Robbk

I'll be a bit lonely here without my fellow Chicagoan amongst all you Brits. He was so young. I wasn't prepared at all for this. I'm glad I got to know him at least to the degree I did. He was a very nice guy.

I held out hope it was just a rumour or prank. But, if his sister told some of his friends, then there is no hope. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE news. We were acquaintences, and exchanged a few records and MP3s together, and, of course, corresponded on threads and PMs here just about every day for the last several years. So, I feel that I've lost a good friend. Very shocking, indeed! I didn't know he was even sick. Or, was it an accident? I do see from that 3 days old photo that Bob has taken on a lot of weight recently. People in contact with the family, please give details, when you can. Thanks. So, so sorry to hear this!

Sorry to hear that. Other than The Motowners, The Pied Pipers, Ed Wingate, Ollie McGloughlin and Mike Hanks, and Popcorn Wylie were the main producers of Detroit Soul. And Don was there at Motown, Thelma, Golden World, Solid Hitbound, and took Detroit Soul to Memphis.

I'm sure you are right, Bob. I remember seeing a different vinyl issue from a local Chicago plant that had the correct spelling of "on".

I had a stock issue of "Do I Love You" by Frank Wilson in my office for over 5 years, so I know that it was pressed. If you are using the reasoning that the record was "pulled" and the stockers never really got to shops (which I am fairly sure is true), then I believe the same thing happened to Soul 35019's DJ pressings. I've never heard that any of them ever got to DJs. The record certainly wasn't played in Chicago, L.A. Detroit, St. Louis or San Francisco Bay Area in the 6 months after the two press runs. I think they ran a press test run of a box of 25, and Berry made his decision not to release the record before the real DJ press run occurred. Otherwise, there would be a reasonable number of DJ issues from all 3 regional plants used by Motown at that time, and loads would have made it to the thrift stores like they did for all the other Motown records issued in late 1965/early '66. The number of DJ issues of that record known to exist can be counted on the fingers of one hand, just as the stockers. I think both were extremely small test runs only, or decent sized runs with almost all destroyed BEFORE they got into outsiders' hands. Otherwise we'd have a LOT more. I saw hundreds of DJ copies of ALL the released records. Only the pulled back records (Soul 35019, Tamla 54106, 54108, and VIP 25006) didn't have DJS in big numbers. I contend that Soul 35019 was NOT "promo only" in US, but was neither stock nor promo, or, if you want to consider being pressed in any number but never sold nor aloowed by DJS to be played as "issued", then Soul 35019 would not qualify for being "DJ" only, as at least some store stockers were pressed.

And both (and the boxer, as well), were also different from James Ellis, lead singer of The Satintones.

From the looks of them, both pressings look legitimate. I resided in Chicago part-time during the year that was out, and saw it new. The ZTSC 142000 series is Columbia Midwest correct pressing code for that year (1968). It is properly a styrene pressing, which is what Columbia Midwest used. The red/orange labelled pressing uses a font used by a local Chicago pressing plant in 1968-69. I have several Al-Tog and Chicago Music Bag records using that design. The black print is too solid and strong over the background colour to have come from a photo. I really doubt that there would have been enough demand tp boot such a record. I'm sure Bob A. will agree. He probably has a copy of that, particular pressing in any case. If memory serves me, the design on the left was, by far, the more common of the two. Actually, I don't remember having seen the Columbia pressing (although that is clearly legitimate (that look of styrene, paper, font and how the label is attached to the plastic, from the late '60s, and how it wore and degraded over those 35-45 years, couldn't be faked/reproduced).

Frances Burnett was a Philadelphia artist, who was recorded by Decca/Coral/Brunswick in New York, using Dick Jacobs' Orchestra. She had been recording and having records released since 1957, and stayed with Coral into the '60s. But, for a time in 1959 and 1960, her producer (Nat Tarnopol?), had her singing songs written by Motown writers (Berry and Gwen Gordy and Smokey Robinson) apparently dovetailing on Tarnopol's deal with Berry to write for Jackie Wilson. When that deal for Wilson was terminated, the Jobete songs stopped appearing on Burnett's records. In addition, there was a release on Decca in early 1960, by Ken Masters, which was written by Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson on both sides, published by Motown's Jobete Music, and, for whatever reason, recorded in The Snakepit, at Motown. Masters of his recordings were found in Motown's Vaults, His release must have borne some relation to the Jackie Wilson and Frances burnett deals with Gordy.

I already knew that. But, had I not, I would have guessed that for that very reason. I can't think of even one situation in which a decently-sized US record company had a OK imprint, but least one of their in-house productions to a competitive UK rival (although, I suspect their are a couple instances of exceptions to that rule).

Yes Yes. Bell Sound was located in New York City.

Keith, your statement that "Lonely Nights" by The Falcons is NOT The 2nd (New) Falcons is very puzzling. Carlis (Sonny) Monroe is the lead singer, beyond the shadow of a doubt. He has one of the most distinctive voices in music. It cannot be mistaken. It sounds like it could have been recorded in 1963, but also could have been '64.

The CD "Rare Tracks With The Primettes (Who Later Became The Supremes)" states that The Primettes were hired by LuPine Records (Robert West) to record background vocals on 8 songs (in addition to the 2 on which they were the featured artists). The CD lists Gene Martin's "Lonely Nights" as one of those 8, but, did NOT list The Falcons' version as one of them. That corresponds with what my ears tell me. The female background singers on the 2 versions are different.

After listening to The Falcons' version, I'm more convinced that I'm remembering correctly than I was before. I'm pretty sure that both the girls in the background are different and the instrumental tracks are different as well, from the Gene Martin version. I hear The Supremes on the Gene Martin, in believe it or not, a more soulful version of backing than the very "poppish" effort on The Falcon's version.

I have both records, but I'm not with them now. Even if I were, I have no stylus to play them. My memory tells me that the female backing singers are NOT the same track. I clearly hear The Supremes on Gene Martin's in my memory, and on the flip ("I Got The Blues"-on You-Tube). I don't think the girls on The Falcons' were the same (or, at least the mix is so different that the 2 cuts sound very different-other than just the lead vocals.

Also UK 45s not in USA: "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers"-Marvelettes "Do Like I Do"-Kim Weston

Just as I thought. UA got the foreign rights in their lease, and THEY leased "Come To Me" to London American.

The recording in question sounds like 1965-66. Or, at the very latest, 1967. Didn't Carl Kidd work out of Washington , DC and New York? Did L.J. Reynolds record on the East Coast as early as 1966 or 1967? I only know of his Detroit recordings. Born in 1953, he'd have been only 13 to 14 years old when that recording was made. That singer sounds like an adult to me.

Does anyone know if Berry Gordy (Tamla) leased UK rights to Marv Johnson's "Come To Me" directly to London American, or the rights to foreign release were given to United Artists in their lease? My first guess would have been that UA probably would have asked for the foreign rights in their lease. Does it say "A Tamla Records Production", or "An United Artists Records Production" on the London American issue of "Come To Me"? Clearly, Anna Records got the foreign rights to "Money" in their lease.

So, it might then have been an unreleased recording originally destined for Maxx Records? The sound is appropriate for that time period.

Please forgive my ignorance of non-Detroit/Chicago recent previously unreleased NS discoveries. But please tell me who sang this "Not The Marrying Kind" (covered up as by Keni Lewis)? I've heard the video audio on You-Tube, but don't recognise the voice. Was it another unreleased Shrine recording (it sounds too "clean" to be that)?

Wouldn't it be ironic if they were The Millionaires (a NY group that was singing even back in 1963)? The blue font means that I am not serious here.

Well, it was generated in Jobete Music's New York office (and probably recorded in 1963 (way too early sounding for 1964). So, The Serenaders is a reasonable guess. But they don't sound, at all, like The Serenaders. And the lead singer doesn't sound like George Kerr, Sidney Barnes or Timothy Wilson. It could possibly be one of the other 2 members. He doesn't sound AT ALL like Roy Handy. Clearly, they are NOT The Parliaments. I'm guessing they are a group working with Gene Redd, Jr. Might they be The Prophets?

"I'm Wondering" is translated to "I'm Not an Angel", and "Travelin ' Man" to "Where To Go?", Man, I've heard of artistic license, but that is ridiculous! They must have used Babelfish to perform those translations!!!

Is that the same "Not The Marrying Kind" as Gene Chandler's?

Last Train to Clarksville-Four Tops Good lovin'-Elgins A Favor For A Girl-Brenda Holloway Where To Go? -Stevie Wonder -Don't know this exact title as I don't know music past 1971 or so. Titles will NOT be direct word for word translation - only the gist (basic idea). I'm Not an Angel - Stevie Wonder