Joesoap

Alternative take which sneaked out on ye olde Contempo Raries...

Picked this up this week. Class stepper on a Jamaican LP...Bit of a Donny Hathaway vibe going on, maybe. I notice there's a 7". Anyone got it? Is it the same recording? (There are two on Discogs but only graded G /G+ which by standards of reggae sellers means, 'thrashed'!)

Great. Thanks. So they weren't the Imperial Wonders then but some other group brought in to replace them and given a similar name?

Just picked this up. I think it's absolutely awesome.. Has it ever had much exposure anywhere? Assume it is same group as, or a variant of, Imperial Wonders (also on Solid Foundation)? Finally, does the LP referred to on the label actually exist? Can't find any trace of it online..

IMHO its value relates to its rarity and the fact that it's collectable because it's Motown and because of its legendary status. Quality-wise, come on... it's good but far from the best record ever made, it's far from the best record played on the scene, it's not the best record from Motown and it's probably not even the best record on Soul. No disrespect but if it had got released and flopped and copies were available would it really have this special status? Ironically, converse to its rarity as a withdrawn release it's now the 'go to' for the know-nothing media and any old assorted div that wants to spout off about 'Northern Soul'.. Saturday evening peak time TV for a family audience is nothing to do with the rare soul scene as I remember and treasure it. In fact, wasn't that part of the boring, rotten old world we were trying to escape from? Anyway, these are just my views. Rant over. No offence intended.

I don't know of one and not sure how viable published price guides compiled by record dealers are any more. As collectors, we've got more info available to us now about availability / demand / sales history now.. Discogs is quite helpful. You can see what things have actually sold for and gauge availability / rarity / demand. Bear in mind price highest price a record is offered for almost certainly isn't what it will shift for. There's tons of overpriced stuff that never moves that would do for a more realistic price. If I was pricing to sell, I'd undercut the cheapest on offer there in similar condition. Also 45cat owned / want ratio is good for gauging rarity / demand (tends to be a more hardcore collectors site than Discogs). Loads of other online resources of course. Hope this helpful.

Got one off Ian Clark, early 90s. £40. Put that up for sale periodically for around that to zero interest. Had a break of about ten years then came back five years ago and let it go for about £100...Mug.

Yes. Was on catalogue in Netherlands and for some reason still available up until the 90s...

Yes. I'd have thought it's almost definitely J.R. Bailey (James Bailey) from the credits.

Yeah agree with Gilly. Falcons was one of those that used to be dead easy to pick up, people had it in their collections. Great record but nowhere near rare enough to get played much or 'go big' on the allnighter scene..... My god though, I wish I had all those records back now!

Fairly easy to find out who it is by if you have the two titles and look up on Discogs, I'd have thought...

Richard Searling has done a few of his radio shows which have picked over the batches that have been released this way for each previous year.. You should be able to find those on mixcloud, I think. He's mentioned a few times on these, proposals for vinyl / CD releases but suggests they're not interested...

Absurdly broad topic and one of those where the OP requests knowledge without sharing any, I notice. Then we all post lists on here. Then we all moan in a few months when these LPs are no longer affordable....

Same as Rotations 'Dime on D9' ...

..another one off same LP:

Picked this up blind on a 7" in local second hand shop for couple of quid the other week. Very nice.

Been having a bit of trouble with sellers on Discogs, of late. Usually where I've found something a bit cheap and /or good but relatively unknown and then the seller tells me its out of stock (later re-listing for higher price), or starts quibbling about / revising their description of condition or simply takes the money and doesn't send the record or respond to messages. Had a glut of this over the last month or so and it's a pain in the arse. So was just wondering if I have just been unfortunate or whether others have experienced an increase in flaky business from sellers? (PS. One cheapo with an amazing, unknown b-side, I've tried to buy 4 times and there's always some excuse once I order it why it isn't available!)

Always loved this. Instrumental is a killer.

This seems to be an under-rated / overlooked group of labels considering the talent involved. I seem to have picked up quite a few recently and loving their sound, right now. So any recommends? Here are a few from me:

Mecca, as far as I know. Before my time. But I do remember it being quite cheap / easy to pick up by the mid-late 80s. Shared a flat with two others in those days. One of us got it and within about three weeks, all three of us had a copy, without any particular effort. just out of boxes at allnighters. Maybe £15-£20 then!

Mexican Scepter...

One I posted on another thread a few months ago but guess it belongs here. 1972 Brazil release, predating the US 7" by four years...

So, so many but this probably just gets my vote. Such a soulful groove:

Another Philippines one.

Too many to mention but that 'Backstreet Band' version of 'Back Street' that Guy Hennigan used to play was the first one that came to mind.