Ian Dewhirst

Ian, what will the RRP (if there is such a thing anymore) for this 2fer CD (Amazon charged me £11 for it) ??

There's no such thing anymore Roburt. We can't dictate to Amazon, HMV, the exporters and the indies what profit margin they make on our releases. So it's like the wild west out there price wise.

Our DP (Dealer Price) is £6.50. One hopes that it'll be a tenner on the shelves but the whole pricing thing is going through something of a revolution at the moment as there's a pricing battle between Amazon and HMV, so prices can change overnight. It's a bit like Soul Source every week right after the Manship auction!

I noticed that Amazon have just dropped the price to £9.37.....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=holy+spirit

....which is really the area that I wanted it to sell for, so I guess HMV should price @ £9.99 or thereabouts. It's really difficult to predict anything at the moment. My recent 4 x Disco Discharge releases which have have a £4.86 DP were in HMV @ £14.00 which was far too expensive in my opinion and on Amazon for under a tenner which was about right. 'Philadelphia International: The 40th Anniversary Box Set' was priced at lip-smaking £42 on Amazon and £45 in HMV which again, is about right.

However Harmless CD releases always increase in value and then leap in price once a title gets deleted, as Discogs, E-Bay and Amazon confirm. I'm still hunting for a couple of early Harmless releases from the 90's which I don't have but annoyingly they're too expensive for my tight pockets these days!

So the moral is: "shop around" as Smokey advised all those years ago.........

Ian D

Hello again, Ian.

It's a difficult situation.

Some songs could be classed as covers but others are adaptations and would fall into a similar category as sampling (but with regard to the songs rather than recordings).

If it's a simple and minimal rewording I would credit the original song and writers / publishers but if there are many new lyrics (or any musical changes) the work should be split into portions but deciding the portions is negotiable and that's the responsibility of the original publishers.

Another problem is that some of the people who did the adaptations aren't around and some didn't registered their "new works" so it's an impossible task.

You've done the right thing by investigating the songs. So, rather than have any delays, you should issue the album as it is (with credits from the US issues) and leave it to publishers to sort out any conflicts later. MCPS can always redistribute mechanical royalties if any claims are adjusted.

Paul

Yep, I figured you'd say that. On some of them I checked via BMI and Ascap and still couldn't find 'em! Still I've reaped as much as I can from the various databases and googling, so hopefully it's as spot-on as it can be. Many thanks for your help on this.

Cheers,

Ian

Cheers for taking the time for getting it right, mate.......definitely excited to see how the CD's sound given all the work gone into the mastering!

BTW.....How's the 45 coming along?

It was well worth it Greg. I don't anyone will have heard 'em this good before - especially if they're used to Jewel pressings!

Right. Starting on the 45 today..........phew I don't have much time to breath these days LOL....

Promos going out to radio, press and online today so expect some great Gospel coverage over the next few weeks!

Ian D

OK, I'm currently going through the THIRD set of masters of this album.

The mastering budget has doubled over the last 2 weeks but I think it's 100% worth it. Some serious restoration work has been performed to bring these recordings up to 2012 scratch. These recordings have never sounded so good. Sensational listening for someone like me who has never bothered investigating this area before. It sure has touched a chord with me and I'm blessed to be involved with this release - the diametric opposite of the PIR stuff but so, so down home deadly. A serious album.If you love Soul of course.

That's the beauty of this scene. You never stop learning and it's always pretty great!

Ian D

sorry ian, thought i had it but unfortunately not, somebody out there will almost certainly be able to help you out. just checked the 2005 cd comp of dee dee sharp, 24 track but not there and neither is comin home baby which i find strange.

It makes perfect sense I guess, but I just never heard it. How was it found and where did it come from out of curiosity?

Ian D

that seems odd ian, especially as he later married dee dee sharp,who, as you know, also cut an unreleased version of the record and still to this day has never seen a cd or vinyl release....perhaps he ACTUALLY wrote it for ms. sharp prior to their relationship?,but it didnt work out, so they gave it to doris?.

Actually I didn't know that Dee Dee did do a version of "I'll Do Anything". I missed that completely. However, in the whirlwind of the day of that particular interview, I do recall Kenny holding and really studying Richard Searling's UK Cameo-Parkway promo of Doris Troy, looking at his own name on the credits and shaking his head trying to remember that session......

...but now that you've mentioned Dee Dee's version it's making me wonder whether the competing Dee Dee/Doris versions of the tune may have caused him some anguish at the time, considering one of the versions was his wife's LOL. I'd love to hear Dee Dee's version, mainly in order to question why it was never released. I LOVE the Doris Troy version to bits - it was one of the key records that welcomed my arrival to Northern Soul, but I like it mainly for the production and arrangement rather than Doris's vocals to be honest.

The good thing is that now we have close dialogue with Kenny and Leon and this whole current campaign around their work is spurring them to reach deeper into their memories to try and remember these instances. I'm pretty sure that PIR have plans to document all this stuff so it really is an ongoing process. I'd like to think that the UK's faithful and passionate audience has provided a massive amount of momentum to the process!

Ian D

for a convoluted affair, it is about informative, enlightening and refreshing as it gets!, the knowledge kenny displays, rolls off his tongue like the slick philadelphian production line that was...a thoroughly entertaining and invocative slice of nostalgia...congratulations to all concerned.

Thanks! Also I think it's only fair to point out that this interview was the fourth one that day, if my memory serves me correctly. Kenny was earlier grilled by Andy Peebles @ Smooth, then Trevor Nelson @ Radio 1, then Richard Searling for a further 2 hours before Ralph got his slot. After Ralph there were a further two interviews with Mojo and Blues & Soul. Kenny worked his ass off from 10.00am through to 8.00pm but probably remembered a ton of stuff he'd previously forgotten by the end of the half day of PR in France and 2 days of PR in the UK. I'm incredibly grateful that Kenny was gracious enough to give us his time. He also told me that he was knocked out by the level of knowledge and respect for his work in the UK which we could all see really moved him.

His support for this campaign has been fantastic and I'm incredibly grateful that we got the chance to get to know him better. He told me he was so busy from the mid 60's to the end of the 80's that he never had time to experience the cultural effect that Philadelphia International had across the world because he was always in the studio keeping the machine rolling. A true gentleman and icon.

I still find it incredible that he couldn't remember anything about writing and co-producing Doris Troy's "I'll Do Anything" though!

Ian D

Bugga, I bought a copy of the CD on Amazon earlier today & only just noticed that I have to wait about 3 weeks before I get my copy !!

"Good Things Come To Those Who Wait" in the immortal words of Chuck Jackson......

Ian D

....... RE: We could have done with that for the booklet Roburt!

Ian, You only had to ask & a decent definition copy would have been yours.

I 'collect' stuff like that and at present am assisting Emily Gibson of the Black Archives in Miami stage a show about the entertainment scene in Overtown (Colored Town), Miami back in the 1950's / 60's / 70's.

Cool, we'll save it for Vol 2! Cheers Roburt!

Ian D

Stan's home base ..........

He specialized in BLACK GOSPEL !!!!!

We could have done with that for the booklet Roburt!

Ian D

I noted this in another thread, but although it has no credits on the record, BPS Revolution brotherly love is a straight soundalike cover of the main ingredient.

Yeah, I've actually had to run the publishing credits by Paul Mooney since many of the original labels neither had songwriting credits or even publishers on. There's obvious covers of "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right)", "I'm Glad Your Mine", "I'll Take You There" but the publishing credits are anything but easy. The Main Ingredient song is a good case in point. Hopefully we'll have 'em straightened out by the time of release..........

Ian D

Thanks for posting this, Ian.......great to see it's almost ready for release!

A really great project to have been part of, mate!

It surprised the hell out of me Greg. I had no idea there were so many great Gospel/Funky cuts on Jewel until Dave bent my ear. The package is looking great by the way. I should have finished artwork today touch wood so I'll make sure you see it before it goes off.......

Ian D

Here is the Metro write up.

One for Regional's files.....

Did you do that from an i-phone Steve?

Ian D

Quite surprised to see a positive review of this in the Metro news paper this morning

And the Lee Fields and Wendy Rene album too. There's a Soul fan @ the Metro obviously.....

Ian D

For those who are interested, I'll be doing a mini-tribute to Jimmy Ellis LIVE on the show today.......

This week we're featuring an Original Mastercuts tribute to the late great Jimmy Ellis - one of my favourite vocalists of all time from one of my favourite groups of all time. So expect a few Trammps tracks OK?

Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 18th March 2012 on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com.

Featuring......

The Trammps * Tortured Soul * Mascara feat Luther Vandross * The Blackbyrds * Raydio * George Benson * Eon * Anthony White feat Millie Jackson * The Trammps * Ronnie Walker * Barbara Acklin * Leon Haywood * Cecil Parker * Jimmy James * Al Johnson & Jean Carn * Kool & The Gang * Stephanie Mills * The Trammps

See you @ 2.00-4.00pm!

Ian D

Damn, damn, damn. My favourite group vocalist of all time from my favourite group of all time. Jimmy Ellis really was a huge part of the soundtrack of my whole life. I was lucky enough to play a couple of gigs with 'em - Cleethorpes Pier in the mid 70's and Baltic Soul last year plus I've been re-listening to their entire catalogue again just lately with several of Jimmy's vocals on the recent Philadelphia International releases, so this is a real shock.

EVERYONE knew Jimmy's voice. Who hasn't heard 'Disco Inferno' in their lives? Now there's a f*ckin' vocal!

RIP Jimmy.

Ian D

And I gave him Ian's number...

"Send your demo tape to Ian," I suggested. "I think he might be in the market for a bland record."

But Ian turned him down too... I was quite impressed.

Paul

Funnily enough I was the first person to put out an R. Kelly record out in the UK - "She's Got That Vibe" on New Jack Swing Mastercuts back in '91. Blimey that 21 years went quick..........

Ian D

And as for Mr Dewhirst & Mr Mooney, don't you wish it was on your labels boys :0)

Actually I love it Martin. It's a perfect insomnia cure. I put it on every night when I'm ready to turn in and I'm guaranteed to be asleep before the end of the track...............

Ian D

Sorry, very pedestrian to these ears.....

Ian D

Reports just coming in that Don Cornelius has been found dead at his apartment from a gunshot wound. Early reports are suggesting suicide......

https://www.hollywood...ul-train-286390

Ian D

Excellent site Dave. My first port of call whenever I'm researching these areas. Please keep up the brilliant work!

Ian D

August Bank Holiday 28/08/11 - ORIGINAL MASTERCUTS Ashford & Simpson Special Tribute Show!

Following the sad news of Nicholas Ashford’s passing away last week, we’re doing an ORIGINAL MASTERCUTS Ashford & Simpson bank holiday special which will feature two hours of wonderful music from the last 4 decades, all of which involved Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson in different capacities, whether as solo and duet artists or writers, producers and arrangers. It’s a breath-taking look at a pair of careers that stretched from the mid 60’s to February 2011. The fact that Val Simpson met Nick Ashford on a park bench when he was down and out in New York simply adds to the mythology of two of the greatest songwriters of all time.

I had the pleasure working with Val & Nick in the early 80’s when I promoted “Solid” for Capitol/EMI and watched it become a smash in the UK. I hooked up with them again in 2007 when I interviewed them before their last UK gig at the Luxury Soul Weekender in Birmingham and, as always, it was a pleasure. Val was very prim and proper, sat very gracefully and formally in a table chair and allowed me to commence the interview. Nick was sprawled out on the sofa with legs akimbo and a huge grin on his face. He laughed like a hyena throughout the interview, especially when I asked Val what inspired the lyrics to “Let’s Go Get Stoned”, their first bona fide hit with Ray Charles. I’m trying to dig the interview out because it was great so I’ll post up when I get my hands on it! RIP Nick!

Anyway, this show will be a perfect soundtrack to a bank holiday weekend, so if you’re around then try and join me and the rest of the gang this Sunday afternoon LIVE for 2 hours of pure Soul pleasure!

Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 28th August 2011 on everyone’s favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com.

Featuring……

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell * Diana Ross * Ashford & Simpson * Terry Lavell * The Braxtons * Ashford & Simpson * Marlena Shaw * Garland Green * Valerie & Nick * Marvin Gaye * The Marvelettes * The Four Tops * Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell * Collins & Collins * Ace Spectrum * Teddy Pendergrass * Valerie Simpson * Diana Ross * 6th Borough Project * Ashford & Simpson

Ian D

Will be posting up a 4 hour interview with Tom which was done last Saturday night on New York's Disco 935 show with Jay Negron.........should have the links shortly.....

Ian D

OK, thanks to one of our American true believers, Jay Negron, we have an American type promo Radio interveiw clip with snippets from Philly Re-Grooved Vol 2..........

Ian D

Wow. That was quick! Straight in @ No.5 on the Amazon pre-release compilation chart @ 9.00am this morning. The master's still got it!

Ian D