Robbk

So, the training received in searching through millions of 45s has built up more gray matter (connections) in our hyppocampuses. But, I had memorized the goals and assists statistics on the backs of hockey cards and in the Sunday newspaper, starting at age 4 or 5. So, I had the skill before searching for vinyl records, and honing that skill. By age 7, someone could ask me how many goals Gordie Howe scored in 1947-48, or what was Terry Sawchuck's goals-against average in 1951-52, and I answer all such questions correctly and automatically. If I didn't remember the stats offhand (a very obscure player), I'd think of the particular card, see the photo of the player and his name on the front of the card, then "flip over the card" in my mind, and "read" the stats. Same for the card number. I never really paid attention to them, but memorized them, just the same. And the few I couldn't remember offhand, I could "read" off the image in my mind. I had also memorized the numbers of comic books, and the stories in particular issues, starting from age 4. I started collecting records at 7( when I found out one could by 45s for 5¢ each, and 78s for 10¢ each, at thrift stores. So, I think that the essence of this talent, and tendency to gravitate towards the use and development of it, are inborn, and those who use it a lot, develop it into a more powerful tool.

On another Soul Source Forum thread, we brought up the high incidence of photographic memories among serious record collectors, and I guessed that there would be a whole boatload of great stories about when collectors on this website used that talent in the old days, and interesting or funny results occurred. I'm hoping you'll post your stories on this thread, and also comment on the part photographic memory plays in allowing serious record collectors to flip through thousands of random 45s, looking for thousands of specific records, with specific songs, sung by specific artists, and also the collectors are looking for songs by certain writers, published by certain publishing companies, arranged by certain arrangers and produced by certain producers, on specific record labels. With ALL that to look for, it is almost essential to have been born with, or develop a photographic memory. I happen to have been born with it. But, I think it has "directed" me into collecting, rather than just having been a coincidence, that it helped me in my amassing a large record collection. Here is my best personal story regarding that skill: Back at the beginning of The '70s, I had a few collectors over to my house. One of them knew me fairly well. The other was brought by the latter, The bloke that knew me showed my run of Atlantic 45s from 874 through about 2700, with not all that many missing, to his friend. The records were stacked standing vertically (as they should be) on shelves, with the thin edge facing outward, in sleeves, There were cardboard catalogue number markers for every 25 (e.g. at 875, 900. 925, 950, etc). He told the guy he could pick out any number, at random, and not let me see it. Then he would tell me the number, and I would proceed to tell him the artist's name and the title of the "A" side song. He bet him $10 that I could do that. The guy took the bet. He didn't believe I (or anyone) could do that. He proceeded to pick from the middle of the shelves (it ran across 3 different large book shelves). He picked 1161 "Yodee Yakee" by The Drifters (one of my favourite early non-McPhatter leads). I got it right away, and for good measure got the 2 other random picks he made. He was in shock. My friend later gave me half the take ($5), Although it was all my friend's idea, and I had never intended to take money from that guy, I felt like Minnesota fats skinning a sucker!* * Actually, I felt a bit like a heel, but I kept the fiver anyway, as the loser was a bit of a blowhard. In my over 50 years of searching for records, I've come across at least a few thousand record collectors. I've also met a lot more non-collectors. I have noticed that the photographic memory skill is much, much, much more prevalent among collectors (of all kinds) than among the general population. And, although it is a skill that helps a collector keep track of what he or she has and is looking for, I think it actually helps direct the person towards collecting (and categorising) in the first place. I would guess that MOST of the record collectors I've met that have reasonably large collections, or have obtained large numbers of records over a long period of years have had that skill to a certain degree, and NS "Soulies" had an even higher % with that skill. It seems that many of them have had the in-born -phenomenal TRUE photographic memory, of being able to see (reproduce) images in their minds of what they have seen, and proceed to "read" off of the images or "see" on those images, things that they couldn't remember by just trying to remember that bit of data or individual item, out of its context. For example, I have to see in my mind's eye, myself shuffling through the records one by one, to remember the catalogue number of records I've looked at a lot less times than the ones that surround it. But, when I see, in my mind's eye, the records around it whose number I remember, I then remember the forgotten number -and even see the forgotten image of the number written on the label. I would like to hear comments from all of you on my theory, as well as any funny and/or interesting stories that came out of your using that skill. Fire away!

Will do!

What? No comments on my photographic memory blurb??? I thought I'd get a bunch of great stories from the old days from you guys. Maybe by tomorrow morning. I once had a few collectors over to my house. One of them knew me fairly well. The other was brought by the latter, The bloke that knew me showed ny run of Atlantic 45s from 874 through about 2700, with not all that many missing. They were stacked standing vertically (as they should be) on shelves, with the thin edge facing outward,, in sleeves, There were cardboard catalogue number markers for every 25 (e.g. at 875, 900. 925, 950, etc. He told the guy he could pick out any number, at random, and not let me see it. Then he would tell me the number, and I would proceed to tell him the artist's name and the title of the "A" side song. He bet him $10 that I could do that. The guy took the bet. He didn't believe I (or anyone) could do that. He proceeded to pick from the middle of the shelves (it ran across 3 different large book shelves). He picked 1161 "Yodee Yakee" by The Drifters (one of my favourite early non-McPhatter leads). I got it right away, and for good measure got the 2 other random picks he made. He was in shock. My friend later gave me half the take ($5), I felt like Minnesota fats skinning a sucker! Post your Stories here"

Got it! So! That's a Yorkie expression, eh? I'll have to dig deep to remember some old Manitoban sayings.

I've got a burning question for you on another thread, which you may have abandoned for the night. What does "any road up" mean? Quaint expression, that.

Just like my fellow Chicagoan late of this forum, I'm glad to be of service!

Shouldn't you STILL be offering yours, unless "another road up" means he's willing to wait 3.5 months until I return to USA.

No! They just went over my head! What does "any road up" mean???

Got it but I won't be able to get to it for 3 more months. Only on white DJ. Has anyone ever seen a stocker of it or The Marva Josie? As far as I know, The Donays' was the only Correc-Tone production on Brent/Time that was pressed both on white DJ and red store stock. Did you know, Ady, that Laura Johnson was Wilbur Golden's Correc-Tone Record Co. secretary, and that she financed her own recording session, produced by Robert Bateman. It was arranged by their piano player, Willie Harbert. Sonny Sanders was involved as well. Popcorn Wylie produced The Donays' session. They were all recorded at Golden's Correc-Tone Studio, whose construction Bateman had ordered, organised and overseen. Bateman knew what he wanted, based upon what he learned from Mike McLean at Motown, so he got only the best equipment. The high cost doomed Correc-Tone to failure, as Golden sunk all his cash into it, and didn't have enough money left to fund recording sessions and record pressing of all his signed artists. So, he had to end up leasing recordings, and, eventually losing his artists. He lost a good thing when he lost Wilson Pickett to Lloyd Price. Anyway, feel free to send your text blurbs to me before signing off on them. I've seen lots of incorrect information on CD books.

Ha! Ha! I always confuse Ronnie with US pro football all star, Reggie White of The Green Bay Packers. This is what happens when one gets old and doesn't get enough of the beta fish fats. Would you believe that at one time I could recall (when tested) all the labels and catalogue numbers of all records in my large label runs! I couldn't remember all of them offhand. I had to picture in my mind flipping through the records and then "looking" at them and "reading" off the labels in my mind, by having remembered what the surrounding records were. A LOT of you big 45 collectors on this forum will identify with this statement, as you, too have a photographic memory. MOST of the people I've met with photographic memories were collectors, and most of those collected records (and most of those 45s). I'd bet that 45 collectors have more than 1000 times the incidence of photographic memories among their population as exists in the normal population. And I'd bet The NS ("Soulie") population has 100,000 times that of that of the general population, as it would be virtually impossible to keep track of all the titles from artists you are looking for and all the labels, producers, music publishers, etc. while fumbling through warehouses full of 45s with only a few hours there to do so, without such a skill.

I never did get to Wigan Casino, but I DO have the "End of An Era" Wigan Casino patch from the last all-nighter sown to my ski jacket. When I'm skiing, every once in a while a Soulie will ski up and be disappointed when they find out I'm not only not a Brit, but not even a "true" Northern Soul fan. I have been to a few all-nighters in Lancashire in the early and late '80s, one or 2 in the early '90s, and one in 2004.

The Boot had thin, weak text print, as photocopied labels generally produce. Isn't that right?

I've got one, but it'll be 3 months before I'm back in USA, where it is shelved. I take it you need it for The Brent/Time CD, and need it soon? I'm sure there are several others on this forum that have a nice-looking original copy. I'll get credit on the CD, anyway for another 45 scan I sent a few months ago (Reggie White?).

Bob amassed an incredible music collection, and learned an incredible amount about Chicago Soul and US general Soul music in a very short time (as opposed to us normal "lifetime collectors". And he was able to share it with all of us, and thousands more. What he did was amazing. Too bad his understanding of that fact did not provide him with the feeling that would have overridden the feeling that caused him to commit the irrational action to take his own life, when he'd likely have been better off to live on and see the fruits of his work do more and more good for a lot of people.

So, you had the pleasure of meeting John Hillyard, or, perhaps it was Chris Peake. Hillyard is weird, but very friendly. Peake is harmless, but looks incredibly sinister. He looks less like Manson than Hillyard, but might bring Manson to mind more than John.

I don't think so. Surely, I would have seen it in L.A. or San Francisco. I didn't see it in The Midwest. Maybe it only was distributed in The South on one isolated press run?

I agree with you that if he had had several true friends with deep friendships, that this tragedy MAY have been avoided (or, at least delayed-but depression is a tricky thing). But, I don't think it is fair to undervalue the levels of contact we all shared with him. It was the most possible, given the great geographical distance between us. True that those that only had contact with him through e-mail and forum threads, and only talked about their common interest in music were only acquaintances. Some of us talked to him often on the telephone, and spent short but intense time with him on visits to Chicago. Then, subjects other than music are discussed and they got to see each other in a different light. It is true that it might take MANY such trips before people in that scenario could even have the opportunity to become "true friends" who have become comfortable enough with one another to reveal their innermost feelings. Bob's biggest chance to have someone close to talk to would have been any deep friendships he had with local people, and close family members. But, even having several such deep friendships doesn't always preclude deep depression from putting the afflicted person in the irrational frame of mind to decide to take his or her own life. Physical differences in the brain and chemical differences can be involved. I can say that Bob and I were just "friendly acquaintances". But, I still feel a big loss.

Wow! In all my years of looking, I don't remember seeing that navy blue one!

As stated above, that is NOT a boot. That is the most common configuration of Satellite DJ issues that I know of. And I lived in Chicago when that record came out.

I feel that way, too. I just can't imagine how he could have thought that. I can understand that he might have been frustrated about how little the artists that he met and interviewed were appreciated, even after his efforts. But he HAD to have known that he was doing some good for them, AND the people to whom he introduced their music. It's very sad that he may have taken his own life because he couldn't see the good he was doing.

I know what you mean. I'm 68, and I was living in Chicago when that music was made, and buying tonnes of obscure Chicago 45s during those days, and Bob knew not only about hundreds of Chicago Soul records I never knew existed, and knew all about who made them and how and why. The beauty is that all his hard work helped educate all of us with more knowledge, understanding, and made a lot of previously unknown music available to us, and helped those forgotten artists get some long overdue recognition. I sad to learn that he so undervalued the impact of his own hard work.

Don't worry. I ain't goin' nowhere!

Thanks. I appreciate that.