Happy Feet

Thank you Scarlett, we had it on at work today , 4 pm , any plans to expand the story perhaps for a TV, BBC documentary would make great viewing , and especially with the visual similarity being such an important factor in the story line , no pressure , just an idea

Great pair of releases and new look sleeves , ooh the George Jackson just magical

The Tomangoes , Loves Got A Hold On Me ,, sounds like all of the best rolled into one ,,,if you know what I mean ,,Should have been released at the time ,,but so grateful we finally get to hear it , well done the MD team , imagine the reaction if this was played on an acetate in one of the old venues ,, hopefully there's more in the can ,,,,,,

During the early 80s probably 83ish , had the good fortune of working with a few of the soul stars at the Pink Coconut, Formerly Sherry's , on a Wednesday night in Brighton Sussex . My old mate Paddy Shevlin used to be the entertainment manager at the time and after I finished my regular spot at The Cavern in Ship at I used to leg it around the corner to The Pink Coconut and do the PA for the artist .The night he booked Edwin we had a 10 mins or so in the changing room and selected what records he was gonna sing over from my play box and to my surprise he picked The Contours ' Just A Little Misunderstanding ' and said that it would prove he's not miming , went down a storm and the crowd of about 200 or so probably didn't realize it wasn't one of his he did such a great job of it . I can't remember all of the acts but Martha Reeves was also one of the acts great memories and thanks to both Edwin ,and Paddy for asking me to do it , never took him for granted and I can remember his death being announced on the BBC news at 10 , very sad and had to leave the room for a tearful moment to take it in , such a lovely guy , saw him at so many venues and always had time to exchange and say hello , definitely missed .

Congratulations Mike , I only joined during the COVID first Lockdown , and for me personally it's been an emotional ride losing and rekindling old friendships from years ago , and the many topics and immense knowledge of the members involved invaluable cheers everyone involved .

Happy Birthday Lorraine, hope you have a lovely day, all the best Dave

Hi Rob , have pm'd you are

Tesco's Kidderminster, Tuesday afternoon Marvin Gaye 'Where Are We Going ' followed by Nina Simone 'My Baby Just Cares For Me ' convinced there must be a soulie in employment there and has access to the choices played , maybe a selection from all the staff , like some kind of moral booster ?

Talking of dancing and suddenly the mood changes , going back to the aldayers at the 'General Wolf ' in Coventry where I lived and promoted or assisted in most things Northern related ,I remember with amusement an experience with a lad who I think was on his way home to North Wales from a nighter and had popped in to break up the journey home , I was just sat by myself , dressed normally enjoying the music , in a corner , and then who ever was DJing put on "The Ideals , Mighty Lover " , I rushed to the dance floor and at the time could still move with the groove so to speak ,and the lad came over and said " bloody hell mate I thought you where just an old piss head , sat there but your real old school did you go to Alnighters, where did you learn to dance like that " I just laughed and carried on dancing " And said something like that " And only once ever got threatened , at Leighton Buzzard of all places , I asked Mark Bicknell to play Freddie Houston ' If I Had Known ' which he had recently purchased from Pete Lawson a couple of weeks earlier at the 100 Club , and this guy said something on the lines why did you effing ask for that you *Anker , it's shit go on *uck off before I smash your Effing teeth down your throat , needless to say I told him go * uck yourself and carried on dancing to a packed out floor and he made an hasty retreat , never saw him again .

Our regular Postie has already told us this morning that he will not be delivering until Wednesday, he suffers with Asthma, just recovered from COVID, and his bosses won't let him out of the depot due to possible health issues , makes sense health and safety ? More possible they don't want (the GPO that is ) a Postie sueing them for working in extreme conditions and being poorly again . I told him not to worry and stay safe mate ,see you Thursday not a problem , health is more important.

Here's a nice new release , b side to "Hey Love " on the Soul Tune label from Stockholm, Sweden , Maria Sanchez , "Give Me Your Lovin" , now available

Not being picky but the Frank Wilson 1170 was first released in 79 , about the same time of the first released Motown unreleased compilation ( the one with the Spinners on What More Could A Boy Ask For ) From The Vaults which also I'm sure came with a free copy of Kim Weston / Marvelettes as an added promotional carrot (as if we needed one . My view for what is I don't think since Nosmo King and probably R Dean Taylor , has anyone ever released a Northern soul record on the hope of a chart success, the numbers don't stack up , so if on UK for for first release then yes original , if on the other hand countless reissues no chance . And then on the other hand quite a few only available in the UK , I know Clarkie was buying up Frank Wilson on TMG 1170 back in the early 80s and selling them onto collectors in the states fact . And I bet quite a lot of Betty Boos went the same way .

If you're near the coast of Cornwall , milk it , so many soulies UK wide , poster / flyer with a coastal background, Rick Steins Chippie and a couple of rare labels , a list of djs ,venue , date and possible hotels or camp sites , everybody likes Cornwall

Here's a few , one I have shared on a previous topic , Isaac Hayes , but the other 2 , on Source is my copy of Prayin , and the other is my copy of Shame , it is Evelyn singing it but no mention of her on the label

More Today Than Yesterday, who on this earth told her that it was a better choice than say Do I Love You , blue eyed Northern Soul / Beach Music classic ,the look on about 99% of the audience faces was what's this ? ,I retired to the mancave before I was sent there ,pants

Just popped in to Savers Kidderminster, the discount store a shop full of very young staff and blasting out over the shop sound system Laura Greene ,Moonlight Music and You followed by Toby Legend, Time Will Pass You By and as I hit the till The Flirtations ,Nothing But A Heartache , then it all made sense the manageress say mid 50s singing along to every word , made me smile anyway , didn't know the lady , but I thought good for you girl usually the kids have their noise on lol

They get a few plays during the week on 6 music pm on the Craig Charles slot , very good set that at Glasto. like them a lot personally .

Have pm'd mate

Right on Soul Sister Felicity , lovely Ed I bet your proud as punch mate

Hi Ryan , have pm'd

Hi Dave , have pm'd

Hi Baz , have pmd

To stop thieving I suppose , ,wire flexible records in old Britvic style boxes , the thread is how come so many damaged records , It was just another way of protecting their stock , and yes some stalls and shops did it this way which would contribute to the damage suffered by so many records , they weren't for sale , it was just to stop theft .the ones for sale where under the counter so to speak . And yes there where some that would use the same method , using the centre larger hole with a metal bar , exactly the same reason to stop the thieves , but again wouldn't have done much for the longevity of the record in the box , lots of theiving f*c*e*s then and now

So Rick if the ships ballast myth was nothing more than that , perhaps a rouse to put others off the trail and the true source? I knew the significance of the drill hole , deletions etc but I'm sure that back in the day on certain markets stalls that the hole was used ,threaded with wire in boxes leaving just enough room to look through the records and when purchasing the owner would then select a copy from another box kept out of site , to prevent theft , I'm sure a couple of shops also copied this style .

I once read a feature years ago , regarding the state of a lot of old reggae records both here and in the UK and from Jamaica, and the reason given that the " Parties" all night and lots of people having a good time , that the records very rarely made in back into the sleeves if at all , maybe our American cousins where having as much fun and remember these tunes where plentiful and probably not looked upon as future collectors items but to be enjoyed and danced to at the time of release and suffered the same fate , and remember a lot came over and where used as ships ballast , back in day , wired into bundles via the drill holes , I remember talking to Pete Widd , about the very subject of ships ballast years ago