Seano

Fine record, flip side 'Get on up' equally worth a listen. Mine is on Bunky too, red with black text and Bunky written vertically on the left in red text against a black partial circle background. But sorry, I don't know if it's Canadian.

I had a flyer from an exhibition of his in Oxford but couldn't find it at the time. Just came across these two photos that I took of it, one with background info about the artist:

They've made it!

Looks very interesting....

I was never as dedicated as you describe here with regard to wants lists, but do agree that a big difference is the convenience vs the physical search. The danger via the modern technology route is that you can be pretty rapid in either liking or disregarding a tune on the first few seconds of hearing it, and so tailor your buying to what style you like at the current moment. One of the long term pleasures of buying blind, soul packs especially, but also junk shops and 2nd hand record shops that rarely had listening decks as I recall, was that unless you really hated a tune, you just held onto it. Over time, when you delve in and play stuff you had overlooked, you come across records that seem just right now, but that weren't quite right back when you got hold of them. I genuinely believe that buying records that I thought might be worth a punt helped to broaden my taste, as even if I was a bit disappointed that a certain 45 wasn't an out and out stomper, I'd still normally find that I enjoyed it and felt it was just good soul of a different style.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/20/philly-soul-philadelphia-international-records-women Interesting read.

That was the version I got in a dodgy soul pack back in the 70s. Mind you, in another pack, a bit later on I think, I got another Hoagy Lands on Spectrum with the fairly straightforward and punchy dancer 'Why didn't you let me know' and the pretty sublime 'Do you know what life is all about' on the other side. Well worth checking out.

Just been out to collect it from the sorting office. Highly recommend doing it this way...... You get to dig out your passport (not used mine since September 2019), present it for official checking, and the payoff is then waltzing around with a great soul record in your hands, feeling like you've just bought one at a soul night! And now I get to play it: win-win! As Kenb says, terrific extra getting the very detailed flyer from Melvin Davis too.

Despite not getting out much (rules are rules), I managed to be out when the postie came round so will have to go to the sorting office tomorrow to collect mine unfortunately. We just went for a half hour walk and saw the guy getting back into his van and drive off just before we got home to find the 'couldn't deliver' card. Still, worth waiting for I'm sure!

I thought this might be of interest to everyone hankering to get back to the dance floor: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/07/dutch-clubbers-dance-study-easing-lockdown-music-event-coronavirus

Haven't been over since 2009, but we used to go to New York to stay with my cousin who moved over there for 9 years. I always took my messenger stye over the shoulder bag, and would put all the records in that to carry on as I was always worried they'd get cracked chucked around in the hold. I don't think I ever brought more than around 100 back in one go. The only time I got stopped for the records (got stopped on the way in nearly every trip!) was when a security dog took an interest. The guard checked my bag out and told me that 2nd hand records and sleeves do often seem to trigger the drugs dogs' interest....

I'm pretty sure both of mine came via soul packs, and I hung onto the Mystery ? Men 45 as I was aware there was some interest in it connected with TTLFL. Unfortunately mine's got the same City Skies instrumental on both sides, I can't see any difference making side two part 2. The Living Color one does have vocal on side A and inst (titled City Skies) on side B, but of course it's the inst of TTLFL not the one you described as 'shocking'!

I've had an email from Ticketmaster saying the Blackpool International Soul Festival has shifted to 17-19 June 2022, but not heard anything about this soul night.

Arrived today. Fine selection as always. I always love the informative booklets, and was struck by the opening sentence "Lockdown has brought soul music benefits." Obviously I knew this was a 2021 issue, right in the midst of our 3rd lockdown, but it stood out as something that really sets the moment of this release. Tantalising note in the write up of the Brothers of Soul track ('I need your love') that there will be another unreleased recording of theirs on 'This is Lowrider Soul Vol 2' ; 'Can't nobody'.

Sitting by my deck since it dropped through the door. Very nice.

I don't get out that much (good prep for this past year!), so apologies if some of these actually didn't get much play, and of course some of these came out during the pandemic so unless they got on the turntable at the Covid Arms then they probably didn't get played out anyway! Taking a leaf out of @Soulstrutter's book, here's a few that made it to my turntable: Durand Jones & the Indications 'Morning in America' on Colemine 2019 Jr Thomas & the Volcanos 'What a shame' on Colemine 2017 The Love Rights 'Talk of the town' on Kimberlite 2019 Broken Hearts Inc 'Please don't walk away' & 'Heartache (is all you get) on Kimberlite 2018 Lay Biggz Lemons 'You the glory' on Tesla Groove 2020 Bobby Burn 'I'm a lonely man' on Diggin' Deep 2020 Jerry Williams 'Oh Lord, what are you doing to me' on Soul For Real 2020

Sorry to be late chipping in. Bit of an odd day; first ever lockdown Valentine's day, but this has to be a play for me as @Eddie Hubbardplayed it for us at our wedding party back in 1987:

Heard the news on radio 4 this morning with Stuart Cosgrove giving an interesting bit of background. I think I've read over the years that she worked hard for civic life in Detroit, making good use of her fame and background. A sad loss.

Yes a beer always welcome! I don't remember if there was a follow on soul do. But the next soul night in Coventry that many of us also went to was at the Jamaican club for The Brothers of Soul. That was a brilliant night; put on by Roger Saint and Robb Moss I think, and I recall that one of the warm-up DJs was John Manship

A bunch of us from Banbury went up to that Coventry performance of the play too. I remember really enjoying the event, especially the sense of atmosphere.

Mine arrived yesterday, looks to be a fantastic and evocative read. Really excellent quality (I hadn't even realised it was hardback!), and a great bonus of the CD too. The trips must have been extraordinary, it really helps to see the video.

Hi Gilly, I've just emailed you for details - I did try back when you posted this but it might not have reached you, so hopefully this one will! Sean

Looking forward to this, you'd think quality might have dipped by volume 7, but no sign of that!

Fascinating article thanks. You mentioned about any examples from Sidney Barnes' book (Standing on Solid Ground). I've taken photos of 2 pages in the section where he writes about Motown and working at the Brill Building. One referencing Herb Abramson's A1 Studio for cutting demos, and the other talking about getting a release for his group, The Serenaders, of their record 'If Your Heart Says Yes' initially on the Motown label, and then as the first release on the new V.I.P. label.

Unexpectedly received a copy for Christmas! Looks interesting. Also got the Cellarful of Motown Vol 5 (some really good tracks on disc 1) along with the Al Green biography by Jimmy McDonough 'Soul Survivor'.