Edwin Starr...did We Take Him For Granted?

[Xss]

Sam

Is that you with the eagle tattoo in the 3rd photo in my earlier post?

Mick

Hi mick

I was only 15 so it's not me with the tattoo do you have any more photo's of hinckley allnighter, cheers Sam Evans . HOPE TO SEE YOU AT HINCKLEY NORTHERN SOUL ONE NIGHT SOON NEXT ONE 23RD OCTOBER 2010 SOULFUN AND LOVE SAM

[ImberBoy]

I don't think The British Scooter Scene ever took him for granted, he was and is much loved and I will always remember the many times I was privileged to speak to him.

Hi is a legend.

[Nick W]

 

Just in case this is of interest to readers here, I have been going up to the British Library for years going through Melody Maker, the other music press and regional newspapers. These are the tours I've found for Edwin Starr. I understand that Roy Tempest sometimes brought out other artists and promoted them as the real deal so some of these may not have been Edwin:

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-october-1966-british-tour/

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-early-1967-british-tour/

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-may-june-1967-british-tour/

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-january-february-1968-british-tour/

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-may-june-1968-british-tour/

https://garagehangover.com/edwin-starrs-september-october-1968-british-tour/

[Owd Codger]

in case you've never seen this....Agent Double O Soul

 

 

[Owd Codger]

Saw Edwin several times. My first visit to The Wheel saw him perform . Seem to recall him passing through the football like crowd to get on stage , dressed in a Parker . Must have been 1970.

Met him backstage at Manchester Free Trade Hall....remember discussing his duet album with Blinky, which seemed to  surprise him ( that I had it) and probably a change from the usual Ric Tic/NS conversations he no doubt had many times.

 

Also, saw him in a club in Chorlton Manchester ( double bill with the re-assembled Elgins). Recall being in the gents WC when Edwin arrived in the next stall to me.

Happy Days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kenb]

15 minutes ago, Owd Codger said:

Saw Edwin several times. My first visit to The Wheel saw him perform . Seem to recall him passing through the football like crowd to get on stage , dressed in a Parker . Must have been 1970.

Met him backstage at Manchester Free Trade Hall....remember discussing his duet album with Blinky, which seemed to  surprise him ( that I had it) and probably a change from the usual Ric Tic/NS conversations he no doubt had many times.

 

Also, saw him in a club in Chorlton Manchester ( double bill with the re-assembled Elgins). Recall being in the gents WC when Edwin arrived in the next stall to me.

Happy Days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chortling club…maybe Brown’s?

[Owd Codger]

Hi.

It was a club near the old Bus Station, Chorlton Village, Barlow Moor Road I think. I remember there was a small crowd in.

[Wilxy]

Luckily enough, Blessed to have seen him perform on several occasions, initially at an Inter City Soul club all-dayer in 1974 at Tiffanys Durdham Down , Bristol, and also remember him at the Kings Hall Stoke, where he sang accapella due to issues with the backing track! The Guy will always be a legend in my opinion and unfortunately possibly been taken for granted since his move to the UK......R.I.P. Sir..........

[Owd Codger]

58 minutes ago, Owd Codger said:

Hi.

It was a club near the old Bus Station, Chorlton Village, Barlow Moor Road I think. I remember there was a small crowd in.

I think it was The Princess Club

[Hooker1951]

I for one never took Edwin for granted and I don’t know anybody who did he was always a great performer, delivered every time I seen him and that’s at least 20 times over 40 years, had a few conversations with him and he always came across as a genuine lovely friendly guy,  always interested in what the crowd wanted, I asked him one time at Maxims Wigan would he sing ( I have faith in you baby) in his set at 3am  he said he would and duly obliged Fantastic, he loved his fans in the Uk and always showed it with his performances ,

Edwin Starr will be remembered for ever and deserves a place in Soul Heaven

 KR

Mick L

[El Corol]

14 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

Met him backstage at Manchester Free Trade Hall....remember discussing his duet album with Blinky, which seemed to  surprise him ( that I had it) and probably a change from the usual Ric Tic/NS conversations he no doubt had many times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not one to make this sort of claim usually, but Edwins and Blinkys version of Ooh Baby Baby is the best version out there.

[Timbo58]

I think we did take him for granted. Edwin seemed such a workaholic it became a bit 'fashionable' to groan and say 'not Edwin again' when he performed at a scooter rally. To be fair -we all still dutifully rocked up and went to see him -and always had a great time.

Very much unlike so many old original acts who could be pitifully dire, Edwin always made an effort -no matter how small the crowd. In some ways, the smaller the crowd the more intimate it became. 

My favourite memory goes back to a local festival in 2002 and a 'phone call from a mate 'Edwin Starrs playing down the park tonight' -after checking we found out it was indeed true and trooped down there with around 30 or 40 local soulies/scooterists.

By crikey, I can feel my neck tingling now -a warm summers evening and a couple of lame support acts despatched with, we'd managed to get into the front rows at this point and when the man himself came on we were shouting out all sorts of stuff and he came to the front of the stage with a wide smile and announced 'soulies and scooterboys here!'

Local press reported there were 20,000 people there that night -I think that's about 10 x what was in the park, but for us in that front row or so it was Edwin and us, no one else.

What a great night. He'd still be gigging now if he hadn't gone far too soon.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by Timbo58

[Timbob]

First time I saw him coincided with my first trip to Wigan Oct 74,remember thinking its a bit expensive to get in, then about three in the morning Edwin came on stage I was completely mesmerised, was right at the back, I can remember after about three songs people at the back couldn't hear him so he started again from the begginin, what an amazing guy. 

[Soul Shrews]

Saw Edwin @ Wigan 79/80. A great performance. Such a talented artist.

Don't think anyones posted this one yet ? One of his later recordings

 

Cheers Paul

[Lucky One]

I had the good fortune to see Edwin twice at wolves civic in 1976 and at the Tic tic review at Hinckley in 1983, brilliant is the only way to describe both performances my friend and I  got to shake his hand at Hinckley. Great memories of a superb performer and artist.

[Bonzo100]

I think we did great voice

[Bonzo100]

On 25/09/2010 at 23:44, grantdyche said:

Told this once before here on SS

 

Many years ago about 91-92

 

I was managing Legends nightclub in Preston and I booked Edwin for a playback show (no live band just backing tracks)

Before the show I sat and ate chicken tikka with him and talked about the Northern Scene,

He was truly and utterly in debt to this scene in his words "It kept me alive and it fed me"

The opening of "SOS" brought him on stage and it was electric,Half way though his set Edwin seeing me dancing at the side of the stage,Asks me to join him and tells the crowd "This is how to dance", And then "Conact" starts up and so I dance on stage with Edwin Starr singing and stood next to me(to be honest I never liked Contact it was a disco track to me but if Edwin says dance,Well what more can I say)

The most memorable part of the night half way through his set,Some blokes start shouting that he is miming,

Edwin hears it and says "Stop the music"

Yeah you're miming say the blokes,

Edwin replies "I've NEVER mimed in my life,What do you want me to sing,I will sing anything"

At the time the Passadenas had done a version of "I'm doing fine now"

Well Edwin sang it live with no backing track,

ELECTRIC,

Hairs on the back of your neck stuff,

Taken for granted?? ,Maybe

Forgotten NEVER

Fantastic story,he really was a once in a lifetime guy,I have faith in you is awesome

[Owd Codger]

 

Here's a rare photo of Edwin, clearly just after he joined Motown, taken outside Hitsville..

The famous story is that he was on a UK tour , late 1966, and left Detroit as a Ric Tic / Golden World artist. During his UK tour, Golden World was sold to Motown, and as a result , when he returned to Detroit , he was now  a Motown artist.

 

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Owd Codger

[Bonzo100]

Me in 1993

[Soulandy]

Like most, I've seen Edwin quite a few times from all nighters, dayers, soul nights and general gigs. Never failed to get the room shaking, superb. A reminder of how good he was but not sure where it's from

 

[Happy Feet]

During the early 80s probably 83ish , had the good fortune of working with a few of the soul stars at the Pink Coconut, Formerly Sherry's , on a Wednesday night in Brighton Sussex .

My old mate Paddy Shevlin used to be the entertainment manager at the time and after I finished my regular spot at The Cavern in Ship at I used to leg it around the corner to The Pink Coconut and do the PA for the artist .The night he booked Edwin we had a 10 mins or so in the changing room and selected what records he was gonna sing over from my play box and to my surprise he picked The Contours ' Just A Little Misunderstanding ' and said that it would prove he's not miming , went down a storm and the crowd of about 200 or so probably didn't realize it wasn't one of his he did such a great job of it .

I can't remember all of the acts but Martha Reeves was also one of the acts great memories and thanks to both Edwin ,and Paddy for asking me to do it , never took him for granted and I can remember his death being announced on the BBC news at 10 , very sad and had to leave the room for a tearful moment to take it in , such a lovely guy ,  saw him at so many venues and always had time to exchange and say hello , definitely missed .

Edited August 1, 2022 by Happy Feet

[Owd Codger]

The first time I heard "Time" was when Edwin appeared on  UK TV. I think it was Top of the Pops, but not certain about that. It was definitely a new release, and as such would have been a rare appearance.  TMG 725.

His 45 with Blinky, TMG 720 had been withdrawn several weeks earlier, and I assumed that EMI pulled that for "Time"....so Edwin could tour and promote it.

If there are TOTP archives, it may be there. Vividly remember being shocked and surprised by this new track.....the clock intro very distinctive.

 

[Mike]

1 hour ago, Owd Codger said:

The first time I heard "Time" was when Edwin appeared on  UK TV. I think it was Top of the Pops, but not certain about that. It was definitely a new release, and as such would have been a rare appearance.  TMG 725.

His 45 with Blinky, TMG 720 had been withdrawn several weeks earlier, and I assumed that EMI pulled that for "Time"....so Edwin could tour and promote it.

If there are TOTP archives, it may be there. Vividly remember being shocked and surprised by this new track.....the clock intro very distinctive.

 

https://tvrdb.com/totp/?r=1&q=Edwin+Starr

gives date of showing  Thu 22 Jan 1970

though not sure what the 'film' status means

[Owd Codger]

8 hours ago, Source said:

https://tvrdb.com/totp/?r=1&q=Edwin+Starr

gives date of showing  Thu 22 Jan 1970

though not sure what the 'film' status means

yes that would be it

Thank you for posting

[Mal C]

A happy Edwin Starr related story.  Through 1986 and 1987 I was a a tech college in Solihull studing Graphic Design. All my class mates were from Chelmsley Wood, great bunch of guys, biggest piss takers ever, my best mate at colleage was a massive Prince fan, so abviously music was big.

Anyhow we got onto Edwin Starr and he says his brother is in his band here in the UK, he knew he lived in the midlands somewhere, so this was credable. So I asked if he could get a signed Photograph of Edwin, yep his brother can do that, it would be a pleasure for a real fan...  This all took a few months, with regular updates;  'Edwin has your photo but needs time to sign', 'Edwin's wife has your photo but she is back in the States visting friends', 'its with his brother the drummer, who has been on holiday, but its on its way from Edwins', 'its in the post from Edwin's to his brother, but his brother expects it any day'.  All this went on for two to three months, and I was hook, line and sinker!

Eventually it arrives on a Monday morning at college in a really neat cardboard envelope,  its a photo copied period hand out print, which looked really good,  signed "To Malcolm, my No.1 fan, Edwin Starr" and its my new prized possesion, its framed and it's on the wall !!!

So after two years at college on the very last day, everybody huddles round and the deceptions are announced. As it turned out I was not the only one, but they kept mine till last, you guessed it, my mates Brother had never seen a drum kit, he worked for a local supermarket in Chelmsley Wood

Still love that photo though, in your bedroom, Johnny Wyatt blaring out, Edwin on my wall, the business.

Edwin Starr still the Master!

 

[Whiskyagogo]

Never!

A Fantastic Man, who humbled me with his singing many times  and when we had a convo at town hall allniter. Brum 2000

My respect & love of this legend got even bigger

[Paraboliccurve]

On 31/07/2022 at 20:39, Soul Shrews said:

Saw Edwin @ Wigan 79/80. A great performance. Such a talented artist.

Don't think anyones posted this one yet ? One of his later recordings

 

Cheers Paul

Never heard that, I really like it. Cheers.