Amsterdam Russ

Morning, Kim! Nice to see an old bit of kit still working. I mean the decks, not you! Hope you managed to show all those youngsters a thing or two on the dance floor.

30-second TV slot here:

Full ad here courtesy of Levanna's own YouTube channel:

Ah, Peterborough and not Hinckley! Thanks for clarifying.

He also failed to turn up at a Hinckley allnighter c.1983. That would have been something like my 3rd nighter ever. I think Eddie Holman & Jr Walker were also on the bill. Perhaps someone can confirm or correct?

A photo of last night's sunset taken with my iPad.

Well explained, Nev, and I know exactly what you mean. Over here (the Netherlands specifically) there's none of that baggage. If it sounds good, the crowd, mainly made up of people who have no affiliation with this narrow thing called "Northern Soul" will lap it up. If it's good music, it speaks for itself and no one looks for it to have a Northern-sound-a-likey style. And Amen to whatever it is that converts paying punters into regulars.

From memory, I'm sure there's a thread on this from three or four years ago...

Which crowds? I guess you mean the set-in-their-ways 55-60 yr-olds that make up the crowds of the UK as opposed to the youthful, enthusiastic and open-minded crowds of mainland Europe.

Nice. It's got that "Hallelujah" feel to help the spirit move you.

The Age recording reached #20 in the Billboard R&B chart and #126 in the pop chart in 1963.

I wouldn't call 100+ missing packages bad luck, I'd call it an absolute nightmare. Still, got to agree that better communication with customers would have helped soothe them. At the same time It might even have helped alleviate some of the pressure a little. Got to feel for the guy regardless.

Terry Cole posted the following on the Colemine Facebook page earlier today: Happily for you, you won't have to deal with them again. <added> Guess it'd make sense to link to the Colemine FB page… here: https://www.facebook.com/Colemine45

It's quite incredible to contemplate how sometimes music touches the hearts and lives of so many people, not just at the time the music was created, but across generations, decades and continents. Billy, you're a man whose music has done exactly that. Sending you best wishes and positive thoughts from the Netherlands.

Great shot. Had no idea that Northern Soul hand/arm gestures had become so widespread.

I hear exactly what you're saying about the Jimmy Webb feel to the lyrics. That said, with the lack of sophistication they sound more Webb-wannabee than Webb himself. Rather than this being Chris Clark (?!), maybe whoever was in charge of the pen and the destiny of the recording at the time thought that this song demo might be worth sending in her direction.

Sky News has put parts of both songs side by side so that you can see the similarities - or not. https://news.sky.com/video/1442791/listen-blurred-lines-give-it-up Have to admit I'm struggling to hear any real sense of copying at all. It sounds like $7.3m worth of stupidity to me.

One thing I can say for sure, I've never tried to clean a record with a car windscreen washer!

Of course it does. If the quality of the paper used for the label is poor, avoid getting it wet. I make a judgement call every time and haven't ruined anything yet.

Read lots of positive comments about the stuff, but never used it. Not felt the need, but perhaps worth a go if I can find it or an equivalent here in the Netherlands.

Only if you're using too much washing up liquid and then not rinsing enough.

Likewise, a keen user of wood glue when a soapy sponge and water isn't effective.

The word you're looking for is "lint"

Prolonged water contact is a no-no, of course, but I quite happily rinse 45s - label and all - under the tap with no ill effect. Sometimes I'll even immerse them in a sink full of water, again with no damage. Vinyl or styrene, they're tough things 45s.

Get a clean washing up sponge and some washing up liquid. Run the tap so the water coming out is tepid. Add generous drops of washing up liquid to sponge. Soak sponge with tepid water so it's full of washing up foam. Wipe sponge (not the scourer side!) vigorously around both playing surfaces. Turn on tap so the tepid water runs cold. Put record under tap and wash off all the soapy bubbles. Pat down with kitchen roll on both sides & put somewhere it can dry. I place 45s on a wooden kitchen spoon which is secured in a horizontal position. It's perfect for air drying discs. Repeat as needed. If that doesn't improve a 45, you might want to think about the glue treatment.