Ian Dewhirst

Oh, I don't know about that. I'm pretty partial to the Average White Band. So many 70's classics to their name and some wonderful stuff - "Queen Of My Soul", "A Love Of Your Own", "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", "Atlantic Avenue" are all great records to me. Very popular in the U.S. but they hardly had any hits over here. In fact, I'm looking forward to listening through their stuff again. Managed to blag one, so I'll report back in a few months when I've digested it all. I also like Chairmen Of The Board for mainly nostalgic reasons - "Everything's Tuesday" and "I'm On My Way To A Better Place" especially. But I should point out that I'm posting these up for a colleague who asked me nicely if I could post 'em up. I had nought to do with these personally. Ian D

These could be of interest to Soul Source readers... Average White Band - All The Pieces — The Complete Studio Recordings 1971-2003 https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Pieces-Complete-Recordings-1973-2003/dp/B00KJJSFU4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1403703126&sr=1-1&keywords=average+white+band Average White Band are widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands. Although probably best known for their global hit, the US #1 single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, this extensive anthology delves back into their musical history, from the early sessions in 1971, right up to the most recent studio album released this millennium. ‘All The Pieces…’ features the band’s entire catalogue of recorded material on a 19CD box set, which includes all of the original studio albums (and ‘spoilers’ ‘Put It Where You Want It’ and ‘Volume VIII’) in mini-vinyl replica wallets, alternate versions and selected mixes, in this 172-track collection. The box set includes the collectable re-packaged debut album ‘Show Your Hand’ — ‘Put It Where You Want It’ — whilst ‘Person To Person’ is packaged as a 2 disc gatefold wallet — to reflect the original 2LP set, ‘Feel No Fret’ is packaged as a gatefold release. The bonus CDs wallet artwork has been created by the legendary John Pasche. AWB’s repertoire has been a source of inspiration for many R&B acts, who have sampled their material and who cite AWB’s grooves as a major influence. The 52-page booklet includes an 11,000+ word liner note by US musicologist, Justin M. Kantor and includes recent historical recollections undertaken with Alan Gorrie and Hamish Stuart. Chairmen of the Board - The Complete Invictus Studio Recordings 1969-1978 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invictus-Recordings-1969-1978/dp/B00JYDGJG8/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1403703264&sr=1-3&keywords=chairman+of+the+board Motown’s legendary songwriting/production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, left the fold in 1967, to establish their own Invictus/Hot Wax group of labels. They had worldwide hits with their flagship act, Chairmen Of The Board, debuted the first album by Parliament, as well as scoring a UK #1 with Freda Payne’s ‘Band of Gold. Chairmen Of The Board were unusual at the time, with all the group members being featured vocalists in its line-up. This 9CD, 97-track anthology includes Chairmen Of The Board’s four studio albums for Invictus, as well as the Invictus solo albums released by General Johnson, Danny Woods and Harrison Kennedy. The two bonus discs include alternate versions, non-album singles and selected mixes, including two Tom Moulton remixes of their two biggest UK hits ‘Give Me Just A Little More Time’ and ‘(You’ve Got Me) Dangling On A String’, which were first released in 2014. The 36-page booklet includes a 6,500+ word liner note by Dean Rudland. Ian D

LOL, nothing like a hard-sell. Did anyone buy a signed copy and, if so, what was it? A re-press of some type presumably? Ian D

OK, that seems a good bet. Cheers Kev - I wanna get the (P) date right on the label copy as it's on the Northern Soul film soundtrack. Coincidentally, I got my original copy off you way back in '75 I think, but who did you get it off I wonder......? There were only 2 or 3 at that point I think....... Ian D

The clue is in the thread title Robb........ Ian D

What year was "I Really Love You" released? Feels like '67 but can anyone confirm? Thanks in advance... Ian D

OK Jocko. Good thinking! You book the flights and we'll go together and get it on film! I'll supply the box set. How does that sound? Ian D

LOL, Aretha Franklin's people just contacted the office asking for a copy of the HDH Box set 'cos Aretha read David Nathan's review and wants to hear it! Ian D

No, you're correct Andy. I stopped going to the Casino in '76, so I missed a lot of stuff that was played between then and when it closed. Did someone have an acetate of Marvin Gaye back then I wonder....? Ian D

The one with the white-rim around the label presumably? Ian D

Hi Jimmy, Most of 'em did (not sure about Marvin Gaye) including Mr Ms I guess:- CD1: Northern Soul: The Soundtrack Right Track - Billy Butler Back Street - Edwin Starr Soul Time - Shirley Ellis I Gotta Find Me Somebody - The Velvets If This Is Love - The Precisions Seven Day Lover - James Fountain You Don’t Mean It - Towanda Barnes The Night - Frankie Valli I’m Com’un Home In The Morn’un - Lou Pride (Just Say) You’re Wanted And Needed - Gwen Owens They’ll Never Know Why - Freddy Chavez Tear Stained Face - Don Varner Crying Over You - Duke Browner Exus Trek - Luther Ingram Too Late - Larry Williams & Johnny Watson Your Autumn Of Tomorrow - The Crow I’m Gone - Eddie Parker I Really Love You - The Tomangoes This Love Starved Heart Of Mine (It’s Killing Me) - Marvin Gaye Stick By Me Baby - The Salvadores Time - Edwin Starr Come On Train - Don Thomas Lonely For You Baby - Sam Dees Gone With The Wind Is My Love - Rita & The Tiaras Suspicion - The Originals Turning My Heartbeat Up - The MVP’s Time Will Pass You By - Tobi Legend CD2: Northern Soul: Further Inspiration from Elaine Constantine She’ll Come Running Back - Mel Britt Little Love Affair - Patrinell Staten You Don’t Love Me - Epitome Of Sound I Just Can’t Live My Life (Without You Babe) - Linda Jones What Good Am I Without You - Darrow Fletcher I Surrender - Eddie Holman I Don’t Like To Lose - The Group feat Cecil Washington In Love - Tony Galla I Was Born To Love You - Herbert Hunter I Really Love You - Jimmy Burns Blowing My Mind To Pieces - Bob Relf Please Stay - The Ivories The Chase Is On - Johnny Howard You Left Me - The Admirations Ain’t Gonna Run No More - The Royal Esquires Love Slave - The Antellects As Long As You Love Me (I’ll Stay) - Ronnie & Robyn My Lonely Feeling - Milton James Can You Win - Charlene & The Soul Serenaders This Won’t Change - Lester Tipton Love Factory - Eloise Laws Under Your Powerful Love - Joe Tex It Really Hurts Me Girl - The Carstairs Hung Up On Your Love - The Montclairs Baby Don’t You Weep - Edward Hamilton & The Arabians The Magic Touch - Melba Moore If You Ever Walked Out Of My Life - Dena Barnes Cheers, Ian D

I didn't know that either. That's some bass-line but I never knew the Crusaders were playing on Motown sessions that early. You learn something everyday.... Ian D

Pretty good for prime-time Sunday night on ITV. At least they're interviewing plenty of the original people - there's quite a few I haven't seen interviewed before. Beats the sh*t out of Big Brother that's for sure........ Ian D

Yes, I knew Lorraine and Steve from the CBS days in the 80s. I haven't seen Lorraine for a while but Steve is an independent promotion guy these days and does a lot of work with contemporary black music acts. I'm still involved in compilations for Harmless records, a division of Demon Music Group which is now part of BBC Worldwide. Have we met? Ian D

But what about the Japanese? I was over there in 1976 and tended to compete with those pesky Japanese diggers who seemed to be hitting the same places as me but taking everything! There's been a few occasions when I've walked in a shop, seen a Japanese guy with a big stack of interesting looking records and thought 'forget it'. I once had a tug of war with a Japanese guy over a Little Charles on Botanic at a great shop in Madison, Wisconsin. Ridiculous. I used to hate having to get up @ 4.00am for record fairs simply to be there at the same time as the Japanese guys with the the U-Haul trucks 'cos they would just buy everything and load it. That's why Dave Flynn consistently turns up good stuff in Japan. There's TONS of it over there believe me. So it wasn't just us Northern Soulers that were raping and pillaging your records Robb! Ian D

I guess what's interesting is trying to gauge roughly how many copies of a record are in the country and, hence, what constitutes 'rare'? Here's table I knocked up earlier:- Holy Grail - 1-2 copies Ultra Rare - 2-10 copies Super Rare - 10 - 30 copies Very Rare - 30 - 50 copies Rare - 50 - 100 copies Collectors Staple 100-500 copies All a bit of fun and totally subjective of course. I would have put Mel Britt in the 'Very Rare' category but, yikes, it appears that it could a dreaded 'Collectors Staple' which means that far too many people have it thus making it somewhat less desirable than "I'm Gone" which is a proper Ultra Rare. Can't be piddling around with a Mel Britt original anymore dammit. You could build a house with the amount of originals that are knocking around....... Ian D

It's always difficult to gauge. I can remember when there was just one copy of "Bari Track" and then 500 came in from nowhere and it wasn't rare anymore. I just never realized that Mel Britt was in that category. I thought there were maybe 30 Mel Britts and 15 Tomangoes in the UK if that, but I obviously under-estimated wildly by the looks of it........... Ian D

OK, I stand corrected. Didn't realise we got flooded with 'em. Sounds like there's a few hundred of 'em knocking around. Amazing..... Ian D

Well, I wasn't really around that much in the early 80's but still it's a shocker to me. I always had Mel Britt down as being a rarie...... Ian D

I disagree. I've never known either Mel Britt or the Tomangoes to be 'common'. I be surprised if Rob and Chris had boxes of Mel Britt originals. I never thought it was around in that kind of quantity....... Ian D

It's a killer of it's kind. Would have been HUGE in the Wigan era in a 4 Seasons/Paul Anka kinda way..... Ian D

Cheers Steve. We really do try and get these as right as possible under present day conditions. We've had a bit of stick because we couldn't always get hold of the original mono tapes, so in some cases we had to edit down a stereo or album version which is a pain but what else can you do? Master retreival and access are the biggest problems for me these days. All eras too. It's amazing how many masters are destroyed, unusable or have been dumped forever. But I'm happy with the HDH box set. Invaluable as a quick reference tool so always handy to have on the shelves! Ian D

Bugger. That means you'll be doing the soundtrack then....? Ian D

''fraid so Steve. It's part of a highly co-ordinated plan with the film guys, who all seem very committed to this film. Besides, Elaine was tinkering with CD2 (like Directors do lol) and in the process we managed to clear some more incredible tracks, some of which are getting their first ever legal UK release. Extremely positive vibes on this package from across the market, so all good. Will post up the new expanded Pacshots and updated track-listing and sequencing shortly! Ian D

Will post the updated track-listing of the soundtrack release tomorrow. It's a killer. Will be out on 15/09/2014 - 4 weeks before the film opens. All rockin' now.... Ian D