Ian Dewhirst

And it's now No.84 in the Main Amazon rankings:- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 84 in Music (See Top 100 in Music) #1 in Music > R&B and Soul > Soul #3 in Music > Pop > Pop R&B #11 in Music > Box Sets Looks like we're off and running now! Ian D

The CD's just hit No.1 and the Vinyl Box No.4 on the Amazon Soul Chart and we're not out for 7 weeks yet! Good awareness already! https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/music/761124/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_m_h__1_3_last Ian D

Salvadors? Freddie Chavez? Lou Pride? Or did I somehow miss 'em? Ian D

Well, the story so far. This was only fully listed within the last 72 hours. My boss just texted me to ask if I'd seen the Amazon rankings tonight. Surprisingly I hadn't..... Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 221 in Music (See Top 100 in Music) #2 in Music > R&B and Soul > Motown #2 in Music > Vinyl > Vinyl Album #6 in Music > R&B and Soul > Soul That's pretty damn amazing for a £90.00 box set. Looks like Steve was right. We under-estimated demand. Maybe my over-optimistic prediction wasn't optimistic enough! Where are we going with this? Any predictions? Ian D

Steve, I was joking mate. Lighten up. The point I was trying to make is that the film and the associated releases have not specifically been aimed at our age group (who don't generally venture to the cinema anyway). Your comments and observations were noted and , as I said, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. No film-maker is ever going to please everybody and everybody's individual recollections and perceptions. It's impossible. But from what I've already seen of this film, no one else has come anywhere near the quality of this in my opinion. But let's wait till you see it OK? And cheer up! Ian D

Steve, that was 45 years ago and times were very very different mate. There will never be such a golden period of numerous great discoveries ever again in my view. Today's audiences find 'em in a totally different way. They're not gonna spend the next 30 years looking for Tomangoes originals like us lot did, don't worry. Today's audiences demand instant gratification that's just a click away and my job is to give it to 'em in the best way I can. And they won't get a much better introduction in 2014 than this in my view. Ian D

Oh, before I forget, please bear in mind that CD1 is the Soundtrack and CD2 is Further Inspiration from Elaine Constantine. We suggested her doing a bonus CD of other records that have influenced her and I'm glad we did! 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 (I'd Rather Be Lonely) - 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 Compiled and Sequenced With Love by Elaine Constantine DVD: Actor James Lance interviews Elaine Constantine — director of ‘Northern Soul’ + an early Richard Searling interview with Elaine Constantine + Audio Extras Ian D

Anything else you want to add Steve? I'll send your recommendations to the guys @ Universal Pictures just so they know what they're getting into! Glad you're feeling better. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Ian D

Hey, if 'Northern Soul' does "Trainspotting" type numbers, I'll put in some real bombers LOL... Ian D

I would LOVE to see a whole bunch of youngsters getting off on the film and then getting into vinyl with this set. I wish someone had provided a set of records like this when I was 15 and looking for a purpose in life! The 15 year old Steve would've too lol. You have to be conservative with sales predictions these days because the physical market is very fickle. Also I have access to the sales figures for just about everything so I know what the benchmarks are for the UK and have a pretty good idea on exports too. But you're right. I think this could do incredibly well if all goes well. However, as my boss keeps telling me, "gut feeling's not enough Ian. Just the facts please"! How long is a piece of string.......? Ian D

That's probably the nicest thing that anyone's ever said about me Jocko! Thankyou. I work like a demon for a company called Demon and now I know why they got the name! These days I work around 300% harder then I ever have, for approximately 75% of what I used to earn, whilst paying out 35% more in overheads than I did in 2009. If that's not a recipe for looming disaster then I don't know what is. I'll swap you some freelance work for some sound financial advice. How does that sound? Ian D

I'd prefer it if you didn't give-away our Northern Soul toys campaign for the pre Xmas market! Ian D

We could hardly not do a vinyl collection for a film that's based on the beauty of the 7" single could we Steve? Also we're assuming that a lot of people may not have the £35,270 to buy the originals, yet may still want to listen to them on vinyl. Also there'll be plenty of people who'll want an authentic and legal set of 45s to celebrate the film to say nothing of the international audiences as these are cleared for the world. Let's put it this way - if you were a kid starting out on a journey to discover this music can you think of a better starting point? Ian D

Interesting. The 'buy' button came on around 6 hours ago so already a lot of interest via Amazon..... Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,443 in Music (See Top 100 in Music) #11 in Music > R&B and Soul > Motown #31 in Music > R&B and Soul > Soul #34 in Music > Vinyl > Vinyl Album But how do you gauge potential demand? Richard's Motown 7" Vinyl Box Sets are probably the best thing to measure by thus far. But that's killer in-demand unreleased Motown with a built-in specialist audience. But, all 28 of these tracks are bonafide tested Northern classics with the benefit of an incredible film coming up and all the attendant PR and ballyhoo etc, etc. Killer package. Who wouldn't want one? So how many exports? How much indie demand in the UK? Will it translate to Japan? What about the U.S.A. with the Numero audience? Will the film get a pan European release and, if so, where? You know, very similar questions to when we're assessing a record's value, but just a different scale. Ian D

It's always difficult to gauge something like this. It's expensive to manufacture so the bean counters are very very careful. I suggested at least 2K (I'm always optimistic) but it looks like a 1.5 initial run with 1K spare parts. I don't think that's enough personally but, hey, what do I know? Ian D

Absolutely Mikey. Will be available from all good record stores as they say. Additionally I think that Amazon price will zonk right down shortly. A tremendous reaction after only a few hours, so all looking good! Ian D

OK, folks, the vinyl edition is all good to go on Amazon now:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-Soul-Soundtrack-Vinyl-VINYL/dp/B00LJWCGO6/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1406040730&sr=1-2&keywords=northern+soul+the+film Ian

Not really. We had problems maintaining contact with the German copyright holders so it just fell through eventually...... Ian

Agreed. There's never any problems with Ace/Kent masters! Ian

Hi Andrew, We're just waiting for the magical 'buy' button and the track-list to appear and then it'll be all systems go. I'm pretty sure that the film will have been filmed in the highest quality possible and likewise the sound. In the meantime here's the info on the 7" Vinyl Box Set:- In one of the most anticipated releases of the year, Harmless are proud to announce that we will be issuing the soundtrack to the forthcoming film, “Northern Soul” directed by Elaine Constantine. Early viewings confirm that “Northern Soul” will be the most accurate portrayal yet of this legendary musical movement which started in the north of England in the late 1960s and has now spread around the world and become a huge international scene. The film is due to launch in the UK in October 2014 and there will be considerable mainstream media coverage following the recent TV coverage via The One Show on BBC1 and the Culture Show on BBC2. Since 7” vinyl remains at the epicenter of this 46 year old scene with the original records still establishing world-record prices in collecting circles, we felt duty bound to issue a very special edition of the soundtrack on 7” vinyl. We’ve specially licensed all the Northern Soul tracks from the soundtrack plus one bonus track for 14 x 7” discs, all in pic-sleeves featuring key scenes from the film, together with a specially commissioned 60 page hardback-bound book of carefully selected film stills which has been painstakingly edited and re-touched by Elaine Constantine, the director of ‘Northern Soul’. A perfect collector’s item from what will be one of the most distinctive films of recent times. So, that’s 14 x unique 7”vinyl singles and a 60 page hardback book collection of unique stills from a unique film all housed in a solid collectors heavy-duty box. To be treasured forever. Needless to say, these 14 discs present 28 of the greatest Northern Soul classics of all-time, many of which are making their UK release for the very first time. Every one of these tracks has been a floor-filler on the Northern Soul scene throughout its history and many of the original U.S. releases still command a huge value. In fact the cumulative value of all the original pressings in the set comes to an astounding £35,260 (as valued by John Manship in July 2014). This will be Harmless’ key release throughout 2014 and for those enthusiasts who like to smell the vinyl, well here it is! A ‘must-have’ purchase for anyone who is interested in British musical culture, U.S. soul music and collecting serious Northern Soul music on its original vinyl format! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-Soul-Soundtrack-Vinyl-VINYL/dp/B00LJWCGO6/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1406040730&sr=1-2&keywords=northern+soul+the+film HURTBOX007 Northern Soul: The Film: 14 x 7” Box Set — Track Listing Disc 1 A1. The Right Track 2.28 - Billy Butler B1. Back Street 2.48 - Edwin Starr Disc 2 A1. Soul Time 2.39 - Shirley Ellis B1. I Got To Find Me Somebody 2.22 - The Vel-Vets Disc 3 A1. If This Is Love (I’d Rather Be Lonely) 2.45 - The Precisions B1. Seven Day Lover 3.08 - James Fountain Disc 4 A1. You Don’t Mean It 2.59 - Towanda Barnes B1. The Night 3.23 - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Disc 5 A1. I’m Com’un Home In The Morn’un 3.27 - Lou Pride B1. (Just Say) You’re Wanted And Needed 2.38 - Gwen Owens Disc 6 A1. They’ll Never Know Why 2.52 - Freddy Chavez B1. Tear Stained Face 2.27 - Don Varner Disc 7 A1. Crying Over You 2.17 - Duke Browner B1. Exus Trek 2.39 - Luther Ingram Disc 8 A1. Too Late 2.22 - Larry Williams & Johnny Watson B1. Your Autumn Of Tomorrow 2.26 - The Crow Disc 9 A1. I’m Gone 2.42 - Eddie Parker B1. I Really Love You 2.06 - The Tomangoes Disc 10 A1. This Love Starved Heart Of Mine (It’s Killing Me) 2.43 - Marvin Gaye B1. Stick By Me Baby 2.20 - The Salvadors Disc 11 A1. Time 3.00 - Edwin Starr B1. Come On Train 3.16 - Don Thomas Disc 12 A1. Lonely For You Baby 2.46 - Sam Dees B1. Gone With The Wind Is My Love 3.05 - Rita & The Tiaras Disc 13 A1. Suspicion 3.04 - The Originals B1. Turning My Heartbeat Up 2.16 - The MVP’s Disc 14 A1. Time Will Pass You By 2.16 - Tobi Legend B1. I Surrender 2.06 - Eddie Holman Ian D

It's generally down to whether we are supplied with masters from the original tapes or not. We always re-master everything anyway so there should be no issues on quality touch wood. In the event that we analyse a master we've had sent and find it's been a vinyl dub (an increasingly common practice these days), then we'll source as mint an original as we can find and re-master and re-build where necessary. I'll be checking the masters on CD2 of this, this week actually so fingers crossed! Ian D

Massive at the Mecca and Cleethorpes Pete. Right up there with the biggies. Ian D

Kenny Smith "Lord What's Happening To Your People" Ian D

Haha LOL. Tremendous answers. However, I'm not sure that that being a man of mystery with a nicked paper boy's bag ticks all the boxes. Half the point of wielding a big bag of albums and 12"'s is the subliminal message that you're carrying records, therefore must be a DJ, therefore must be cool and therefore women will want you and men will want to be you.....no point in disguising the records with a unfeasible bag..... Ian D

Trolleys are just much more practical for Albums & 12"s these days. I can't believe that I used to lug 2 x 200 count crates of 12" vinyl to every gig 10 years ago. These days I choose carefully and select the 50 that I wanna play. Same with 7"'s. I used to take a 400 count box minimum. I've now whittled that down to a 200 count box which fits in a suitcase. Naturally I also have my portable hard-drive with another 200,000 tunes as backup. Ian D