Jeff Smith and Universe-"The Hidden Secret" (Incentive) 1975

Picked this up in 1982 and since have never seen a copy for sale or heard it played out or reviews on it!, any info on this 70's gem folks?

I really like both sides of this record a lot, this doesn't come up for sale very often but isn't a "known" expensive record. Jeff Smith was previously in the Chandlers.

Absolutely, "Back Home Again" is a class side too!, didnt know he was with the Chandlers?, great bit of info/history to add to the record!, thanks

I really like both sides of this record a lot, this doesn't come up for sale very often but isn't a "known" expensive record. Jeff Smith was previously in the Chandlers.

Great bit of info. didn't know that! I bought my copy a few years ago on here,,,,just played it, sounds pretty good....

Think you done well to get a copy, too good to sell id say!,

this record was reviewed in a fanzine in the early 80's, possibly blackbeat or midnight express

Think you done well to get a copy, too good to sell id say!,

Pat Brady auctioned one on his site about a yr or so back if memory serves me right...... ?? it might even have been a set sale ???

Also think i saw one in sales on here a while back .

Would have thought £100 - £150 but who knows ..it's never really been re-activated has it ...a good friend from Geordie land introduced me to it a few yrs back ..think he plays it out from time to time..he loves it

Edited July 18, 201114 yr by NEV

Jeff Smith and Universe-"The Hidden Secret" (Incentive) 1975

Picked this up in 1982 and since have never seen a copy for sale or heard it played out or reviews on it!, any info on this 70's gem folks?

Incentive was Jeff Smith's 'custom' label out of the Owl records (of Wee fame) operation. There's two records on the label, although one or two Owl label 45s say something about Incentive on them. The Col Soul label that is used for the first Chandlers 45 was also a Smith custom label, done in partnership with the Musicol recording studios, with intent on releasing more recordings, but that never happened. This record got some sales and airplay in Columbus, it's certainly well known/remembered by the locals.

I have seen two labels of the Col-Soul YLMML one with black lettering on the Col-Soul and other with a silver green foil print, think its the same press tho?

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by Prophonics 2029

I have seen two labels of the Col-Soul YLMML one with black lettering on the Col-Soul and other with a silver green foil print, think its the same press tho?

the chandlers on col soul does have two presses, one with the label indented around the rim and the other not. It's the same as the one on bleu rose. For some reason manship guide says one of the blue rose presses is expensive and the other isn't, but doesn't make the same distinction for the col soul record.

Incentive was Jeff Smith's 'custom' label out of the Owl records (of Wee fame) operation. There's two records on the label, although one or two Owl label 45s say something about Incentive on them.

There's at least two gospel LPs on Incentive as well.

Spent a bit of time digging for vinyl a few years ago in Columbus with a mate, sadly about 6 months after Jeff Smith had died, but the impression I got from those I spoke to, was that he was a bit of a local hero (unlike Bill Moss who seemed to be unpopular) , and that the Col Soul record was fondly remembered by many music afficianados in the area, but not for the "northern" side. I was told that Jeff Smith wasn't actually one of the Chandlers, which I'd assumed, as he was a writer on the disc, and they changed their name to "Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr" (which is slightly contradictory with the information from Numero Uno's "Cap Soul" compilation) which I can only assume to be the Chandlers surnames, though probably not as catchy as "The Chandlers" . Sadly these are recollections from conversations from 8 - 10 Years ago and is only information I was told. There is a Jeff Smith C.D. on "Incentive" featuring this track, that I have somewhere.

Des Parker

P.S. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge than me can confirm some of the above!!

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by SOUL.INC

YES WHEN I CHATTED TO TOM MURPHY FROM OWL RECORDS HE ONLY HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT JEFF SMITH..

HE SENT ME THIS NICE FLICK OF HIM

Edited July 19, 201114 yr by sigher the gutter snype

Spent a bit of time digging for vinyl a few years ago in Columbus with a mate, sadly about 6 months after Jeff Smith had died, but the impression I got from those I spoke to, was that he was a bit of a local hero (unlike Bill Moss who seemed to be unpopular) , and that the Col Soul record was fondly remembered by many music afficianados in the area, but not for the "northern" side. I was told that Jeff Smith wasn't actually one of the Chandlers, which I'd assumed, as he was a writer on the disc, and they changed their name to "Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr" (which is slightly contradictory with the information from Numero Uno's "Cap Soul" compilation) which I can only assume to be the Chandlers surnames, though probably not as catchy as "The Chandlers" . Sadly these are recollections from conversations from 8 - 10 Years ago and is only information I was told. There is a Jeff Smith C.D. on "Incentive" featuring this track, that I have somewhere.

Des Parker

P.S. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge than me can confirm some of the above!!

Well, it's been about 15 years since we went through all the masters and got the info on the Chandlers recordings so I'll probably be even farther from the truth....but at least we were able to talk with some of the principals. Smith and the people behind Musicol recording studios wanted to set up a record label to record and promote local soul acts (Musicol did the same thing with rock acts, using the Ironbeat label name) so they came up with Col-Soul. Smith found the group, wrote the songs, and sang/played on the recording. He may have been a member of the group at some point but his MO was more of a overseer, writing/arranging music and working with a production team (as he would later with Capsoul and Owl). It's not clear why the Col-Soul label lasted for only one release, as the record was a pretty big local hit. The Ironbeat 'rock' label had several releases and none of them were as successful as the Chandlers 45. I don't know about two pressings of the Chandlers 45, the only one I've seen (at least 20-30 copies) is the Rite pressing one. "I Need Your Love" was the A side and the hit side, and IMO is musically superior to YLMML, which is too derivative to my ears.

Now, the second Chandlers 45 on Bleu Rose was also recorded at Musicol with Smith's involvement. The first pressing is the Rite, and the QCA is second. Neither of which are especially rare, I'd guess that the QCA press had a good amount of unsold stock which is why it's more common (about 4:1 I'd guess).

I'd love to see the details/scan on the alternate pressing of YLMML.

There was a Musicol label acetate with an instrumental track for YLMML sold on eBay some years ago. The Musicol masters from this time were all preserved on two track tapes, one instrumental and one vocal track.

There is a 45 on a green with silver print ColSOUND label, but that's from the late 1970s and has no connection to Jeff Smith. The artist is Judah and the sound is pop-rock

George

Is there a connection to "Johnson, Hawkins/Dawkins, Tatum & Durr" ?

Des Parker

George

Is there a connection to "Johnson, Hawkins/Dawkins, Tatum & Durr" ?

Des Parker

Des, I honestly don't know. I will ask and/or try to find my notes. At the time we collected this stuff we were mostly interested in rock. I also used to see piles of those Capsoul records and it took me awhile to get interested in them.

- George