Ian Dewhirst

Nope. Crystal clear. I think I'd already spent £50 or £60 and it was an add on. I think I got him @ 8.30am just as he'd returned from a trip 'cos he kept pushing me to take it..... Who got the four out of curiosity? Obviously yourself and Richard but who got the other two then? Ian D

Nope, no football matches outside the Blue Rooms for me Ernie. I was essentially 'pussy-whipped' in those days, so I'd have been practising a slightly more sophisticated version of your above description on all available females whilst you guys were outside pretending to be footballers............ Used to have fun too! Lotsa Mecca regulars there usually - I remember Judy (big friend of Ian's who I last bumped into @ Kev's 50th Birthday) and Martyn Ellis's ex....what was her name? Ian D

Absolutely staggering the quality of stuff from the local market stalls in the North back then. How lucky was that? I can clearly remember being at the Mecca when Levine played "Rat Race" - The Righteous Brothers Band and later, Spiral Staircase "More Today Than Yesterday" for the first time and me checking both Andy and Kegsy to see if they'd clicked that both these records were on Bradford Market in quantity, just like the Tymes, the Triumphs, the Shalimars, Dottie Cambridge, Alice Clark etc, etc before them........... Naturally Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield markets were cleared by about 10.00am the following Monday LOL.... Also lovely that all the culprits are on SS! Whatever bollocks is being hurled around between the various parties, it's nice to know that there's a level of passion, which, if nothing else, is at least CONSISTANT whatever the age of the contributors. It's pretty serious this Northern Soul thing. Not something you'd want to relinquish lightly. Ian D

Yep, he does Ernie. I forgot myself... You old trainspotter! Ian D

Agreed. We used to make the pilgrimage from Leeds/Bradford/Huddersfield regularly. I always remember 'Evy' (?) doing his very idiosyncratic but undoubtably effective dance there........ Ian and Colin wasn't it? I also used to meet Brian '45' Phillips over there for convenience. It was a great night when I picked up both Little Eddie Taylor and the Malibus right before a busy weekend! Ian D

Audis are easily replaceable. Billy Woods, not so easy...... Ian D

LOL, I used to dread it if you or Kegsy got to Bradford Market before me. That would wreck my entire day. If I knew that you'd been there before me, I'd just abort and go to Leeds or Wakefield market instead. I was dead impressed that you found a promo of the Velvets there! And now I'm wondering what else you may have turned up, since you were around long before me. In fact, I think you were at my first ever Northern gig @ Bradford Polish Club on a Sunday night I seem to recall. I'm sure you tried to get my UK Art Freeman off me LOL...... I've explained the whole beauty of Bostocks in Bradford Market on previous threads on here, but if you have any memories of some of the stuff you turned up over the years, I'm sure it would be of interest to the readers of this thread... It's great that you're on here mate! I'm just re-living the time when I almost killed everyone and almost wrote the car off when I asked Bob from Bradford to grab the wheel whilst doing 90mph on the M62 coming back from Sale Mecca early on a Friday morning.....it's literally the first time I've thought of that since. I'm pretty sure that you and Kegsy were in the car 'cos I also heard Clyde McPhatter's "Please Give Me One More Chance" and The Ebony's "I'm So Glad I'm Me" both for the first time off a tape that you whacked in the cassette player at the time...... I'm pretty sure that happened didn't it LOL.......? Always good to confirm great memories with people who were there at the time just for confirmation purposes 'cos that whole period was like a dream......! Ian D

I bet that bloody Gary Fields got it didn't he? That guy always strolled into the Central with something I wanted LOL..... Ian D

Well it would if I could remember the 2nd occasion LOL..... Mind you, I had enough other major rarities at the time - Carstairs, Tomangoes, Four Perfections, Detroit Executives, Joe Mathews, Frank Beverly, Lenny Curtis etc, etc but it was always a regret that I never nailed a Billy Woods or a Mel Britt 'cos they were both so up my street....... So don't make it worse or I'll remind you about writing off your car in Sheffield two weeks ago, OK? How was Amsterdam? Ian D

How much was it? Bet it wasn't £3.00 anymore was it? Ian D

LOL, this guy's relentless! You're in the wrong business James. Have you ever thought about being a sleuth or maybe an insurance investigator? Have you actually MET Levine? He's far scarier in real life. You should get together for one of his legendary meals @ Bibendum and shoot the breeze for a while 'cos you've got so much in common.............. Ian D

Thanks for reminding me pal! For £3.00 as well. It was over the phone, I'd never heard the record, "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" on Verve was on EVERY Northern market stall for 25p and just couldn't visualise a RARE Sussex record after wading through 1000's of Bill Withers, Creative Source and Gallery 45's everywhere I went. Plus John did everything in his power to sell me it to me but I was kinda stubborn in those days and just refused to believe that it wouldn't turn up in quantity. Boy, was I ever wrong. Had one in my hand the other week as well, as mint as mint can be but it wasn't for sale unfortunately. A PHENOMENAL record - one of the greatest Van McCoy songs and productions ever IMO. One of the few wrong moves I ever made to my everlasting regret! Ian D

OK, last call for these two superlative limited-edition 7" releases from Canada. Both of 'em are superb - you've probably heard them over the last week or two, so if anyone's interested then PM me...... Best, Ian D

Agreed Steve. I've seen Ian clear the floor a few times too - "Soul Improvisations" at Wigan I seem to remember, even though it's the greatest instrumental ever. If you're breaking 'never heard before records' you have to take risks otherwise you'd become mundane and safe. Most new Northern records clear the floor a few times until they get heard and Ian knows that. I don't think him and Sam get on though LOL........ Ian D

Hey, I LIKE seeing James's views generally, but as I said, I think he's over-egging this particular campaign to the point of some kind of psychological obsession which doesn't look too healthy for one so young. The two of 'em could keep a shrink in business for the next 10 years if you ask me LOL....... Just part of the rich tapestry of this scene............ Ian D

Huh? You're talking about some of the rarest records known to man. The same records are commanding sky-high prices still because they're incredibly RARE. They were rare 35 years ago and they're rare now. Surely you know that dontcha? Ian D

No, but it helps! Ian D

I stand corrected Motherfunk. I've just been bombarded with PM's on this point, for example, quote:- "James Trouble DIDN'T 'discover' the Kings Go Forth 45...in fact his screaming at Ian Wright as to why he wasn't told about it 2 months after just about everyone else 'discovered' it is testament to that. There seems to be a common idea that he 'discovered' this record...by the time he got to it, we'd all played it to death!" Etc, etc. I didn't actually say he discovered it if you re-read the statement but I guess I used that example because James championed the record. Phew. Gotta be on yer toes these days havencha.......! Ian D

I think you're over-egging the situation James. I actually quite like your 'angry young man' stance and I think you're a much-needed shot in the arm for the Northern Soul scene plus I love your gigs @ Soul Revolution but saying that records like Rose Battiste, Frank Beverly, Bobby Garrett, Lada Edmond Jr, The Detroit Executives, Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie, The Carstairs, Lee David, Sons Of Moses, Salvadors, Robbie Lawson, Jimmy Mack, Ila Van, Jodi Mathis, Earl Wright, Roy Hamilton, Sweet Things, George Blackwell, Don Gardner, Velvet Satins, Epitome Of Sound, Mike Post, Bob Relf, Tony Middleton,Fuller Brothers, Len Jewell, The Anderson Brothers, Maurice Williams, Jimmy Raye, Earl Jackson, Sam Ward, Bobby Hebb, Tobi Legend, Rosey Jones, Just Brothers, Billy Woods, George Clinton, Tony Clarke, Eula Cooper, Marvin Holmes, The Modern Redcaps, Harold Melvin, Tony Clarke etc, etc are irrelevent to your interest strikes me as being a bit disingenious to say the least. I heard a couple of 'em at the last Soul Revolution for a start so they're hardly irrelevent in your world mate..... Much as I like your attitude, you'll have to do better than Kings Go Forth then to constantly try and belittle someone who discovered a list like the above. They're the rock-solid foundation of Northern Soul make no mistake. If you can match the above in terms of sheer scale of magnificence in your set @ Essex I'll be dead impressed. I'm looking for first play discoveries here, OK? No point in baiting Levine. Waste of youthfull energy IMO. Levine is bulletproof in terms in terms of insults and concerted campaigns against him because he's had 40 years of experience in deflecting 'em LOL. He's had the 'spoilt kid' jibes, the 'fat kid' jibes, the 'gay kid' jibes, the 'crap productions' jibes and the 'arrogant twat' vibes and seems impervious to all of 'em. The funniest thing is in all my years on the scene, is that the only person who matches Ian Levine's level of self-righteousness and arrogance is YOU James! Peas from the same pod? Do you wear white-socks? How do you find your recent fascination with 'Dr Who'? I think we should be told. Ian D

Now there's a name from the past! Hi Andy, hope you're well mate! You and Kegsy both joined SS in the same month, so the Bradford old firm is back! Ian D

It's pointless playing CD's @ Northern venues because the stylus just seems to slip across the CD....... Ian D

Yep, pretty damn good. Helluva voice and nice production...... Ian D

"Baby Boy" and "A Love Reputation" were both 60's recordings and "Keep On Keeping On" was a 70's recording which sounded 60's. I can't see any similarities to the Carstairs/Montclairs both of which sound archetypical early 70's and much more sophisticated arrangements and recordings to my ears........ Ian D

For sure Bri, you can never say never really. But generally you'd get to know if somone slightly outside of the scene had a rare record, a couple of examples being Dave Godin's "Your Autumn Of Tomorrow", John Abbey's "Seven Day Lover" and a Welsh Detroit collector's "Spellbound" (sorry forgotten his name but apparently he had Tamiko first)....... I've certainly bumped into a couple of none-scene people who've had big records in their collections without knowing it..... Ian D

First heard it @ The Mecca when Dave Godin brought his copy along I believe........ Ian D