Robbk

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.

Thanks, Peter, Of course you must know that I didn't mean I don't appreciate all the great people here. I wouldn't even be on this forum if that were the case. I really appreciate how everyone here is so friendly and welcoming (especially to us North American "Non-Northern Scene" Soul fans). It's just that I sort have lost a kindered spirit, in the sense that we were both from Chicago and both loved, especially, Chicago Soul so much. I guess conversing with him and learning so much about Chicago Soul from his great interviews, filled a lot of my nostalgia needs. He and his work brought a lot of joy to a lot of people.

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.