Sean Hampsey

I've got the album too Andy and I'm happy to report my copy is absolutely perfect! :0) Also got the 45 of 'Welcome Back A Foolish Man' on the unfortunately titled 'Kack' label. Nice double sider - shame about the sh#t label name lol Sean

Agreed Chalks. Been in and out' my box forever. Might even get around to playing it again one day, lol. Sean

Spot on Steve. You probably did. It's why I never believed they were the same person (from something I read, back in the Blackbeat days) Again, you're dead right. Beverly Glen was THE label at the time and we lapped them all up! Little did we know, by the time The Poet was on the streets and being promoted 'everywhere' Smith was already sueing Womack for the return of nine Womack Masters that Bobby took as insurance (trying to get paid). When Record Execs Go Bad! A thread all of its own! Sean

The Beverley Glen Otis Smith took Anita Baker, Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Womack to the cleaners. According to Bobby, the thief, Smith, had been introduced to him by Wilton Felder, after they had done Inherit The Wind together. Smith promised Bobby he could get a deal for Womack with Motown, but instead signed him to his own Beverley Glen label, giving world wide distribution to Motown, but he kept the US rights to himself. The Poet & Poet 2 sold millions. Bobby never saw a dime! - but it cost him a fortune to get out of his contract. He did pretty much the same for Anita Baker. She never saw a nickel and spent two years and thousands of dollars getting out of her release to sign with Elektra. Smith was so bent, in 1985 even his law firm had to sue him to get paid for their services! I don't believe he's the same guy as the artist on perception (after all, neither Otis or Smith are particularly unusual names) but he certainly was the Hot Wax and ABC guy. He's now deceased, but he managed to f#ck over some of our music's greatest artists before he died. Sean

Have never believed the Perception Otis Smith to be the same Otis Smith that ran Beverley Glen. No sir! Sean

Thanks Pete, gonna give that a whirl! Cheers, Sean

Me too Pete. I've had around 100 emails telling me people are following my 'Mixcloud' and I've never even done one. I wouldn't know where to start. So how does one create a Mixcloud? Is it just a big 'fook off' mp3 that you stitch together somehow and upload? If its straightforward, I might just have a crack at it! (After I've finished burning the CD's for the last Soul Source CD swap o' course!) Sean

Don't believe that was ever pressed with a middle. Every copy I've seen was pressed without. A couple of release numbers that followed had centres, but not this one. Sean

Sorry to hear this sad news. Frank passed away after a long battle with prostrate cancer. So many magnificent pieces of work from this fantastic producer. To hear him at his very best, take a moment to listen to the Four Tops 'Still Water' to hear a genius at work. Seminal music that will live on forever. RIP Sean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-ToR5YyBdQ

Marvellous! Sean

I've always deeJayed with my UK collection. Never had anyone object to me. Few things look better than a UK copy of a great record (especially a Red & White or a Pink MGM Demo) on the decks. Besides; UK releases are what the Northern scene started with. Can't get much more 'original' than that! Sean

Thank goodness! Sean

Fook me Denbo, I actually meant "Record Number".... Pete's dead right, e.g. when I collected Direction there was so much crap on there I can't have been doing it for the tune can I? But... you're also right too... when I wanted PP Arnold on British (even though I didn't want the entire label) a Red / White NOC copy would have done nicely (spot the curved ball). And I for one would have much preferred a NOC Stateside of Dean Parrish to a Mint copy on Boom any day... because I primarily collected British! Does that make sense? Sean

Pete - I know you're right. I guess i was referring to 'Number' rather than 'tune'. Back in the 70's I used to collect Action, Direction, Beacon, Stateside, London etc. and many more UK labels and just wanted to complete the label run, regardless of condition. So, yes indeed, it's 'number' rather than 'tune' mate. And just reading back, I actually wrote 'record' and meant 'number' Sean

Yes he did Dave. It was pretty standard practice for 'collectors' to do this. That's what makes the intact copies so desireable. They rarely come from old 'collections' in clean 'untampered' condition, without the centre knocked out, a nasty little sticker or writing on label. Sean

I've always taken the view that its better to have the record than not, regardless of condition. I'd always grab the N.O.C. (or not very pretty) copy and fill a hole in the collection until a better one shows up, then just move on the spare (upgraded and given away scores over the years). Worth remembering that 'centreless' 45's were less of a problem in the early days of Soul Music collecting. Folk used to knock out the centre of a UK copy as a matter of course, mainly because the 'imports' had big holes in them too! (as daft as it seems, that's true.) Most of Dave Godins UK 45's had the centre knocked out, which he did religiously. Everything else about the record perfect... but no middle. Its always sad to see though and a lot nicer when you pick up a lovely british 45 completely intact, with everything looking like the day it was pressed. Sean

That's true Mike. She'd had cancer since 1993. Until her death she sang in church each weekend. I learned of her death at the time via this rare interview, done as a School Project in 2008. She tells the story of how she 'almost' became a 'Supreme'. Watch it until the end. Very interesting stuff. Great singer. Pity that UK trip never came to fruition Ady. Sean

Just want to give a quick heads up for the imminent release of this incredible compilation from Kent. The CD contains 17 tracks from the Crossover / Atco sessions including several mind-blowing unreleased gems. Of particular interest to 'Northern' / 'Crossover' fans will be a couple of tracks I've been privileged to play out for some months and whenever I've had the chance, in 'Secret Weapon' - a really superb uptempo track in a Collins & Collins 'Top Of The Stairs' vein and a fabulously soulful midtempo groove 'What We Gonna Do About This Mess' which is bound to gain a following throughout the scene, home and abroad. As ever, Ace / Kent going the extra mile to deliver the goods and an essential purchase for all lovers of real Soul Music! A splendid warm up to Darrow's upcoming UK appearances. Just buy it! Sean https://acerecords.co...ngeles-sessions

Heard the very sad news this evening. Such a terribly sad loss to his lovely family and all those who knew him. A more genuine person would be very hard to find. A lover of life, his family and his music. We'll miss you Gary. R.I.P.

Roszetta passed away about 18 months ago, to my knowledge. RIP

That was my first Jay Boy 45 Ian. It certainly was a strange one, gaining a US release but with no continuation of the US label. Also came out in Germany with pic sleeve, but apart from the UK copy, those three releases are it, to my knowledge. Sean

These Ads should serve as a reminder as to how JayBoy used to market their Mirwood Catalogue. Both Richard Temple and Donald Height, both early JayBoy titles, rush released to meet demand. Such was the hurry to get the Advertisement out there, the title on the Ad was set incorrectly! Most of the first 24 releases were poor sellers and are therefore quite scarce. It wasn't until the 25th release (Harlem Shuffle) that they started tapping into the 'Northern' opportunity with Mirwood etc. and 'Shotgun & The Duck' 'Would You Believe' 'That Beatin' Rhythm' etc. quickly ensued. Sean

Agree with Jez, "Baby Do The Philly Dog" was a very big 'club' tune in our neck of the woods (on the back of plays at the Wheel, Mojo etc.) several years before we'd even heard of Northern Soul or 'Cigarette Ashes' etc. The Action issue, Joe, was almost certainly catering for existing demand, given that the 3 year old Fontana release was already changing hands for big bucks (about 3 quid) alongside the likes of the Flamingo's "Boogaloo Party" etc. by 1969. It was the first Mirwood track on the label too (Same Old Thing etc. came later) so I'm pretty sure it was demand that kicked off the relationship. Other Action releases from Bobby Marchan and Minnie Epperson were also big in our town in 69 / 70 (pre- N.Soul era) but the Action label was one that never really had the 'smashes' on the scene until several years later (with Carl Carlton, Dee Dee Sharp, Eddie Holman etc.) which were actually oldies of course by then, but seen as 'new discoveries' in '74 / '75. Don't know if any of that makes sense to anyone other than me. It's Monday morning... :0) Sean

When was Ernie Johnson £70 Brett? Fiver, Soul Bowl, Steve Guanori recommendation as a new release matey. That 'Mixed Feelings' is a standard 'United Test Pressing' - got dozens of em! Sean

So, to try to answer Ady's question; would it be fair to say that 'Oh My Darling' was a very well established regional tune (oop north) throughout the early 70's, a well hammered oldie by the mid 70's and a played out Oldie by the 80's - at least as far as the North is concerned? Did it only "go really big in the 80's" in the South? If so, which part of the 80's and at which venue or venues? Sean