Sweeney

I said not wholly inaccurate. It's hardly a full-blown scathing attack on the integrity of the Rare Soul scene is it? It's a single paragraph taken out of context in an article about something completely different. Who's to say that she hasn't attended a London-based night playing Rare Soul where she witnessed such sights? SMERSH for instance (venue for George Jackson & A New Chapter plus a couple of others whose name I can't recall) actually had a policy that banned dancing for licensing reasons. Yes, there are probably sweeping generalisations in that brief eighty or so words, but I think people are over-reacting a tad. And I've been called far worse things than a blithering idiot.

I can indeed imagine a scenario where the Editor says "blimey Miranda, we've had x amount of irate e-mails about your last piece which briefly touched on the bizarre cult of Northern Soul. Who are these nutters? Would you like to do a full-blown piece on the subject?" God help us all.

Just Say Goodbye - esther phillips - atlantic Lovely Jazzy piano throughout. Special!

Well pointed out Mr Gibbs. Another point - Do you think that writing angry missives to the editor of OMM about a relatively inoffensive and not wholly inaccurate piece in OMM is going to do anything? Other than generate more opportunities for Ms Sawyer to make money? God forbid that she ever comes onto this site for 'research' and sees the Photo Gallery!

I'll declare an interest in this topic as I love this record and was lucky enough to win one on eBay in late 2001. If I recall correctly I paid $380 for it at a time when exchange rates were $1.40 to the £ (so about £270 or thereabouts). That was the first one I'd seen for sale in 20-odd years of collecting (not saying they hadn't been offered for sale - just that I'd never been in the right place at the right time). So if there are "thousands" about then the owners must love them as much as I do mine as they're just not offered for sale that frequently. A record being placed in a soul pack doesn't necessarily mean it's common anyway. It meant that dealers felt they would have struggled to shift them because they were too different to the prevailing fashion of the period. I've been told for instance that copies of Jimmy Bo Horne's 'I Just Can't Speak' were initially found via that particular channel. Is Connie Laverne "worth" £918? Possibly not to those that don't 'get' the record, but there are many big money items that I don't 'get' either. That's what makes the Rare Soul scene interesting. I wouldn't be interested in selling for that amount as the money alone would be no subsitute for not having a record of that subtlety and sheer breathtaking quality in my collection. It will be interesting to see what effect the JM auction has on the availability and future pricing of the record. Will more be coaxed out of collections? Will it start to get more plays as it has a new 'legitimacy' to the trophy collectors?

It would have been fantastic to witness the apparently effortless talent of Marvin Gaye at first hand. I wouldn't like to have been the producer or record company A&R bod however!

Where do you start? Ray Pollard doing 'The Drifter' Roy Hamilton doing 'Let the Music Play' Wilson Pickett doing 'In the Midnight Hour' or 'Land of 1000 Dances' The Masqueraders doing 'Please Take Me Back' I would also have liked to have been present at the recording of George Lemons 'Fascinating Girl' - but only for the purpose of stealing the microphones.

My Baby Love - the temprees - we produce

There's no doubt that this is an interesting topic James, so thanks for starting it. However it raises questions which slightly puzzle and perplex me. The Johnny Howard case study is particularly illuminating. In the early 80s it seemed that every record box I looked through had a copy of this disc for no more than a couple of quid. Personally I've always preferred the Artistics version, but that's beside the point. If Butch was indeed responsible for 'resurrecting' this record then fair play - it shows that he has the power to take a relatively common sound and elevate it to a status that it's relative ubiquity probably doesn't deserve. What does this say about the scene though? In the case of the DJ who removed your record - that's actually shocking. Name and shame, I say. I don't think I'd have been able to show the same restraint you did. I'm sure I and many others would love to know what makes him (or her) believe they have the sole Djing 'ownership' over a particular record made by SOMEBODY ELSE. Because at the end of the day that's all it is really - whether at a high level or low level - showcasing sublime examples of Black American Music made by talented people. We're only the custodians of some of the best music ever made. We'd do well to remember that.

Would this type of thing be useful? Basically it's an old-school device that plugs into your phone line and then into a recording device. Telephone Recorder

??? - ??? - ???? play soul song Refosoul Rare and Northern Soul Clip library - v3 getting there.. Guess what I found this weekend? This is a bit of the the flip side - marginally better?

Unfortunately the record's so knackered it just sounds like bacon frying!

I got a record through the post today and the seller had used a copy of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" on Hi as an envelope stiffener. Admittedly it was in pretty shocking condition, but it did make me think that this fantastic piece of soul was probably far better than the record I'd purchased and I'm ashamed to admit I don't own a decent copy of the Al Green disc. Sometimes in our search for the rare and esoteric we overlook fantastic cheap records.

Here you go. Got it bigger if you need it.

I thought this was played mid-late 80s which would put Wigan in the clear, surely? Russ Winstanley can't be blamed for everything

Blimey. I didn't realise it was that hard to come by...

Without wishing to sound like an apologist for HM Revenue and Customs, trying to weedle any spare cash out of the working man IS their primary job, so no they really don't have anything better to do. I would imagine that most of the mail coming over from the States is people trying to take advantage of the decent exchange rates at the moment. All that has happened is that HMR&C have finally latched on to the fact. And it's never going to go back to the good old days as they view it as money for old rope. Strangely enough, things coming from the far east don't seem to be subject to the same attention.

Oh blimey! Where do you start? Patches - Clarence Carter Under the Street Lamp - The Exits The Drifter - Ray Pollard Trouble of the World - Mahalia Jackson Such a Small Love - Scott Walker

Sorted. Thanks Mark.

If this is the LP with Mr Fixit and I Can't Help It Baby as the first 2 tracks then I have what I believe to be a USA MCA reissue on the MCA Special Products marque. It has the "rainbow" MCA label. It also has a barcode on the back cover which I don't think the original would have had given the release date. No idea of date though.

Would like a copy of: Arthur Alexander I Need You Baby (Monument) 1060 PM me with details. Cash or possible trades - let me know what you need. Thanks.

The Right to Cry - lenny welch - kapp 15779 refosoul

I Need You - chuck jackson - wand 15778 refosoul

Obviously not entirely scientific, but not a bad indicator of the frequency with which either record crops up on Ebay. Timi Yuro Popsike Results (13x) Darrell Banks Popsike Results (2x)

I fully agree, Kev. I would never pay the sort of money people pay for Timi Yuro - it's just not that rare, although very popular. I was doing some price research over the weekend for my insurance and was mortified to see some of the prices being charged for (IMO) very average and easy to get records. I suppose the DB record represents something of a holy grail for British collectors and hence the inflated price. If two or more peple want it and have the money - the sky's the limit. I'll stick with my spanking mint grey Revilot copy sourced from a Reggae shop for £3 about ten years ago.