Ian Dewhirst

Sorry all. Only just got issue 102 which is wierd 'cos I've got a couple of things in there this month....... Sean's right - 103 going to press as we speak.....and welcome aboard Sean - what are you doing with your right hand in the pic though...........? Ian D

You lucky bugger. I don't even have guilt! Ian D

Huh! That'll be another one of Manship's wind-ups to protect the identify of 'the buyer from the far east' who is in fact a brummie from Aston....... Ian D

You are of course completely correct Paul. But somehow I don't think my beat up copy of Shag's "Loop Di Love" on UK Records 07 would get the pulses racing somehow........ Ian D

Partly my fault Mulf. I was misinformed at an early stage in the proceedings in order to protect the identity of the seller until some final delicate insurance negotiations had taken place. Plus I have a big mouth which suited everyone's purposes perfectly LOL... Ian D

Who's Yoy Vince? Is he a potential bidder from the far east? Ian D

Might be worth publishing. There's price guides and a Top 500 but nothing that traces the chronology of individual records and who played 'em first etc. I like the Wikipedia concept as well. Most stuff would be verifiable as several people would be able to corraborate the time and place etc. It'd also be fascinating to trace the progress of certain records - I noticed some revived records on some of the previous lists - something I remember the Mecca doing quite often (Sterling Magee anyone?). A good little project to get yer teeth into! Be a helluva read too! Ian D

Helluva project Mel. Good luck. Would hopefully cut a lot of arguements off at the chase, especially if several of us could corraborate who heard what and when. The Mecca's the perfect place to start really........ Ian D

Can't blame people for talking about it though Vince. It's more uplifting than the credit crunch, job losses and corrupt bankers LOL..... Ian D

I think only via an early acetate (unless my info is suspect which is entirely possible LOL)......... Ian D

OK, updated now........ I've just slashed 20-30% across all titles so grab 'em before they get listed elsewhere....... All artist albums worth owning @ nice prices! Plus FREE POSTAGE on any order over £20.00 - which equates to aproximately a 20% discount! Angelo Bond "Bondage" US ABC Promo ABCD 889 VG+ (writing on cover but vinyl perfect) £8.00 Lou Courtney "I'm In Need Of Love" UK Soul Brother LP SBCS 2 M £6.00 Lamont Dozier "Right There" UK Warner Bros BS 2929 M £8.00 Lamont Dozier "Lamont" US M&M MM 104AE M £8.00 The Dramatics "Best Of The Dramatics" UK Stax STX 1047 M- £10.00 The Dramatics "The Dramatic Jackpot" US ABC ABCD 867 M £8.00 The Dramatics "Drama V" US ABC ABCL 5150 VG+ £8.00 The Four Tops "Greatest Hits" UK Tamla Motown STML 11061 G £4.00 Aretha Franklin "Ten Years Of Gold" US Atlantic SD 18204 M £6.00 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "Greatest Hits" European Tamla Motown WL72103 M £5.00 Al Green "Greatest Hits" UK London SHU 8481 M £6.00 Al Green "Call Me" UK London SHU 8457 M £8.00 Al Green "Al" UK Beechwood Music Promo AGREELP 1 M £4.00 Donny Hathaway "The Best Of Donny Hathaway" UK Atlantic K50525 M £10.00 Loleatta Holloway "Loleatta" UK Salsoul SZS 5513 £10.00 Honey Cone "Soulful Tapestry" US Hot Wax HA 707 VG+ (tear on gatefold border but otherwise OK) £10.00 SOLD The Isley Brothers "Super Hits" UK Tamla Motown STMA 8024 M (with brilliant Motown 45 Sleeve) £8.00 Millie Jackson "Caught Up" UK Polydor 2391 147 VG+ £5.00 Millie Jackson "Still Caught Up" UK Polydor 2391 183 VG+ £5.00 Millie Jackson "Free & In Love" UK Polydor 2391 215 VG (slight kink in sleeve but otherwise OK) £8.00 Janice "Janice" US Fantasy MPF 4523 M £6.00 Eddie Kendricks "At His Best" UK Tamla Motown Promo STML 12080 M £8.00 Gladys Knight & The Pips "Everybod Needs Love" UK Tamla Motown STMS 5039 M- £12.00 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - "Don't Leave Me This Way" UK CBS Embassy Promo SCBS 31600 M £6.00 SOLD The Miracles "City Of Angels" UK Tamla Motown STML 12010 M- £6.00 Moment Of Truth "Moment Of Truth" US Salsoul SZS 5509 M £12.00 SOLD The O'Jays "Full Of Soul" US Sunset SUS 5222 M- (contains "Hold On", "Working On Your Case" etc) £8.00 SOLD The O'Jays "In Philadelphia" UK Epic SEPC 65469 VG+ (contains "One Night Affair", "Looky Looky", "Deeper" etc - plain white sleeve) £8.00 The O'Jays "Collectors Items: Greatest Hits" UK Philadelphia International SPIR 86058 M £4.00 Freda Payne "Deeper & Deeper" UK HDH HDH LP 005 M £5.00 Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand The Rain" UK London SHU 8468 M £8.00 David Ruffin "At His Best" UK Tamla Motown Stickered Promo STML 12079 M £8.00 Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson "The Bottle" UK Audio Fidelity AFEMP 1017 M (Heavyweight Vinyl) £15.00 Joe Simon "Love Vibrations" US Spring SP -1-6720 VG+ £4.00 Skull Snaps "Skull Snaps" US GSF GSF-S-1011 G (contains "I'm Your Pimp", "My Hang Up Is You" & "Didn't I Do That To You" - cover split @ seams) £50.00 SOLD Sly & The Family Stone "Dance To The Music" US Epic E 30334 M (contains orig version of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again") £8.00 SOLD Edwin Starr "Soul Master" UK Tamla Motown TML 11094 VG (all the Ric Tic Goodies & "My Weakness Is You") £8.00 The Supremes "A' Go-Go" European Tamla Motown WL 72072 M £4.00 Johnny Taylor - "Chronicle 1968-1972" UK Stax STM 7001 (contains all the Don Davis hits) M £8.00 The Temptations "Anthology" (2LP) UK Tamla Motown Stickered Promo TMSP 6003 M £8.00 The Temptations "All The Million Sellers" US Motown M5-212V1 M £4.00 Jr Walker & The All-Stars "Hot Shot" US Soul S6-745S1 (produced by Brian Holland for HDH productions!) £8.00 SOLD Jackie Wilson "Greatest Hits" UK Brunswick BRLS 3004 M £8.00 SOLD Bobby Womack "Bobby Womack's Greatest Hits" US United Artists UA-LA346G M £6.00 Bobby Womack "Greatest Hits" US Liberty LN 10171 M £6.00 Bobby Womack "Somebody Special" UK Liberty Stickered Promo EG26 0250 1 M £6.00 Bobby Womack "The Poet" UK Motown STML 12168 M £8.00 Bobby Womack "The Poet 2" US Beverly Glen BG 10003 M £8.00 Betty Wright "Danger High Voltage" US Alston A 4400 G (cover spine split and record worn but plays OK hence the price) £6.00 SOLD Betty Wright " I Love The Way You Love" US Alson A 77002 M (contains "If You Love Me") £10.00 SOLD UK & NORTHERN IRELAND LPs £3.00 and £1.00 each thereafter. EUROPE LPs £4.00 and £1.50 thereafter UNITED STATES & REST OF WORLD LPs £5.50 and £2.50 thereafter. All records will be shipped in a well-packaged professional standard cardboard record mailer PM me for orders. Best, Ian D

OK I've just knocked 20-30% off all album titles. Free postage on orders over £20.00. Credit crunch collecting ay? Ian D

Loads Mikey. It was my favourite venue for traditional stompers in it's earlier days and the majority of these I first heard @ the Mecca.......... "Get It Baby" - Stanley Mitchell "Sister Lee" - Sam Ward "Stick By Me Baby" - The Salvadores "Just Another Heartache" - Little Richie "Let Our Love Grow Higher" - Eula Cooper "Philly Dog Around The World" - Jimmy Raye "We Were Made For Each Other" - Terrible Tom "World Without Sunshine" - Sandra Phillips "She's Putting You On" - The United Four "Satisfied" - Ben Aiken "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" - Joe Mathews "Stranger In My Arms" - Lynn Randell "Ain't That Terrible" - Roy Redmond "My Heart Cries For You" - Porgy & The Monarchs "The Trip" - Dave Mitchell & The Screamers "Stubborn Heart" - Ernest Mosely "Gee Baby" - The Malibus "The Chase Is On" - Johnny Howard "Don't It Make You Feel Funky" - Joe Hicks "Landslide" - Tony Clarke "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me)" - Alice Clark "They'll Never Know Why" - Freddien Chavez "Rat Race" - The Righteous Brothers Band "Take Away The Pain Stain" - Patti Austin "There's A Ghost In My House" - R. Dean Taylor "Watch Out Girl" - The Embers "Temptation's Calling My Name" - Lee David "Set My Heart At Ease" - Mikki Farrow "Hold On Help Is On The Way" - G. Davis & R. Tyler "The Day My Heart Stood Still" - Ollie Jackson "No One Can Ever Take Your Place" - The Inspirations "Ever Again" - Bernie Williams "So Is The Sun" - World Column "Being Without You" - Maurice Williams "Paris Blues" - Tony Middleton "Trying To Find My Woman" - Lou Courtney "Too Darn Soulfull" - Morris Chestnut "Baby Don't You Weep" - Edward Hamilton & The Arabians "Can't Lose My Head" - George Blackwell Etc, etc off the top of my head. Also when I first went to the Mecca virtually all of the Torch tunes were huge...... "Crying Over You" - Duke Browner "Nothing But Love" - The Tartans "Satisy Me Baby" - The Sweets "I Can't Hold On" - Lorraine Chandler "Wait Till I Get To Know Ya" - Bobby Treetop "Our Love Is In The Pocket" - J.J. Barnes "Boc To Bach" - Fathers Angels It was haven for traditional Northern Soul up to circa late '74 when the playlists started incorporating much more newer stuff hence Mel's point earlier about getting some kind of chronology in place........ Ian D

Seconded. Not much fun for me either Trev. When the alternative is to go to Houseparty/Private Do where you can still smoke and relax it's very tempting. Many London clubs are closing and I'd say a good 33-40% of the pubs down here are either closing down or in big trouble - they're mostly empty these days with no regulars anymore. Unfortunately smokers tend to be precisely the sort of nervous, excitable buzzy people who LOVE going out and partying and if you can't do that in the way you've been accustomed to then it takes the edge off the night. I saw EXACTLY the same thing happen in New York when they brought the smoking ban in - it was the best place in the world for buzzing clubs at one time - now it's just a ghost of it's former self. So sad. I personally don't know what was wrong with having a smoking area within a venue - it seems a bit droconian making people go outside in this Winter LOL..... I'm sooooo glad that I lived in the 70's, 80's & 90's. I see the 00's as the 'no fun' era and I think that probably has a bearing on the lower attendances generally. Houseparties and no-holds barred private parties are up a good 100% in my circle as that's now preferable to going to a club and much more like the old days! Ian D

Going to press this week I think Nick...... Ian D

OK, the show actually pretty much went without a hitch today apart from me taking a call @ the studio and leaving the mike up all the way through the Gene Chandler track LOL.....at least I didn't swear! Also got the exclusive play on Neil Thompson's latest work of art - a combination of Odyssey's "Native New Yorker" and The Brand New Heavies "I Don't Know Why I Love You" which I closed the show, so make sure you check it out! Don't forget that Sir Paul Thrower will now be appearing on the show next week Sunday 22nd February which is one week before Chi-Soul which is on Saturday 28th February! Also Alan Champ, my partner in crime will be dropping in too so make sure you tune the dial nest week! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst on Sunday 15th February 2009 on www.starpointradio.com. To download the show simply hit the link below! Or for this and all archived shows please pay a visit to www.sixmillionsteps.com where you can download the last 4 weeks worth of all Six Million Steps produced shows. That's 16 hours of free music over the last 4 weeks plus loads of new fully downloadable KILLER mixes in a variety of styles! So let's go with this week's show:- 1st Hour Ann Nesby - Can I Get A Witness (Mousse T Mix) Shadow Kings - Soul Music Alex Latimore - Rush Hour Stevie Wonder - This World Was Made For All Men Syreeta - One To One Fat Larry's Band - Centre City Steve Arrington - Dancin' In The Key Of Life Val Young - If You Should Ever Be Lonely Roberta Flack - Lovin' You (Is Such An Easy Thang To Do) Starpoint - Bring Your Sweet Loving Back Spank - Oh Baby 2nd Hour Eddie Foster - I Never Knew The Mylestones - Sexy Lady The Dynamics - Yes I Love You Baby The Ambers - Potion Of Love Denise LaSalle - Here I Am Again Tavares - Too Late Gene Chandler - Without You Here The Four Wonders - Just Looking For My Love Jean Wells - What Have I Got To Lose The Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her Ray, Goodman & Brown - Another Day Norman Connors feat Michael Henderson & Phyllis Hyman - We Both Need Each Other Michael Henderson - In The Night Time Gary Bartz feat Tawatha Agee - Keep Goin' On Odyssey/Brand New Heavies - I Don't Know Why I Love A Native New Yorker (Atomix Re-Construction) https://www.sixmillionsteps.com/6MS-2009-02-15-Starpoint.mp3 Thanks to all for listening! Best, Ian D

And coming up today LIVE between 2.00-4.00pm on the ORIGINAL MASTERCUTS show.......... Ann Nesby, Shadow Kings, Alex Latimore, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta, Fat Larry's Band, Steve Arrington, Val Young, Roberta Flack, Starpoint, Spank, Eddie Foster, The Mylestones, The Dynamics, The Ambers, Denise LaSalle, Tavares, Gene Chandler, The Four Wonders, Jean Wells, Donny Hathaway, The Chi-Lites, Ray, Goodman & Brown, Norman Connors. Michael Henderson, Gary Bartz feat Tawatha Agee and Odyssey/Brand New Heavies See you @ 2.00pm! Ian D

Stuart Cosgrove is on here and watching what's going on LOL.....he knows the publicity this will generate. Maybe we should get one of those bonus rich bosses of RBS to bid and put some of their dosh back into circulation! Looks like Kenny's copy then............ Ian D

LOL, you're right! I loved Danny Hunt but it simply wouldn't work anywhere but the Mecca. One of those records which I played constantly at home but somehow always lacked the courage to play out. Anyone remember Danny Reed "What Makes Her A Woman" and Beverly Wheeler "Don't Shake My Tree" - the instrumental side on that was just breathtaking......? Ian D

Well, the smell of vinyl has always been a key ingredient of the attraction. On a crate-digging trip with a mate in late 2007, I would quite often be driving down a road in Buttf*ck, Nowhere USA when I would suddenly slam the brakes on, stop completely and look at my mate with a slightly crazed look on my face and say, "didja smell that"? And he say "what"? And I'd say "I can smell vinyl"....... And sure enough, we'd find a store with vinyl almost immediately. Unfortunately, I owe these skills to Simon Soussan who would do exactly the same moves whilst we were driving in the middle of nowhere...... Simon Soussan: "Uggggh. Did you smell that baby boy? My sinuses are unblocking! Zere is vinyl nearby........." And he was never wrong. The sense of smell is not to be sniffed at! Ian D

Good. We're agreed. Plus you're right, the Mecca played everything first which is equally important. 'Cos to be on everything first can be a thankless task sometimes. The Mecca proved that by often being waaaay ahead of the mainstream. I actually have a massive amount of respect for both Levine and Curtis 'cos I saw them persevere with stuff that emptied the floor on the first plays many times. The best example of that being the Montclairs which absolutely emptied the floor without fail in the first few weeks it was played. It's understandable. That intro was so unique that people couldn't get their heads around it until it had sunk in after both Levine and Curtis persevered with it...... I've gotta give 'em credit for that alone, leave alone the 100's of other tunes they broke. I didn't get the Montclairs at all until I'd heard it half a dozen times. After that I realised that it was, in fact, one of the greatest records ever recorded once I'd got past my own personal barriers. I think it speaks volumes that some 34 years later "Hung Up On Your Love" is one of my favourite records of all time. If Levine and Curtis hadn't have persevered with that record it would still be unknown 'cos the intro is just too weird for most people to appreciate. And for that record alone, I owe them my everlasting gratitude. Ian D

Actually I think you're right Mel. Chronology is important. I personally really loved the Mecca circa '74-'75. That seemed to be the period where some incredible contemporary Modern releases were played alongside some more traditional Northern stompers. So in that period you'd hear a range of music which could veer from Eloise Laws, The Temprees, Little Beaver, James Fountain, the Carstairs, The Anderson Brothers, Gil Scott-Heron, Rosey Jones, Ann Sexton, Rock Candy, The Montclairs, Bobby Hutton etc, etc to Joe Mathews, The Inspirations, Jimmy Raye, James Lewis & The Case Of Tyme, the Idle Few, World Column, the Crow, Bernie Williams, Yvonne Baker, Tony Middleton, George Kirby, Frankie Crocker etc, etc.. To me it was the best of both worlds and the best club in the world at the time musically speaking bar none for my money. I wasn't over keen when it started veering towards more mainstream Disco as those releases were available in every import shop in the country and there was less of a buzz when you could pick 'em up easily at the local shop. That wasn't what I went to the Mecca to hear! F*ck hearing Tavares at the Mecca - I could hear that at my local Tiffanies on a Tuesday night LOL..... I went to the Mecca to be musically educated and that's pretty much what it did for throughout the key years IMO. In terms of musical depth and range, Ian Levine & Colin Curtis 100% led the way for me between '73-'75 with Richard Searling holding the fort adimirably @ Wigan over the same period. Was Blackpool Mecca the most infuential club in terms of musical creativity in Northern Soul history? 100% absolutely! No contest. I thank God almost on a daily basis that I was lucky enough to experience such a wonderful musical education. Ian D

Wow. Tremendous detective work MB. You couldn't use your skills to find out what happened to Simon Soussan could you? Could do with tracing him to get some comment on the first copy of F.W. I can see the reply right now ...... "...and when I went into ze Motown library my sinuses suddenly started unblocking and I could SMELL zat zere was a 100% genuine sinus-deblocker on ze shelves...etc, etc....... Ian D

That first play of the Idle Few blew me away. To this day one of my all-time faves. WHAT A REKID!!!! An inspiration to us all! Ian D

It's a killer Mark! A real sinus-deblocker for lovers of mid-tempo soul...... Ian D