Love Music ,he had a long and varied career to be proud of.

Marva Allen's Here Comes The Night Owl - a slightly altered version of Tony Allen' & The Champs' 50's LA Doo-Wop classic' Nite Owl' (as was the Bobby Paris classic we all know and love) was produced by Jay Miller in Crowley,Louisiana in 1963,probably during the sessions which resulted in Marva's one 45' on Excello in 63', another lovely piece of Southern Doo-Wop, 'He's Gone' (not the Chantels song) backed with the fine R&B dancer 'I'm Through With You' Night Owl has only had a legit release I believe on the Ace CD 'Louisiana Roots-The Jay Miller R&B Legacy' .The above must be-and looks like- a bootleg

Hello -I'll have the Marvelows on HMV,please,if you still have it.Thanks, Michael

Co-incidentally,The Four Seasons' post-1965 bassist Joe Long, who played that great,classic bass intro and break on 'The Night' sadly passed away the other day (Wednesday 21st) aged 79 .

I think it's the good old Andantes singing with Wilson on 'Let Me Be Your Boy' . I remember reading it somewhere and to me it certainly sounds much more like them than The Supremes

To my ears it is definitely the same Arrival, the UK group of the 1970 hit 'Friends' fame,with Dyan Birch on lead vocals

Have just learned that Quinton Claunch, founder of the legendary Goldwax label and writer/producer of so many all-time Soul masterpieces by the likes of James Carr,Spencer Wiggins,The Ovations etc sadly passed on April 10th aged 99. Born in 1921 Quinton started his career in Country Music and in the 50's was a session guitarist for Sam Philips at Sun in Memphis,playing on a few Rockabilly & Country gems by the likes of Carl Perkins and Charlie Feathers and in 57' he co-founded yet another legendary Memphis label ,Hi Records,although he left in 59',long before it's Soul days. It's his sterling work at Goldwax with it's stunning roster of Soul talent that he'll be best remembered for by Soul fans,although perhaps it should be said he had a hell of a cheek crediting himself as the co-writer,with Timmy Thomas & Rudolph Russell, of Timmy Thomas' 67' Goldwax version of The Animals' It's My Life,which was written for The Animals by Roger Atkins and Carl D'Errico in 1965-it's a miracle they were'nt sued! That one blot on his copybook however, certainly should'nt detract from his wonderful contribution to Soul Music history and to American music generally

Nice photos Steve!! I've got the No.11 badge on the right and had the gun,too but gave it to a friend when I was having a clear out years ago.This enjoyable LP ,which also contains the much-sampled 'The Edge', is 'conducted' by David McCallum-and probably is; his father, David McCallum Senior was a famous Classical violinist and conductor,so he certainly knew a little about conducting and grew up with music

Yes,Betty Renne is definitely not Betty James,as the 'I'm A Little Mixed Up' lady was a mature,if not middle-aged (her band included her husband on guitar and her son on bass) classic Blues singer with a contralto voice,while Miss Renne had a sweet,high soprano voice ,rather like a favourite of mine,yet another Bette,the underrated Bette McLaurin;a great,forgotten female R&B artist of the 50's-and she made a few fine Soul recordings in the 60's,too. Betty Renay,who recorded in Michigan is a different artist again,I think

Great! Had'nt seen that 'To Catch A Thief' clip. Also re .The Fifth Dimension -Ron Townson and Lamonte McLemore were both in The Intervals in the early 60's,who cut the wonderful and very rare Doo-Wop jewel 'Here's That Rainy Day' on Class

Thanks for that link-really interesting; 'Tom Swift's Electric Ping-Pong Balls'- even by US Garage Band standards that's an amazing name! One of the best group names ever! So it seems our Eddie Gray was from Brooklyn (Eddie Gray of Tommy James & the Shondells was from Greensburg,Pennsylvania) and sounds very much like an older guy,as he was a manager

Have just learned of the sad passing of Jessie Smith of The Ikettes and The Mirettes at the age of 79. Jessie passed away on February 4th but her death has'nt t been widely reported. Lovely and talented (as singer and dancer) Jessie,who went to school with Luther Ingram in Alton,Illinois, began her recording career in 1961 as Little Miss Jessie with a nice R&B 45' on Mel in Chicago and went on to join the Ikettes -sometimes overlooked as a recording act-with Robbie Montgomery and Vanetta Fields,singing on their classic 60's hits like 'Peaches & Cream' and the sublime 'I'm So Thankful' as well as all their non-hit gems and ,with their metamorphosis into the The Mirettes ,sang on those great Mirwood classics 'Now That I've Found You,Baby' and He' s Alright With Me' and their fine,also overlooked period on Revue/ Uni (MCA here in the UK) with two really nice LP's with tracks like the lovely 'First Love' to commend them.They also made a sterling contribution to the soundtrack LP of the Sidney Poitier/Joanna Shimkus film 'The Lost Man'(1969).Jessie and the other Mirettes went on to utilise their considerable vocal talents as session/back up singers through the 70's and beyond but Jessie's sides with the Ikettes and Mirettes have rightly been played and enjoyed on the UK /Worldwide Soul Scene for many years and will be for many more.

Could be wrong but I'm pretty sure Eddie M. Gray is'nt Eddie Gray,guitarist of Tommy James and The Shondells.Possibly the 'M' in the 'Eddie M.Gray' writing credit on the Wand issue was used to distinguish the two,as Tommy James & the Shondells were a top U.S. chart group at that time

Sad news -RIP James. 'Playgirls Love' a fine record indeed-as is 'Stay Close To Me'.

Hello there- I've got a copy of this on Slew .It's styrene,as all copies are,I 'm pretty certain ,despite what Discogs says (and no 'Bell Sound' stamp either) A little staining on label (both sides) but fairly feint for the most part and a tiny little tear on 'Hippy' side label . Record in very nice,clean VG ++ ,bordering EX with just some ultra feint,very superficial surface marks from being taken in and out of sleeve .£55 ono post free -paypal as friend or cheque-if you are interested. Kind Regards,Michael

RIP Mary .Yes, nice track and, for me, better than the A-side,the Diana (or Diane,as she was then known,I believe) Ross-led 'Tears Of Sorrow' Although Mary does'nt speak very fondly of her Lupine debut in her autobiography, I think she's being a little harsh-she and the group made a pretty good first record.The only other lead Mary sang was the fine 'Baby, Don't Go' on ' Meet The Supremes' (US version-not on the UK Stateside issue) I think.Shame she did'nt do more. With Barbara Martin's death last year and Mary's sad passing, Diana is now the sole survivor of The Primettes and early Supremes days.

Yes,the early (1968/9 ) silver/red Spark demo 45's did'nt have 'big A' labels-just a small white sticker on the A-side label with the release date; very unusual for a 60's UK label,even the small ones usually had an 'A label' demo of some sort

Ted Taylor- I'm Just A Crumb In Your Breadbox Of Love Herman Hitson -You Are Too Much For The Human Heart

Just found out that James Purify of James & Bobby Purify sadly passed away,apparently from complications of Covid, on Friday last, 22nd January 2021,aged 76 in Pensacola,Florida,where he was born in 1944. His cousin & musical partner Bobby died in 2011. I always thought they were a little underrated; Wish You Did'nt Have To Go/You Can't Keep A Good Man Down is a great double- sider, Let Love Come Between Us a nice 45' and,of course ,their version of Shake A Tail Feather is a good old dance floor favourite .

Just a couple that spring to mind-one of my earliest nighters,at Keele- 1989,I think; remember Bill Black's Combo- Little Queenie being played and among the dancers was a guy nonchalantly spinning with a lighted cigarette in his mouth-remember looking at the lighted tip of the fag revolving in the semi-darkness and thinking it -and the guy- was pretty cool. Of course, a sight we'll never see again now ( smoking on a dance floor, that is,not dancing at an all-nighter-I sincerely hope) Always think of that on the rare occasions I hear Little Queenie . Another is from the 1st Northern Soul Weekender at Gt.Yarmouth ,1990 -for Gene Chandlers' live set,Eddie Holman joined us in the crowd and stood near me;when Gene came out in his 'Duke Of Earl' gear -top hat,cloak and cane -and started singing his classic 'Duke Of Earl'- seeing the sheer,smiling joy on Eddie Holman's face and tears of joy in his eyes as he clapped along was a moving experience that brought tears to my eyes too

Very sad news-a fine singer and artist. 'Oh My Love' on Ru-Jac is probably my favourite by Winfield-a beautiful Deep Soul gem

A deeply flawed man,to put it mildly, but responsible for much wonderful music