Amsterdam Russ

Good luck to them. Hope they make a success of it.

Congratulations to all involved. Everything about Shrine is the stuff of legends. 

3 hours ago, Solidsoul said:

It would be good to have a Northern Soul programme made for the people who are into it now and are part of the scene! About the records that are big now and who is playing them? What's happening in the record bar with prices etc? Who's doing the best dancing and where? Are there any new soul releases big on the scene, and other things that are relevant to the people who care!

Yes, would be great to have somewhere to get all those things - some sort of source for soul.

Oh, wait…

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Almost 10,000 comments in the 10 topics

Blimey. I had no idea! It just goes to show the popularity of the topics and the huge level of participation by so many people over the years. Long may that continue!

Yuletide cheer to Mike, the team, and to everyone else here on Soul Source.

May your days be merry and bright... 

A cracker! 

Nicely said, Mike. And a job well done, James. 

An excellent read. 

Flannel indeed...

13 minutes ago, Source said:

the hum ya get as soon as you press play

Never experienced that at all.

7 minutes ago, Leicester Boy said:

If vinyl is like eating chocolate, cassettes are eating chocolate with the silver paper still on.

As above, not in my experience.

56 minutes ago, Source said:

...do you still get that background hum?

Background hum? Can't say I've ever noticed a background hum when playing tapes - no matter what the tape player.

Cassettes never completely went away, did they? They just lost popularity over the years and, like vinyl did a decade ago or more, are now enjoying a resurgence of interest and increased sales - as a blog post from Discogs points out:

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Since 2015, the number of cassette releases added to the Discogs Database has increased almost every year. Part of this growth can be attributed to the number of new cassettes being released. Incredibly popular artists like Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift have all released their recent albums on cassette in addition to vinyl, CD, and digital formats. We’ve also seen a return to cassettes in underground music. Bands like Poison Ruïn have kept the DIY cassette alive by self-releasing their own recordings, while labels like Sacred Bones offer cassette versions of the latest Molchat Doma and John Carpenter albums. 

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The data also shows that older releases are being discovered or rediscovered as the amount of tapes listed for sale has grown significantly over the last several years. In 2020, over 600,600 cassettes were listed for sale on Discogs. This year [2021] still has a few months to go and we have already seen more than 1,000,000 cassette tapes listed for sale this year. 

Given the significant growth in interest, particularly among younger music fans, it makes sense that Ace should target the cassette sector. That said, while I still have a twin tape deck as part of my sound system, I very rarely use it, and thus won't be adding to my meagre collection of about 60-or-so aged cassettes.

https://blog.discogs.com/en/cassette-trend-popularity-sales-2021/

Good luck with it. I'm sure it'll sell very well.

Congratulations. That’s a remarkable achievement! 

Superb - and a long overdue new release from (Andy) Gillespie & Co. Ordered my copy already and really looking forward to putting what is a brilliantly funky soul-sister summer sound on the turntable. 

On the official Ernie Barnes website (he being the artist responsible for "Sugar shack"), it states that:

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“The Sugar Shack” has been known to art critics for embodying the style of art composition known as “Black Romantic,” which, according to Natalie Hopkinson of The Washington Post, is the “visual-art equivalent of the Chitlin’ circuit.”

That comment hardly seems to be given positively, and intrigued by it, I tracked down the original source of the quote. It comes from an article Hopkinson (who describes herself as "...a writer, scholar, and advocate for history, culture and the arts across the Black Diaspora.") wrote for The Washington Post in 2002, in which she reviewed an exhibition held in Harlem called "Black Romantic: The Figurative Impulse in Contemporary African-American Art".

Scathingly, she says of the exhibition:

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"The 86 works by 30 artists on view are part of the visual-art equivalent of the Chitlin Circuit. At their worst, they can be compared to plays that begin with the word "Mama." Man-hating romance novels starring black heroines with issues. The latest blaxploitation film redux starring John Witherspoon.

We encounter the low end of this kind of art at black expos, fairs and sidewalk vending stands, often featuring black Jesuses, Mandingo beefcakes, brown angels, Black Greek letter organizations, Malcolm/MLK/Huey and maps of Africa."

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/06/19/art-viewed-at-arms-length/038d76dd-e5ae-4fdb-ac94-02de4b950f73/

I suspect Godin's feelings towards both Sugar Shack and the photo used on the album by the Temptations align with Natalie Hopkinson's perspectives - albeit Godin's comments came some 18 years before the reviewer came up with her "Chitlin' circuit" analogy.

Godin, I suspect, perhaps felt that the artistic representations on both album covers were romanticised and backward looking expressions of Afro-Americans - their culture and music - at a time when Civil Rights struggles and the fight against societal and institutional racism were still very much painful daily realities (and the struggles continue, of course).

Perhaps that was very naive of him. At the same time, "class struggles" and societal change were very much a part of who he was, so perhaps he wanted to see images that were (to his mind) more progressive and more forward-looking in their portrayal of Afro-American people and their music, which he so much admired.

Regardless, here in 2022, I don't believe Godin's perspectives (as I've interpreted them) are widely accepted - as acknowledged by the price achieved by Sugar Shack. 

Looking forward to this.

Sure, music moves on - it evolves. And when it comes to 'soul', I don't feel I recognise it anymore. I really do feel completely disconnected from the genre today and in many respects find it as far removed from 'soul' as 'R&B' is from 'rhythm and blues'.

Also, in some respects the understanding and appreciation for soul music from the classic years is somewhat nostalgically challenged and even re-imagined. As the first-hand experiences of the people who lived 'soul' through the 60s and 70s die away, there only remains the second-hand experiences of the children of those parents.

To paraphrase Jackie Wilson, it's like Chinese whispers getting louder.

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You need to look the part ...

As per the comment above, what does that mean exactly? People need to know...

Take care,
Russ
 

Loving that Latin flip side!

Best wishes to one and all for a most festive Christmas. And here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy and harmonious New Year.

May your days be merry and bright...

I wish Lorraine all the best with her new single. Good luck with it.

22 minutes ago, Andybellwood said:

Russ , all very disheartening to read as the last thing myself  (and retailer/distributor Detour Records) want are any dissatisfied customers. The shipping date is visible before  committing  to pre ordering. 

Can you please pm me with your order details and I'm gladly arrange cancellation and a prompt refund for you from Detour Records.

The vinyl record supply chain issues are now becoming well known & have been documented  - I have referred to them on The Last Bastion website http://shop.detourrecords.co.uk/epages/es785745.mobile/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es785745/Categories/Last_Bastion_Records/Latest_News

For the Lou Pride 45 , the manufacturing plant order was placed many months ago and we had an October availability date which then slipped and slipped ...

February 2020 looks like being the worst case scenario and Detour Records and myself would rather under promise hence the February date advertised.

As to the 'Safari ' browser issue with the Detour Records sales site , not sure what the issue is as all payments are secure via PayPal.  Can you please contact Dizzy @ Detour so he can fully understand the issue and resolve.

Andy, I'm not after a refund. I'm just dissatisfied that so many small record labels continue to expect customers to buy on 'pre-order'. If X% can be pressed in advance, then get them all done - especially when pressing plants are so in demand and the run is only 300 copies. Given how difficult it is to get time with the pressing plants, not doing such a short run is an opportunity missed.

This 'pre-order' nonsense - from all the labels that operate in this way – shows buyers no respect. 

As for the Detour Records site and its lack of security, just pass on the word, please. Presuming the webmaster/hosting company involved know their stuff, they'll understand.

Again - great music, and looking forward to getting my order. However, the 'pre-order' business model – offered by so many small labels these days – sucks.

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

Pre order shouldn't be offered until production done and records on their way, its getting to be a bit silly now

And if 43 copies of a supposed 300 limited run have already been sold and are "flying out" to buyers ahead of that Feb 2022 date, why not just shift them now instead of making people wait for something like 120 days?

I do appreciate that for small labels the initial outlay can be considerable, and I likewise appreciate the huge effort that undoubtedly has gone into getting this release out there in the first instance (like so many other labels in these musically bountiful times), but please - all of you label owners out there reading this – don't keep take us for mugs.

Not wishing to divert the focus too far away from the music being offered - this unreleased and reworked version of that evergreen monster classic is a mighty fine thing!

Kudos to all involved.

20 hours ago, Andybellwood said:

Just had a message from distributors, Detour Records. Pre orders flying out. Only 43 of the 300  left. If you want one - be quick, no repress.  

Have placed my order, but your site states shipping is end of February 2022. Must admit I'm once more pissed off at yet another record label that takes cash off people, banks it, but won't deliver for ages - and in this case a ridiculous four months!

Oh, and the ordering part of your website flags up on the browser Safari as being unsecure - something you need to be aware of.