Soul Do's (updated 20 October 2003)
I first became aware of Northern Soul whilst still attending school. I was introduced to Northern by my friend Shaun Ellery, who happened to be a mod at the time (come to think of it, he still regards himself as a mod now!). Before I knew what I was actually listening to, I had heard some northern tracks being played by the record store in the Flea Market down Carnaby Street, where I used to spend most Saturdays as a 15 year old Skinhead.
The first songs that I knew where tracks like: There's a ghost in my house by R Dean Taylor, out on the floor by Dobie Gray, What by Judy Street and Tainted Love by Gloria Jones. These seemed to be the tunes that my mod mates at school were listening to at the time. I got hooked more on Northern when I started to attend scooter do's and rallies, especially the Dolphin pub in Kingston on Wednesday evenings (The Dolphin is sadly no longer in existence). It was at the Dolphin that I heard tracks like, Interplay by Derek & Ray, Fortune Teller by Benny Spellman, If That's What You Wanted by Frank Beverly & The Butlers and (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet by The Reflections. These might not seem like classics to some of you, but at the time I thought they were great. About this time the soul albums from Kent records seemed to be just taking off and these led to new discoveries of previously unheard tracks.
I think the main turning point for me though was my first all-nighter at Tiffany's whilst at the national scooter run, Great Yarmouth 1985. If my memory serves me correct playing that night was the unforgettable Edwin Starr, just excellent! The atmosphere in the place was absolutely fantastic, being there with my mates and listening to top sounds and seeing Edwin perform, it was just brilliant. After this event I was hooked and even now I have northern playing in my car on the way to work. Some of my favourite tunes were played at the all-nighters on the runs, Right Track by Billy Butler, He's Coming Home by Beverly Ann, Suspicion by The Detroit Prophets and also The Night by Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons. The later of these records I purchased for £2.50 from a record shop just down the road from where I now work just last year, only for two days later to buy another copy in better condition for 30 pence at a car boot sale!
After this at most scooter runs I would try to buy a record from the dealers who attended, that was until the Isle of Wight in 86 when after this I never saw another record stall on the runs (due to the troubles at IOW). I remember I bought Frank Wilson's Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) at Exmouth 1985 for just two pounds (what a bargain!), I saw it for sale recently at a Scenesville Do for £30.
I have only been to a handful of Northern Do's since I left the scooter scene and got married these being mainly at Farnborough, Mychett and the 100 Club on a couple of occasions, with also one attendance at a Do in Peterborough. I have also got membership to Scenesville, which I was able to attend recently (which I thoroughly recommend!).
I have never been a collector in the same sense as the people who are willing to spend hundreds of pounds on original records. I'm the sort of person who buys the goldmine/soul supply sevens and other re-issues, I know this must sound blasphemous to some but I could not justify spending large amounts of money on single records. I think the most I have ever spent on one individual northern soul single is about £10. Although I do like scouring around record shops for sounds that I haven't got and in some cases I haven't even heard. I also like looking at websites of record dealers to find out if any records that I do have are worth anything (not that I'd sell any). I found copies of the Nightbeat EP (Tony Clarke-Landslide, Billy Butler-The Right Track, Jimmy 'Soul' Clark-Sweet Darlin' & Chubby Checker-At The Discotheque) for sale at £15, I paid £4 for mine back in 1984, as well as copies of Billy Butler- I'll Bet You on Brunswick for £15, I paid £2.50 for my copy at Feltham market also back in 1984, I've yet to find any of my records worth any great deal of money (this doesn't surprise me).
For me though the CD's released by Kent, Goldmine and recently Motown amongst others have been gratefully received and long may they continue to be released, although saying that I would still prefer to have a large collection of 7 inch vinyl.
I have just bought the Jackie Wilson CD "Uptown and Upnorth", it is f*****g excellent! If you haven't got it already I suggest you should get it as soon as possible. When I get my scanner working, I will post some more copies of label scans of records that I own.
I managed to persuade the Staines
Ex-Servicemen's Club to hold a Motown & Northern Soul Evening. It was held on Friday 3rd January 2003.
Shaun, Darren and myself were responsible for the tunes that were played.
The entertainments secretary of the club thought it went well, although a few
people complained that they didn't know any of the records. I think they
were expecting more motown chart hits to be played, than what we actually
played.
The following were just a small selection of some of the tracks played that night:
Baby What I Mean The Drifters, Youre Good Enough For Me Spyder Turner, Help Me, Find My Way At least my friends and I enjoyed ourselves dancing to sounds that we enjoy and drinking cheap beer, hopefully I'll be able to talk them into holding another one sometime this year.
I've just been out (12/3/03) and bought 5 soul singles for £20 from a local secondhand record shop, I don't think I've done too badly. Especially as the last one has a value of £15 on the Night Owl database (also same issue as my copy of the Lynne Randell record went for £17 on Ebay recently), anyway they are as follows:
1.
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing
b/w I Tried (Gordy)
2. Lynne Randell - Stranger In My Arms b/w Ciao Baby (Columbia
Special Products)
3. Detroit Executives - Cool Off b/w Ronnie McNeir - Sitting
In My Class (Goldmine Sevens)
4. Linda Griner - Goodbye Cruel Love b/w Carolyn Crawford - My
Smile Is Just A Frown (Stardust)
5. The Fantastic Johnny C - Boogaloo Down Broadway b/w Look
What Love Can Make You Do (Phil L.A. of SOUL)
Thursday 3rd April 2003, today I was saddened to hear of the death of Edwin Starr, who left us all yesterday. I saw him on a number of occasions and never once did he disappoint with his performances. If any of you wish, you can leave a message of condolence on his website by following this link (condolences). He will be sorely missed.
I've
recently discovered Ebay and become somewhat addicted to it. Although
saying that I have got some decent records (in my opinion) from sellers
on there. Amongst these have been: The Holidays - I'll Love You Forever (Golden
World), Lillie Bryant - Meet Me Halfway (Tayster), Kim Weston -
Helpless (Gordy), Chuck Jackson - Your Wonderful Love (Motown),
Jackie Wilson - The Who Who Song (Brunswick), Voices Of East Harlem -
Cashing In (Just Sunshine Records), The Contours - Just A Little
Misunderstanding (Gordy), Spyder Turner - Stand By Me (MGM).
As well as these I've bought one or two items from the internet, car boot sales
and record shops, amongst these being: Edwin Starr & Blinky - Just We
Two (LP on Tamla Motown), Supremes - Stormy (one sided white label),
Jackie Wilson - Higher & Higher (on Coral for 50p from a car boot sale),
Various Artists - Work Your Soul (Trojan CD). I've bought quite a
few records in the past month or so and hopefully I'll be getting a new scanner
soon, and then I'll be able to post a few more label scans.
Well I've got that new scanner, so below are a few label scans of some recent (recent?
within the past year, 2003) acquisitions. They may not be as rare as
rocking horse shit, but I don't care as I like them! The thumbnails
link to full images that maybe quite large and take sometime to upload/download
(whatever you want to call it).
Help Wanted!
Please could somebody out there reading this, help me? During the Eighties I bought some (bootleg/re-issues) records on the 'Sound Of Soul' (SOS) label, from dealers on Scooter Runs (SOS 007 was recently bought from John Manship). One of these is pictured towards the top of this page, The Majestics - I Love Her So Much (it hurts me), this was number SOS 005. As far as I am aware there were 10 releases. I have 9 of them, but I do not know what was on number SOS 009. The ones that I have are as follows:
SOS 001 Beverly Ann
- He's Comin' Home b/w Dynatones -
Fife Piper
SOS 002 The Vibrations - Cause Your Mine
b/w Count Five - Psychotic Reaction
SOS 003 Major Lance - You Don't Want Me No
More b/w Matt Parsons Orchestra - Boogaloo
Investigator
SOS 004 Bobby Paris - I Walked Away
b/w Carnaby - Jump And Dance
SOS 005 The Majestics - I Love Her So Much (it hurts
me) b/w Bobby Paris - Night Owl
SOS 006 Dee Dee Sharp - What Kind Of Lady
b/w Derek + Ray - Interplay
SOS 007 Delcos - Arabia
b/w Present - Many's The Slip
SOS 008 Greg Perry - It Takes Heart
b/w Alfie Davison - Love Is A Serious Business
SOS 009 ????????????
SOS 010 Mr Charles - I Don't Need No Doctor
b/w N.F. Porter - Keep On Keeping On
I would like to buy the missing one, but unfortunately it makes it somewhat difficult if I don't know what the tracks were on it. Please if anybody could help me it would be appreciated.
For links to Northern Soul related sites go to my links page.