Jump to content

Collecting British...why Bother?


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 395
  • Views 28.3k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Most active in this topic

Guest Phoenix8049

Does anyone still really seriously collect British? I mean it may have been ok in the 70s but as all of the best records came out on US labels first whats the point in collecting what are essentially re-issues of the original US release?

Chris

I don't know if it was the way some american imports were pressed,

but some sounded a bit hissy and not so clear as The British copies.

I always went for quality recordings,can't stand records if they are not mint or at least excellent.

Link to comment
Social source share

Even though I'm from the states I can still see why people want to collect them given the history of the scene........I just don't understand the small holes. It drives me nuts that I can't just grab onto a stack with one hand and flip thru them with the other.

:no:

I am also from the States, and I can certainly identify with the desire to "grab onto a stack with one hand". But I've also been to the UK so many times for so many years, that I think I can understand why the UK contingent seem to have more respect for the 45rpm format than we do here. The very fact that you cannot "grab onto a stack" of UK 45's with one hand has a lot to do with it. You must treat each individual 45 with some measure of respect because you need to hold them with just your thumb and index fingers. I don't think we have the same level of appreciation for the 45rpm format in the USA as they do in Britain because we did not have to handle our records the same way they did. I personally have never seen UK records in as poor condition as many US records, and I attribute it to the fact that the 45rpm format was a "throwaway" format in the US, but a more respected format in the UK. Unfortunately (or not) for the UK soul scene, they decided that obscurity was an important factor in the sounds they appreciated, so they quickly depleted the sounds available to them on the small-hole, UK-pressed 45rpm record and had to broaden their horizons and look to the other side of the Atlantic for sounds that never appeared on the small-hole format.

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Social source share

Is Marcus Garvey allowed.??....shouldnt that be in the ska section.Whats that northern soul cash in record like Silverloaf????

``

Yes its uk. and Silverloaf is just as crap as that Sue Lynn,but a great title :tongue: i s'pose its sort of teen rock nothing to do with n/soul or soul whatsoever.

Link to comment
Social source share

I am also from the States, and I can certainly identify with the desire to "grab onto a stack with one hand". But I've also been to the UK so many times for so many years, that I think I can understand why the UK contingent seem to have more respect for the 45rpm format than we do here. The very fact that you cannot "grab onto a stack" of UK 45's with one hand has a lot to do with it. You must treat each individual 45 with some measure of respect because you need to hold them with just your thumb and index fingers. I don't think we have the same level of appreciation for the 45rpm format in the USA as they do in Britain because we did not have to handle our records the same way they did. I personally have never seen UK records in as poor condition as many US records, and I attribute it to the fact that the 45rpm format was a "throwaway" format in the US, but a more respected format in the UK. Unfortunately (or not) for the UK soul scene, they decided that obscurity was an important factor in the sounds they appreciated, so they quickly depleted the sounds available to them on the small-hole, UK-pressed 45rpm record and had to broaden their horizons and look to the other side of the Atlantic for sounds that never appeared on the small-hole format.

I suppose it would be fair to say that the original Mods and UK soul collectors quickly bought all the UK Soul releases that they could order at the time of release.

When they had got all / most of current UK issued soul tunes .................. the only place left to go was back to importing 45s from the usa.

hence the "Soul Scene"

I personally love collecting all the records I can............. Soul 45s on US import issues and UK issues.

I also collect Jamaican 60s records

But when you get a quality 45 on a UK label .............. it just means it is a bit very special !

to me it does anyway !

Link to comment
Social source share

Me too but there's some real borderline cases for inclusion there, Laura Nyro "Eli's Coming"?

I've got a demo of that Circus record but it's nowhere near my Northern stuff laugh.gif

Right thats the gauntlet thrown down.....will dig deeper and less of the outright Mod stuff.Ken has included ska in his list and northern novelty.I would be here forever if we could include ska although I have a few soul/ska tunes ie smooths and sorts. Just thought of where my Sue box is.............

Edited by wiggyflat
Link to comment
Social source share

Right thats the gauntlet thrown down.....will dig deeper and less of the outright Mod stuff.Ken has included ska in his list and northern novelty.I would be here forever if we could include ska although I have a few soul/ska tunes ie smooths and sorts. Just thought of where my Sue box is.............

I dunno why Ken put that ska record in, if we start that we'll be here all day!

I thought it was just rare/nice/unusual UK Northern, but to be honest, I just like looking at pictures of records anyway.

Link to comment
Social source share

I dunno why Ken put that ska record in, if we start that we'll be here all day!

I thought it was just rare/nice/unusual UK Northern, but to be honest, I just like looking at pictures of records anyway.

Ok i'll drop it for something else.

tn_gallery_1986_2578_20805.jpgtn_gallery_1986_2578_55053.jpgtn_gallery_1986_2578_32734.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest Phoenix8049

I dunno why Ken put that ska record in, if we start that we'll be here all day!

I thought it was just rare/nice/unusual UK Northern, but to be honest, I just like looking at pictures of records anyway.

Yeah me too, and it does not just have to be northern, rare 50s or 60s stuff i like looking at too.

Especially those 50s triangle centre Black London's

Link to comment
Social source share


Does anyone still really seriously collect British? I mean it may have been ok in the 70s but as all of the best records came out on US labels first whats the point in collecting what are essentially re-issues of the original US release?

Chris

I am in no way a serios collector but I have a few I love my British labels , the thrill for me is that they were so readilly available and yet so many of them slipped through our fingers , and now rightly so are highly prized collectors items .

As far as I am concerned they are original relleases albeit on British labels .

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest julesp1905

Having recently started collecting again back in 2007, and starting from fresh, many of the records i owned back in the late 80's are now well out of my price range.

I don't have a bottomless pit, Collecting for me is the hunt, sourcing records for less than their true value, that for me is the thrill.

I love both UK and US releases for differing reasons.

I buy US stuff from Ebay, UK stuff mainly from Carboots/Markets

Today I got

Solomon Burke - Studipity - London Yellow Demo

Robert Parker - Barefootin' - Island

Chuck Jackson - Breaking Point - Top Rank

All for less than I could buy a Robert Parker on Nola

You can't beat those classic 60's Club sounds on UK

Here's a photo of Oliver Norman, as one yet to go up, just a shame about the lack of middle

post-10426-12703807307701_thumb.jpg

post-10426-12703807307701_thumb.jpg

Edited by julesp1905
Link to comment
Social source share

Does anyone still really seriously collect British? I mean it may have been ok in the 70s but as all of the best records came out on US labels first whats the point in collecting what are essentially re-issues of the original US release?

Chris

How about this one.

Does anybody know anything about it.

Listed / titled as Donnie Elbert 'Ooo Baby Baby' on UK Avco Embassy

But plays 'Come See About Me' instead. :hatsoff2:

post-4017-12709950490908_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share

Does anyone still really seriously collect British? I mean it may have been ok in the 70s but as all of the best records came out on US labels first whats the point in collecting what are essentially re-issues of the original US release?

Chris

Here's a toughie to find.

post-4017-12709981756689_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share


For those who don't know - this is a version of Blues In The Night, a good one too. Sold mine for £250 about 18 months ago via JM. Just been repressed in Japan I think.

Thanks for doing the honours Pete and sorry Wiggy, haven't revisited this thread all week until now.

Link to comment
Social source share

.........

I think he has sold a couple of collections over the years Ted. He was telling me he had a typed darrel banks demo and a uk ben e king 'can't break the news' which apparently never came out.

I didn't realise there were so many people still collecting British, I rarely hear of anyone chasing British records or finding a long standing want.

Chris

I used to have that typed label Darrell Banks demo on London, and the second I sold it (to Nev Wherry..RIP)) I knew I had made a massive mistake.... collecting British still a massive buzz, was pleased at last Prestatyn at getting the "Bobby Bland Sings" EP on UK Vogue, first one I have seen for sale in the my life. And it was cheap too. If anyone has the other Bobby Bland EP on UK Vogue for sale please let me know.

Link to comment
Social source share

Wow, all these scans and I still haven't seen a nice UK Verve copy of the Amazing Dance Band's "Deep Blue Train" - a real traditional Northern stormer!

Ian D biggrin.gif

I have a nice Mint pink Demo of this but for me, it's always been one of those great Northern styled records that never did get the recognition it so deserved???

Link to comment
Social source share

Wow, all these scans and I still haven't seen a nice UK Verve copy of the Amazing Dance Band's "Deep Blue Train" - a real traditional Northern stormer!

Ian D biggrin.gif

Mick had one in his box last week for £25 but I couldn't be bothered, I knew I'd never play it.

I actually found the LP by them a few years ago, UK Verve.

Link to comment
Social source share

I remember a few of us in Max's shop chating on afternoon, never remember who said it but the quipped

"The plastics better"....and not that but the cut also seemed better...lets face it styrene in particular is a disaster waiting, peeling label's, scuffs, scratches and cracks are often par for the course

But even better a reason, using examples i once had

Washed Ashore...Stateside demo or musicor...errrrm!!!

Spellbinders...CBS DEMO. or columbia...ditto!

Mary Love..King or modern

Iknow what i would prefer

post-5897-12715781962549.jpg

post-5897-12715783239235_thumb.jpg

post-5897-12715781962549.jpg

post-5897-12715783239235_thumb.jpg

post-5897-12715781962549.jpg

post-5897-12715783239235_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share

hatsoff2.gif HI TO ALL UK COLLECTORS..HI...

I HAVE FORGOT WHAT THE ORIGANAL QUOTE FOR THIS THREAD WAS?biggrin.gif (BUT A QUICK GLANCE OVER THE SOUNDS ON THESE PAGES WILL TELL YOU WHY WE COLLECT UK

TO MAKE THE POINT GET TO THOSE WHO JUST DONT GET IT, IT IS GOOD TO COLLECT UK, COULD YOU LEAVE THESE BEHIND??? WELL COULD YOU PUNK ph34r.gif

REGGAE TO YOU! GEGGAE TO ME? DTHEDRUG© 2009

post-13241-12716328419675_thumb.jpg

post-13241-12716332668367_thumb.jpg

post-13241-12716335598776_thumb.jpg

post-13241-1271633630071_thumb.jpg

post-13241-12716328419675_thumb.jpg

post-13241-12716332668367_thumb.jpg

post-13241-12716335598776_thumb.jpg

post-13241-1271633630071_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Social source share

Very true, Steve. HI, LADS..BRITISH LUV UM..COMPLETED ALL GRAPEVINE ONE..SERIES. ALLGR-V 2 SERIES.NEED 18 TO FINISH JAYBOY..TAMLA 5..6..7.. ETC..WOT A FEELIN...OOPS.WOTZ DAT..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BURT.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AN THERS MOOR-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In some cases, it may well be that their licensing agreement committed them to issue a certain amount of product per year. Or if they didn't issue a particular track, a rival label could get second option etc.

I know in many cases a sub-publisher could only retain rights to a song (or a catalogue of songs) if they procured a UK release so I guess they may have pressured a label (or used their own label) to issue a record just to increase their long-term rights.

At one time, it was common for rights to revert to assignors unless there had been commercial activity within 12 months, so there was an incentive to issue a record in the UK just to avoid losing rights to a bunch of songs.

I'm pretty sure that a few records would have been issued on President/Jay Boy, for example, just to obtain long-term publishing rights for their owners, Kassner Music.

Edited by burt weed on
Link to comment
Social source share

:hatsoff2: HI TO ALL UK COLLECTORS..HI...

I HAVE FORGOT WHAT THE ORIGANAL QUOTE FOR THIS THREAD WAS?:D (BUT A QUICK GLANCE OVER THE SOUNDS ON THESE PAGES WILL TELL YOU WHY WE COLLECT UK

TO MAKE THE POINT GET TO THOSE WHO JUST DONT GET IT, IT IS GOOD TO COLLECT UK, COULD YOU LEAVE THESE BEHIND??? WELL COULD YOU PUNK :ph34r:

REGGAE TO YOU! GEGGAE TO ME? DTHEDRUG© 2009

NICE SCANS DAVE

AINT SEEN ANY LIKE THOSE BEFORE

Link to comment
Social source share

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!

Source Advert





×
×
  • Create New...