If ever there was a package that should in everyone's collection, then surely this one must be it!

Following on from the massively popular "Philadelphia International: The Re-Edits" package, here is the 2^nd release in our special "Philly 40" campaign which is celebrating the 40^th Anniversary of Philadelphia International Records. Welcome to the hugely anticipated "Philadelphia International Classics: The Tom Moulton Remixes".

Tom Moulton's involvement with Philadelphia International spans the entire 40 years of their existence with many of his early mixes unaccredited in the era before the 12" Disco Disc. In 1977 PIR released the ground-breaking historic original double LP "Philadelphia Classics" which featured 8 of Tom Moulton's greatest PIR mixes. The album has subsequently been reissued several times and is rightly hailed as a 'must have' classic for ANY serious music lovers' collection.

We have now taken all 8 tracks featured on the original "Philadelphia Classics" added a further 7 'lost' Tom Moulton mixes which have previously never been easily available and commissioned a further 16 BRAND NEW Tom Moulton mixes on The O'Jay's "Back Stabbers", The Intruder's "(Win, Place or Show) She's A Winner", Billy Paul "The Whole Town's Talking", Robert Upchurch "The Devil Made Me Do It", The Three Degree's "Year Of Decision" and "When Will I See You Again", Archie Bell & The Drells' "Let's Groove" and "Where Will You Go When The Party's Over", Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" and "See You When I Git There", People's Choice "Jam Jam Jam (All Night Long)", Teddy Pendergrass' "I Don't Love You Anymore", The O'Jay's "This Time Baby", The Futures' "Party Time Man", Jean Carn's "My Love Don't Come Easy" and The Jones Girls' "Nights Over Egypt".

This will be 31 true full-length Philadelphia International Classics in total delivered in a deluxe box with 4 separate CD's plus a 20 page booklet with sleeve notes by Lloyd Bradley and containing some rare photos of Tom and Sigma Sound studios.

In short, "Philadelphia International Classics: The Tom Moulton Remixes" will be one 2012's most revered releases.

Philadelphia International Classics: The Tom Moulton Remixes - Track Listing

(All songs in chronological order from when they originally charted on the Billboard RnB Single or Album Chart)

CD 1

1. Back Stabbers 9.36 - The O'Jays

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 08/07/72

2. (Win, Place Or Show) She's A Winner 7.28 - The Intruders

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 19/08/72

3. Slow Motion 7.47 - Johnny Williams

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 09/09/72

4. Love Train 6.14 - The O'Jays

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 20/01/73

5. I'll Always Love My Mama 9.41 - The Intruders

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 12/05/73

6. The Love I Lost 12.28 - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 22/09/73

7. Dirty Ol' Man 8.17 - The Three Degrees

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 06/10/73

Total Playing Time: 61.31

CD 2

1. The Whole Town's Talking 8.39 - Billy Paul

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 24/11/73

2. Love Epidemic 7.32 - The Trammps

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 29/12/73

3. T.S.O.P The Sound Of Philadelphia 5.42 - MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 02/03/74

4. Year Of Decision 6.44 - Three Degrees

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 09/03/74

5. Where Do We Go From Here 5.30 - The Trammps

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 18/05/74

6. Love Is The Message 11.30 - MFSB

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 13/07/74

7. The Devil Made Me Do It 10.35 - Robert Upchurch

Original U.S. Single Release (Didn't Chart)

8. When Will I See You Again 5.52 - Three Degrees

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 28/09/74

Total Playing Time: 62.04

CD 3

1. Trusting Heart 5.58 - The Trammps

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 23/11/74

2. Bad Luck 8.00 - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 01/03/75

3. Trammps Disco Theme/Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart 6.41 - The Trammps

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 10/05/75

4. Do It Any Way You Wanna 5.30 - People's Choice

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 19/07/75

5. I Love Music 9.43 - The O'Jays

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 01/11/75

6. Don't Leave Me This Way 11.03 - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 06/12/75

7. Let's Groove 10.20 - Archie Bell & The Drells

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 27/12/75

8. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine 9.57 - Lou Rawls

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 15/05/76

Total Playing Time: 67.12

CD 4

1. Where Will You Go When The Party's Over 9.05 - Archie Bell & The Drells

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 22/01/77

2. Jam Jam Jam (All Night Long) 7.42 - People's Choice

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 26/06/76

3. I Don't Love You Anymore 8.41 - Teddy Pendergrass

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 19/03/77

4. See You When I Git There 9.36 - Lou Rawls

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 16/04/77

5. This Time Baby 9.50 - The O'Jays

Original U.S. Album Chart Debut 29/04/78

6. Party Time Man 9.09 - The Futures

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 13/01/79

7. My Love Don't Come Easy 10.46 - Jean Carn

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 22/12/79

8. Nights Over Egypt 9.12 - The Jones Girls

Original U.S. Single Chart Debut 13/02/82

Total Playing Time: 67.12

Amazon Link:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philadelphia-International-Classics-Moulton-Remixes/dp/B006W33UC4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326472760&sr=1-1

This is seriously the greatest album I've ever heard in my life! Once the mixes start filtering out I reckon most people will feel the same. An absolute pleasure to have such brilliant repertoire to work with in the hands of the best person in the world to remix these beauties. A phenomenal album!

Ian D

Edited March 5, 201213 yr by Ian Dewhirst

Love She's a Winner, always thought the naff racing commentary spoilt this track. Well done

to everyone concerned a true masterpiece of music,

Mine arrived today. I'm in heaven......the guitar work...just everything.....Congratulations Ian and to all those involved right back to the original song concepts back in the day and those having the faith to go ahead and do this.

Got ours yesterday. £14 from Fopp off Covent Garden - robbing bastards £3.50 a disc Had a semi for the last 24 hours or so.

It's really interesting what's happening with this package. Somehow, we've managed to hit a mainstream audience with what would normally be perceived as a 'specialist' release. In other words, the gospel has spread way beyond the normal benchmark for a release like this. The UK sales thus far have been nothing short of phenomenal and with the current momentum it looks like we'll hold a position within the national Top 20 Compilation chart come Monday. Normally this is next to impossible because there's always 100 albums that are either TV advertised or in specific supermarket promotions, so 'specialist' releases don't normally don't get a look in to the higher reaches of the national chart. But this release is an exception to the rule.

Maybe people are coming back to great songs and beautiful productions and arrangements again. Or maybe there's an audience that grew up in the 70's and remembers how great the songs were. Or maybe the release was delayed so much that anticipation built to a peak. Or maybe our Social Media, PR and Radio promotion worked. Who knows?

Whatever the explanation, this package 100% proves that there's a huge UK Soul audience out there that will buy a quality album and chart it nationally if all the stars align.

Every time I read a thread on Soul Source which questions the future of the scene, I sometimes think that the only thing which will defeat the scene is it's inability to evolve and attract fresh audiences because of the scene's inherent caution to newcomers. We all know it's true, because we all went through the same induction process.

But the success of this release really gives me a lot of hope for the future. Nothing gives me a bigger boost then to see young people getting off on this music. The scene should embrace the qualities that makes the music great and welcome more people into the fold.

Marketing the music properly doesn't cheapen it at all. In fact, it makes it far more desireable.

Ian D

Wow.what more can you say.

Was getting bored of all the remixes latley,but this is something special.

Cheers Ian

Wow.what more can you say.

Was getting bored of all the remixes latley,but this is something special.

Cheers Ian

Sure is Carole. Waiting on today's midweek as we speak. Not good for the nerves this job.....

Ian D

No.17 today! Still selling fantastically strongly and looking pretty good for a Top 20 on Monday touch wood!

Ian D

Ian ...I think it is a bit of everything you say. It's good for the business and all those who may, in the first place cherish the original for one reason or another, and are curious about alternative versions with a twist. For me, all of the above, but I still analyse the music and as I am currently working on melodic throwbacks, I am intrigued how the arrangement weaves in and out of the instrumentation and melody. When I hear a Wes Montgomery octave and the strings together....wow, it makes me realise where TSOP came from and how it eveolved.

Ian ...I think it is a bit of everything you say. It's good for the business and all those who may, in the first place cherish the original for one reason or another, and are curious about alternative versions with a twist. For me, all of the above, but I still analyse the music and as I am currently working on melodic throwbacks, I am intrigued how the arrangement weaves in and out of the instrumentation and melody. When I hear a Wes Montgomery octave and the strings together....wow, it makes me realise where TSOP came from and how it eveolved.

Yep, that's the beauty of real musicians Carl. The other ace up the sleeve was Tom knowing exactly what was on the original tapes and now being allowed to use the parts which were edited out when they cut the 7" or album versions. I'm not sure if we'll ever hear such all-round perfection again in our lifetimes. I honestly can't see the same thing happening in 2052 with the majority of the music that's being made these days can you? And to think those guys were working virtually 24/7 throughout the whole of the 70's. And using proper arrangers too! We're all truly blessed.....

Ian D

Mine arrived today and I echo all that has been said, this is truly awesome :D

Can't stop playing the Lou Rawls mixes

Well, we entered the UK charts @ no.21 with over 1500 over-the-counter sales in week 1. Harmless's highest ever entry in the UK Charts:-

NEW 21 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS VARIOUS ARTISTS 1532

We managed to beat the Belle & Sebatian "Late Night Tales" and "It's All Gone Pete Tong Groove Armada Miami" new releases which is pretty incredible considering the age of the repertoire, so I'm a happy bunny today....

Ian D

Well done Ian (& Harmless) ....... now it's time to move forward

........where's that d*mn Gospel 2fer CD ??????????

Well Ian, you know how I tick and it's things like this that inspire me to be creative. It's overwhelming to see that fans can still respect these alternative mixes and get a glimpse into how things went down in the studio etc, and how afterwards a mix was released as a single and thought to be the original version, when it maybe was not. You said it is unlikely we will hear such perfection again, but I am hoping I can muster up the funds to do just that. My demos may have digital artefacts throughout, but I really want real horns, strings and a rhythm section if I can. Of course, the songs have to be up to spec...but it',s the re-mix potential I see as the icing on the cake. You have proved that with this release that these days, it not always about the 'single' release, bit the packaging, marketing etc. Of course, it helps to have a hit record or something that was a disco hit, if that makes sense. You all must be proud and you have made me think about my current demo mixes I am working on, so the knock on effect is extremely important.....

MIne arrived today , look forward to giving it an ear tomorrow

Ian D wrote

Maybe people are coming back to great songs and beautiful productions and arrangements again. Or maybe there's an audience that grew up in the 70's and remembers how great the songs were. Or maybe the release was delayed so much that anticipation built to a peak. Or maybe our Social Media, PR and Radio promotion worked. Who knows?

Ian

I have lent a lot of your [ Harmless ] releases plus other CD`s & vinyl to a couple of younger guys in an associate company i have dealings with through work.They are in their early 20`s & have become very interested in soul music / 60`s garage stuff & are buying via Amazon & actually want something tangible to play rather than downloads. One is collecting vinyl & has bought a turntable , chatting with them it seems they are bored with just downloading & want to actually interact with their new choices in music........... might be in the minority for young people today but surely something to take heart in & hope enough of their friends do the same.

Loving this comp

Garv

The good Pete Dillon just PM'd me to ask whether any of the mixes on this album are available on vinyl and reminded me that I never mentioned it on here 'cos I was busy with other stuff.

So, yes, there are 3 x 12" double-packs still available here or from any good record dealer:-

https://aboveboarddist.co.uk/label/harmless

Apparently they're selling like hotcakes, so anyone wanting the first press should get in quick!

Ian D