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Book - The History of Okeh Records: 1918 to 1970

the book is my way of paying the label back...

By okehgaz in Soul Music News
Updated on 28 Sep 2015 · Published 10 Oct 2014

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'The History of Okeh Records: 1918 to 1970' is the end result of a project which has taken me over twenty years to complete. It began life as a series of articles which i had planned for a fanzine that i published during the late 80's, 'The Drifter'', but the mag folded before I had the series complete and the rough drafts were put to one side and forgotten about.

 

A number of years later i reactivated them and put together the first draft of the book. At that time it was very much a 'cut and paste, prit-stik and photo copy' effort which was, for a number of reasons,once again put to one side and allowed to spend a few years at the bottom of a draw before i finally decided to finish the project off a couple of years ago, eventually completing it towards the end of 2013. Even then it sat on the laptop for six months before i took the plunge and had the book printed.

 

'The History of Okeh' covers the history of the label from it's first world war roots, through the issue of Okeh's early 'race' records until its final release and, on the way, touches on everything in between, including jazz, r&b, doo-wop, rock & roll and the blues. I hope that it will be of interest not only to devotees of the label but also to those who have an interest in the development of black music in general during the period that the label existed. I am, first and foremost, a fan and collector of the labels music in all its many forms and, as corny as it sounds, the book is my way of paying the label back, in a very small way, for all the joy it has given me over the years.

 

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Professionaly printed, self published book on the legendary Okeh label.

A4 size, Colour soft cover, 102 B&W inner pages.

£7.99 plus P&P.

For further details please e-mail me at gary@evans2634.freeserve.co.uk

Many thanks,

Gary

 

 

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martynthejazz

hi any more info about this book Gary....Am I correct in saying it as  102 blzack & white pages ?  so there is not any art work or record shots in the book ?.....any more pics you can load up , please let me know...thanks martyn

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Dave Rimmer
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Bloody hell ! Including postage it's less than the price of two pints in the 100 Club. Just buy it for God's sake !

 

The only question I asked was how much is the postage !!!!!!!!

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okehgaz

hi any more info about this book Gary....Am I correct in saying it as  102 blzack & white pages ?  so there is not any art work or record shots in the book ?.....any more pics you can load up , please let me know...thanks martyn

Hi Martyn

Plenty of art work shots, label scans, etc included but all are b&w

Cheers

Gary

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Chalky

Hi Gary.

 

I presume you have it stored on your computer in some sort of electronic format, word, pdf?

 

Take a look at Blurb, a self publishing platform, Mark Windle used it for his book, It's Better To Cry.

 

https://www.blurb.co.uk

Edited by chalky
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Amsterdam Russ

Book delivered here in the Netherlands about an hour ago. I have to say that at first glance it looks great, and for the person who was concerned earlier, there are lots of interesting photos and scans.

 

I'm looking forward to reading it.  :thumbsup:

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Stephen T

Came today- very quick after payment. Great presentation- A4 large font, photos and industry adverts of the different periods. A look at the writing and it looks well written- interesting. Looks something like an end of degree thesis if you know what I mean with all sources quoted and assertions qualified. Right up my street this- job well done. Stax, Chess, Atlantic, Motown all have big books (or a few!) about them so it's about time the other Okeh did as they came first as well. cheers Gary

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okehgaz

Mine arrived Wednesday. Very nice work mate, going to enjoy reading it.

Thanks everyone for comments.

A quick update - two months on ebay doing not much at all, three weeks on soul source and I've had to re-order :thumbsup:

Working on e-book version at the moment which, hopefully, shouldn't be too far away.

 

Thanks once again to everyone who's been in touch

Cheers

Gary

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Pete S

The book is superb Gary, you should indeed be very proud, fantastic research.  And that was only chapter one.  Get your monies out everyone, an absolute bargain.

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Tattoodave

It arrived the day my little dog died, so I put off reading it for a while, but have read it twice since, first out of curiosity for the early years of the label, the second time out of interest, a great read, well researched and written with passion. Money well spent, a job well done Gary.

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Guest Carlisle Lad

Guest Carlisle Lad

Posted

Gary

 One of my daughters has just bought your book for me. Not had a chance to read it yet but it looks great. I've only read the forward and had to write.

 

The reason I write is because I lived in Harraby, Carlisle and I had an SX200 Lambretta. Bought it in 1973, had it sprayed metalic green with yellow, two sets of florida bars, ancilotti backrest, front bumper,  four mirror stems (20 mirrors) adjusted vespa bubble screen, spots and a rear carrier with a shield made by a joiner mate which I had painted blue with a hand holding a torch and Okeh written above it.

 

There were a few of us knocking about on scooters, going to the lakes, Blackpool and even down to the the Casino when no other transport was available or money was short, although I never took mine (Too worried I might loose the tackle from it).

 

I started collecting records in 1971, influenced greatly by the likes of Dick Watt, George Hunt and Ray Parker. I recall going to Dick's house as  14 year old and him bringing a metal box out full of Okeh records. He did me tapes...A real influence and mentor, showing me the difference between the small and large 45!!. I still have the tape with things like What's the use (Tangeers), Bring it Home (Chimes), You ask for one good reason (Williams and Watson) and loads others.  I've never stopped collecting to this day.

 

I wonder if it was my scooter you saw. I can't remember anyone else with one like mine at the time?

 

Take care

 

Steve 

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okehgaz

Gary

 One of my daughters has just bought your book for me. Not had a chance to read it yet but it looks great. I've only read the forward and had to write.

 

The reason I write is because I lived in Harraby, Carlisle and I had an SX200 Lambretta. Bought it in 1973, had it sprayed metalic green with yellow, two sets of florida bars, ancilotti backrest, front bumper,  four mirror stems (20 mirrors) adjusted vespa bubble screen, spots and a rear carrier with a shield made by a joiner mate which I had painted blue with a hand holding a torch and Okeh written above it.

 

There were a few of us knocking about on scooters, going to the lakes, Blackpool and even down to the the Casino when no other transport was available or money was short, although I never took mine (Too worried I might loose the tackle from it).

 

I started collecting records in 1971, influenced greatly by the likes of Dick Watt, George Hunt and Ray Parker. I recall going to Dick's house as  14 year old and him bringing a metal box out full of Okeh records. He did me tapes...A real influence and mentor, showing me the difference between the small and large 45!!. I still have the tape with things like What's the use (Tangeers), Bring it Home (Chimes), You ask for one good reason (Williams and Watson) and loads others.  I've never stopped collecting to this day.

 

I wonder if it was my scooter you saw. I can't remember anyone else with one like mine at the time?

 

Take care

 

Steve 

Hello Steve,

 

Might have been your scooter - if it was can i have all the money back that seeing it has cost me over the years! :thumbsup:

Did you buy it out of Lloyds on Botchergate?

 

Great times in Carlisle around 73-75. United in First Division, loads of soul about. remember the Pink Panther

record shop in Globe Lane and the Kings Hall next door? Did my first ever dj spot in there :)

 

Lived on the grounds at Garlands Hospital (Old lad worked there - honest) - local was the Greeny Bank at Carleton

but used to pop into the Arroya, the Inglewood and the Harraby Inn on occasions. Friars Inn or the Gretna Tavern

uptown then onto the Pink Panther on West Walls, Bubbles or the Cosmo! Also lived in Raffles and Denton Holme

at various times before moving 'Out West'.

 

Growing up (and i use the the term loosly) in the area at that time left me with a love of three things:  Carlisle United

(old habits die hard - still a season ticket holder), Scooters (couple of Vespa's at the moment) and Soul Music. Can't

decide which has cost me more money over the years! :wicked:

 

Nice to hear from you,

 

Gary

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Guest Carlisle Lad

Guest Carlisle Lad

Posted

Hi Gary

 

I bought it second hand from a mate. It was a 1969 model and a bit battered when I got it hence the respray and all the tackle. I sold it in Feb 1976 when I got married.

 

I guess most of us in Carlisle around that time went to the Panther, Kings Hall and Cosmo. Bubbles was always a bit strange with the staircase. I ran buses to Wigan around 1974/76 and we used to leave from outside the Panther (although by then it had been renamed the Wheel). Names I recall getting on the buses were Whitey, Tony Greer, Jim Crosbie, Colin Connelly, Geoff Grieves, Arty, Paul Bowman, Chick Grierson, Cally and towards the end a young Danny Spiers. Good times. I left Carlisle in 1982 and moved to Kendal before moving to the Newcastle in 1986. Still follow Carlisle, go to do's and DJ a bit.

 

I reckon you may be right about being entitled to financial damages.... I just wonder if I had never gone round to Dick Watt's house when I was a young un I might be a lot richer money wise, but hey, I would rather have the tunes so no complaints whatsoever.

 

Take care and "Keep on Keeping on"

 

Steve 

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jocko

Any news on reprint? I ordered one by email but maybe before they came in. Keen to get one so contact me on here by PM if my details didn't get through.

 

Cheers

 

Jock O'Connor

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okehgaz

Any news on reprint? I ordered one by email but maybe before they came in. Keen to get one so contact me on here by PM if my details didn't get through.

 

Cheers

 

Jock O'Connor

PM'd mate.

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