Mick Holdsworth

That's about right - Initially they would pay 3 or 4 days after the first email. Around September last year, they were about 2 to 3 weeks behind due to (they said) relocating their base, and in recent months that has now been extended to 6 or 8 weeks, as you pointed out. I learned of this last year through Musicstack forums, couldn't get anything from Gemm directly. At present I think they only owe me two payments (possibly only one) as I tend now to use Gemmpay to buy stuff so I can use the money straight away from my account. It is rare that I let the cash be allocated to me, and If I do it is by accident. Although they gave a reason for the initial delay, I have no idea why there is still a delay, a delay that has more than doubled in timescale - must take a long time to move a handful of PC's / servers. Cheers Mick

An upside-down hat, I hope

The whole spindle wouldn't spin - just the record playing underneath, The "Philips" would stay where it was.

There's a great version by Mary Ann Farra & Satin Soul ( ... another Girl). Other side is "Stoned Out Of My Mind", and it's also on Brunswick. It's hard to tell from the spacing of the text on the label, but it could either be Mary Ann Farra or Maryann Farra. Cheers Mick

I generally work on about a quarter, assuming the record plays without skips (odd click would be OK). This is a general thing though, where the record in question isn't irreplaceable. A cracked one or two off would have it's own rules. Cheers Mick

Didn't go there, but maybe the Dore track - You Got A Man On your Hands" ? Cheers Mick

Didn't think Betty Boo was that much. I'm surprised

There you go Julian Yes, unusual at the least. Cheers Mick

I sold one about a year ago for £180 in trades. A few weeks later that very same copy appeared on JM auction site. Surprisingly It went for a about £120, so I consider myself lucky on that one. Cheers Mick

Out again tomorrow (26 Aug) from Juno in the UK, this time on Kerston. The picture cover has exactly the same front but with Kerston logo instead of Cree, back is different, and no idea about the labels. No mention of limited edition this time. Cheers Mick

Here's the George 'N Sonny Sands - Down By The Ocean. Cheers Mick

What's "bitd" ?

Not exactly "Higher and Higher", but there is a pop track by Bobby Vee called "Just Keep It Up", that is so close to the original tune it could easily be mistaken for "Higher and Higher" Mick

Is this one of those that is the same backing as something else, maybe Mikki Farrow? Cheers Mick

Yes, still going, they never stopped, apart from one weekend last year when they relocated their equipment. Still the same price too. I've had about 80 / 100 cut since the changeover. They generally seem to be fractionally louder than previously, but that may be down to my mastering.

Yes Dave, it's an Italian LP version of "Not The Flower" released only in Italy on Brunswick. It has all the "Flower" tracks plus either two or four others - same backing tracks as it's US counterpart, but all vocals recorded in Italian. Cheers Mick

There's two versions by Dana Valery on her Brunswick LPs, both use the same backing track as Jackie Wilson

Thanks Chalky, but I think that is probably going to be my number 2, "Guitar based more than brass"

I know of 4 versions of this (not counting Instrumentals). I heard them in the following order ... 1. The "Original" Version as posted in #56 by RobbK. Throughout the 80's and early 90's this was the only version I ever heard - most recordings were speeded up, including my acetate from Dave Withers and the later Demand boot, Apart from the fact it is too fast, it is this version. 2. A completely different take I had on a sales tape from Pete Lowry about '96 - Guitar based more than brass if I remember correctly - sort of liked it but ... As I said, I heard it in '96 but it could have been around awhile before that. 3. In '97 the first (I think first) CD version, "This is northen Soul Vol 2" that was put out by Chris King / Debutante. Very similar to the first version, but a slightly different vocal take. 4. The 21st Century boot on Soul with an instrumental on the flip. This was a different version and vocal take again. (Actually the Inst flip was musically different to all the others, so that sort of makes 5. I only ever played the Inst once and thought it was a modern re-recording. Probably not, just sounded that way to me.) There are other boots and legal CDs which have some of these versions on them, eg. Soul Beat etc. but I don't think there are any different versions as such. Be interesting to hear of any other versions I haven't heard. I think there is another Inst take, but don't know how it compares to the above four versions. Cheers Mick

I think for me the Postal Charges would be manageable if the sellers were consistent, eg. $12 or $13 to cover up to 4 or 5 records (Is that about right?), It's extreme cases when you can't find a couple of other records to offset the cost. (Our own UK to US charges also shot up recently, almost doubled over two annual rises so I can appreciate that this charge is unavoidable). It's the $25 and $50 shipping charges that seem to be more abundent this last six months that are taking the mick. and these are for $5 records. But the main thing that would help (for me anyway) would be if sellers could play the game with declaration of value. We know a few have done that, and I have recently approched a couple of sellers who were glad to put a low value and "gift" on their parcels. Of course it is unfair to expect them to advertise the fact openly, so you would have to ask each seller privately as and when needed. So far I have had to ask four times. Two, as said above, were fine, and two told me "No". Publicly though, they can't really say anything, except cryptically, as in "nudge nudge wink wink". (this is not just eBay, but personal websites / sales lists, multi-seller sites like Gemm etc.) So I'll keep on asking sellers individually and take each one as it comes. And another thing ... "Never start a sentence with And, But, or So" Cheers Mick

The Brainstormers

Dave, I remember hounding you for a recording of this pretty soon after you had it, Eventually you put it up on the old refosoul I thank you for that. I found it interesting that the wording had been rearranged - In Tony Orlandos case he was suggesting he was too young (I Was A Boy When You Needed A Man), but Arthur turned it around and the girl was to young (You Were A Girl When You Needed I Woman). Cheers Mick

Yes, it's working fine, same as for you by the look of it Am I missing something ? Cheers Mick

You're right, don't want to rub it in, Think I will just put the record on again and watch the needle not move.

Benji, Strangely, the only country showing up as 3.99 Euros is Germany Everywhere else appears to be Free Post, certainly UK / US / France etc is all free. It may not be intentional, but that's how it is. In case there's another listing , the item I am talking about is this one ... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121148873510 Cheers Mick