Ian Dewhirst

For sure Gary but that's not the same thing as hoping to fill a 500 capacity venue and then getting 'em all dancing to a frenzy before they all eventually succumb to mass total exhaustion. You don't get that with £10 records! To get that, kind of reaction you need at least 4 x £2.5K granders, 3 x £2K granders and 3 x £1.5K granders OK? £19.5K and that's just 10 records or 25 minutes. £40K for an hour minimum Get with the pros mate! Ian D

Mmmm. Interesting answer Steve. The weird thing is that whenever I previously had random influxes of cash throughout the 70's and 80's I immediately re-invested in originals of records I loved. However, that particular avenue became less and less appetising in the 90's and 00's as I realised I was being WAAAY, WAAAY, WAAAY priced out on stuff. Plus I had a massively expensive lifestyle and family to maintain etc, etc, so watching things like my old one-off copy of Si Hightower reach such exalted heights made collecting more of an spectator sport rather than an active interest for me. I couldn't afford it anymore dammit. No sweat though. I've always been tight. Whenever I've bought a record for an astronomical amount of money, I've always been paranoid about damaging it. Which is additional stress to someone like me. I get nightmare visions of Richard's Jades Nite-Life demo getting fried on a fish shop counter and who needs that.........? I have enough hassle in my life without that LOL.... Whereas, whenever I've bought a record for cents, pence, dollars or quids I seem to have a slightly more cavaliere attitude and just sling the bastard around and play it everywhere. And sometimes that brings a nice surprise. That's how "Send Him Back" started. I just don't know if that's possible anymore. There are plenty of DJ's with great taste out there who can put a decent set together with cheap tunes but do they have any widespread commercial audience or critical credibility? Probably not I reckon. Some guy with a £30K collection will wave at 'em as he flies past. It's the nature of the beast. And, of course, there are established DJ's with great taste who can and do play cheapies along with super rarities and we love 'em for it. But can anyone with less than a £20K box get in? Ian D

It's a question I'm curious about. I think the general concensus on here, is that generally the most-rated DJ's on the Northern Soul scene are the guys that play authentic original copies of highly rare records, both known and unknown. This applies to both current rare and popular oldies DJ's - in other words, right across the spectrum of the whole scene. So, accepting the philosophy that in order to become a top Northern Soul DJ these days in pretty much all areas of the scene, one needs to have a large box full of rare originals worth tens of thousands of pounds, then doesn't that suggest that the scene is pre-disposed to those with a huge amount of disposable income? I'm long, long gone from the cutting edge of rare record collecting these days but I keep an eye on things and occasionally get lucky every so often, so obviously I keep an eye on current prices and generally end up weeping LOL. If I were to re-create the same 200 count box that cost me less than £300 in 1975, it would cost me a minimum of £30K now and probably nearer £50K. If I , included my overall collection at the time into the equation, then we'd be talking circa £200K at todays prices (mainly 'cos I had all the 70's stuff that's now off the scale). So obviously I've thought about this and figured out that there's a massive amount of difference between the passionate Northern Soul DJ's of the 1970's and the passionate Northern Soul DJ's of today. Without a doubt, I personally 100% rode the route of enjoying and playing super-rare records that no one else had, and naturally, a certain amount of ego was involved. But records were relatively cheap back then and most aspiring DJ's were beavering away getting their own choices together well within most people's disposable income levels. So the path towards becoming a popular Northern Soul DJ back then somehow seemed a bit more organic in that virtually anyone could get within reach of the top guys providing they had the right taste and made smart buying choices. It didn't really start becoming a money-lead thing until '75/'76 in my view. In fact, when it started going that route, I got the hell out of dodge and started looking for records at the source. The economics made a bit more sense. So I guess the question is: do you need a £50K collection of originals to even get into the top-strata these days? And, as a result, has Northern Soul become a rich man's sport? Ian D

I think this is really quite a cynical way to hike PPL charges, probably suggested by an accountant who has no real idea of the long-term damage this will cause to music being played out in the UK. These charges will simply be usustainable in the current climate, where clubs and bars are closing at the fastest rate for decades. Believe you me, NONE of this money is ever likely to reach the artists whose records are played at Rare Soul venues but more likely to line the pockets of existing PPL members. So, yes, of course, Northern/Rare Soul has a cast-iron case for exemption. This should be fought at all costs IMO. Ian D

True. With a £3.99 CD you get "Hitchhiking To Heartbreak" and 25 other killers........ "I Get My Groove" - Crossover Soul From The Deep South BACKB019 Compiled By Sean Hampsey 1 Syl Johnson We Did It 2 Gloria Edwards Don't Mess With My Man 3 Fontella Bass Now That I've Found A Good Thing 4 Bobby McClure Was It Something I Said 5 Eddie Mcgee What Made You Change Your Mind? 6 Imported Moods What Have You Done With My Heart 7 The Montclairs I Need You More Than Ever 8 Oscar Perry Let Me Grow Old With You 9 Al Green I Tried To Tell Myself 10 Ronnie Lovejoy You Got To Know 11 The Patterson Twins Looking For A Lover 12 Little Johnny Taylor How Are You Fixed For Love 13 Bobby Patterson Everything Good To You (Don't Have To Be Good For You) 14 Jean Plum Here I Go Again 15 Ann Peebles I Didn't Take Your Man 16 Henry Shed Something's Drastically Wrong 17 Bobo Mr. Soul Hitch-Hike To Heartbreak Road 18 Pat Brown Love On Loan 19 Barbara Lynn Nice And Easy 20 Otis Clay Brand New Thing 21 Bobby Patterson I Get My Groove From You 22 Ted Taylor I Want To Be A Part Of You Girl 23 Phillip Mitchell Little Things 24 James Fry Still Around 25 Ann Peebles If This Is Heaven 26 Jean Plum Look At The Boy I Get My Groove - Backbeats CD Ian D

Totally correct. Records didn't hang around for long and there was always a demand for an 'instant' catchy memorable song that had that all important beat. Both Nosmo King/The Javells and Wayne Gibson both broke across the scene in a matter of weeks and virtually every venue played 'em 'cos they were huge records. The Javells was as big at the Mecca as it was at the Casino believe me. I still like 'em both from a nostalgia point of view. They remind me of a brilliant time and packed dancefloors full of 16-20 year olds which was what the scene was built on back then. Ian D

Wow, just got the finished packages in and they look absolutely beautiful! HURTCDX110 Mixology: The Definitive Salsoul Mixes 3 x CD Digi Pac Released 29/8/11 Amazon That's an incredible amount of music and packaging for £8.99! How can they possibly produce a package like this at that price I ask myself..... Ian D

Damn. One of the few weekends where I’m actually not partying due to pressure of work and deadlines. I wonder how that happened? So a big shout out to everyone who’s up in Birmingham at the EMS Weekender – they’ll all be well-lubricated and partying their asses off round about now! However, for the rest of us that are working (lol), the show must go on and I’m delighted to be joined by my Original Mastercuts co-founder and co-presenter, the mysterious and slightly weird, Alan Champ for tomorrow’s LIVE extravaganza! Also I got into a bit of an MJ mood this week and then realised it’s been 2 years since he passed away, so I’ve indulged myself with a couple of his greatest tunes for a start. Plus we have some absolutely stunning re-edits on some wonderful tunes this week, some true Northern Soul, some killer slow-groovers and a few anthems chucked in for good measure. Yes folks, it all adds up to another groovin’ Sunday afternoon LIVE session with the original team. What’s not to like? Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst & Alan Champ between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 3rd July 2011 on everyone’s favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring…… The Jackson 5 * Michael Jackson * Frankie Knuckles feat Jamie Principle * Frankie Knuckles feat Bunny Sigler * Stevie Wonder * Jimmy Ruffin * The Chi-Lites * The Spinners * Ashford & Simpson * Tami Lynn * Felice Taylor * Diana Ross & The Supremes * The Velvets * Sandi Sheldon * The Funky Sisters * Stanley Mitchell * The Paramount Four * Rena Scott * The Dramatics * Bobby Caldwell * Marvin Gaye * Cee-Lo See you @ 2.00pm LIVE! Ian D

Actually Kev's right Pete. Both Bill Brandon & Lorraine Johnson and Liberty were Levine/Curtis discoveries and both broken at the Mecca first. I can clearly remember Levine telling me about it on the phone just after he'd returned from a U.S. trip and then Brad telling me about it following a trip to the Mecca a few days later. I always saw "Let Me Be Your Full Time Groover" as a Mecca/Cleethorpes record rather than a Casino classic anyway. It was a hard-sell at Wigan in my memory. And "Girl You Better Wake Up" was a 100% Curtis spin right from the git-go and a huge record @ the Mecca long before it reached anywhere else. However, it didn't take long for a zillion copies to flood in, so the take-up and follow-through was accelerated which resulted in the record peaking and dying really quickly. However, this period was when certain records were being commercially 'nurtured' so it wouldn't be unusual for several people to get their hands on copies quick. Unless I'm totally mistaken, Levine found Bill Brandon & Lorraine Johnson either on a U.S. trip or via John Anderson, but crucially, he championed and absolutely hammered it and it worked like a dream at the Mecca for an eclectic and discerning audience. It was a floor-clearer at most other venues initially before it eventually took hold. And Liberty was a 100% certified Mecca monster a good few weeks before it reached wider acceptance elsewhere. I'm pretty sure that Epic or Mel Bratt (where is he by the way?) would confirm that. But, you're right Pete. It's always a contentious issue about who did what and when. I was just lucky enough to be wired into the epicentre of the scene at the time whilst being aligned with an almost unhealthy tendency to over-focus on the acquisition of brilliant rare records. Does this sound familiar? Ian D

OK, this is the first show I've managed to post for the last 4 weeks due to some technical snafus that buggered up the previous couple of shows on download, so apologies for anyone who's been trying to collect all of 'em! However, we're back with a vengeance now and I'm pleased to say that this week's show is a goodie to come back with! Much interest in the very hard-to-find "Up The Ladder To The Roof" - The Supremes remix, plus good vibes on the Jackson 5, Gwen McRae and Trammps re-edits, the Orlando Johnson and Jamiroquai new releases along with the usual bunch of goodies from across the eras. Enjoy! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 19th June 2011 on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring...... 1st Hour The Miracle Workers - Overture The Originals - Down To Love Town - Dimitri From Paris Remix The Supremes - Up The Ladder To The Roof - Awesome Remix Eddie Kendricks - Date With The Rain The Jackson Five - Looking Through The Windows - Womack Re-Edit Sister Sledge - I Want Your Love - Mozart Mix Jimmy & Vella Cameron - Be Fair To Me Gwen McRae - All This Love I'm Giving - Ramsey Hercules Re-Edit New York City - I'm Doing Fine Now - Scratchnsniff Re-Edit The Trammps - Hold Back The Night - Scratchnsniff Re-Edit 2nd Hour The Foundations - Baby Now That I've Found You Carl Douglas - Serving A Sentence Of Life Dusty Springfield - Bring Him Back Jimmy James - A Man Like Me Johnny Johnson - Sweet Inspiration Bobby Taylor - Don't Be Afraid Willie Hutch - Just Another Day S.O.U.L. feat Larry Hancock - This Time Around The Jacksons - Blues Away The Real Thing - Raining Through My Sunshine David Ruffin - Everything's Coming Up Love Orlando Johnson - Two Can Make It Better Jamiroquai - Smile Sister Sledge - World Rise & Shine Frankie Knuckles feat Jamie Principle - I'll Take You There - Dimitri From Paris Remix https://sixmillionsteps.com/drupal/node/1422 Al's up next Sunday so I'll see you on Sunday 3rd July @ 2.00pm LIVE! Thanks for listening! Ian D

Mmmm. Same year as the Carstairs Pete. Are you getting into Disco.....? Nice purchase by the way. This week I picked up nice white demos on the Temprees and Carl Graves plus a Mandrill to round things off.......a good time to buy. Ian D

Cool Immy will do. They're on my lappy @ home, so I'll dig 'em out and blast 'em over in the next day or two OK? Ian D

OK, all good today with "Mixology" today as it hits the Top 15 in both Amazon's Disco and Funk charts a good 5 weeks before release. Also couldn't help noticing that it's even cheaper than it was last week - you can now get it for £8.99 inc P&P which @ £3 a disc has to be one the bargains of the century! It's never been better for buyers.... Mixology - Amazon £8.99 Ian D

Also I forgot, I did put out Eddie Kendricks out on the Motown Disco comp from a few years back which you can still pick up for £5.50 if yer quick! Motown Disco Ian D

Yep, I think it's important to conserve great recordings too. Luckily we're well served in the UK with some cracking specialists like Ace/Kent, Expansion, Cherry Red, Demon, Big Break etc, etc. The UK is far more active in preserving music then any other country in the world these days and hopefully long may that continue! Ian D

Coming up LIVE @ 2.00pm! Stay warm, dry and cosy with 2 hours of Original Mastercuts this afternoon! Ian D

Well, I just had the last couple of weekends off but somehow there never seems to be enough time does there....blah blah blah........ Let's just cut to the quick OK? If you do nothing else this week, make sure you listen to this Sunday's show comin' right atcha from 2.00-4.00 pm LIVE! This show is very organic. I have no idea how each one will turn out until I'm finally happy listening to the finished result myself. This one's a F*CKIN KILLER! The only thing that can possibly go wrong, is if I f*ck up the presentation or if the stream gets hacked etc, etc, etc. Musically it's perfect for a show which bounces around the different eras (I hope). For instance, this week the first half-hour concentrates on a 70's Motown kinda vibe with some interesting remixes and re-edits going on, the second half-hour looks at an interesting Sister Sledge housed-up remake of a Chic classic plus some incredible fresh re-edits of some of the show's regular faves, the third half-hour looks into UK produced Northern Soul and some underplayed 70's gems and the final half-hour sees the show glide into a heady mixture of the old and the new. A total gas putting this one together and looking forward to spreading the joy! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 19th June 2011 on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring...... The Miracle Workers * The Originals * The Supremes * Eddie Kendricks * The Jackson Five * Sister Sledge * Jimmy & Vella Cameron * Gwen McRae * New York City * The Trammps * The Foundations * Carl Douglas * Dusty Springfield * Jimmy James * Johnny Johnson * Bobby Taylor * Willie Hutch * S.O.U.L. feat Larry Hancock * The Jacksons * The Real Thing * David Ruffin * Orlando Johnson * Jamiroquai * Sister Sledge * Frankie Knuckles feat Jaimie Principle See you @ 2.00pm LIVE! Ian D X

Oi! Stop that young lady! Even I drew the line @ Boney M LOL...... Some seriously great Philly International comps are coming up too, including a brand new Ralph Tee compiled definitive 8CD box set and a couple of other surprises. Plus a film soundtrack, 10 new Backbeats and 4 more Disco Discharges on the way, so should be a good year! By the way I have some Disco Blogs to send you which will be total up your street. I'll PM 'em over......... Ian D

Agreed. Simples. Ian D

No probs Bazza. I whiled away an hour earlier re-reading it myself LOL. Bloody good thread that! Ian D

I was talking production-wise smartass! Ian D

I can't easily recall the tune but I seem to remember it sounding way too messy for my purposes back then. It probably sounds OK for today's audiences as I think slightly messier/looser/funkier productions are in vogue, which is reflected in the popularity of the Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings/Dap-Tone stuff........ Less is more these days it would seem. Ian D

Blimey, I just went through this whole thread again trying to piece together a 'lil mystery and it's occurred to me that no one's mentioned "Overture" - The Miracles yet. That was a HUGE track............ Ian D

Mmm. Interesting that no one spotted the Major Lance/Servicemen connection before then? Typical that it came as a result of a Yardbirds record! Ian D