This was hidden in the obscure records on big labels thread, so I'm creating a new thread for this. Here were Andy's comments

Again loosely related but never the less rellevent is the John Washington / Daddy Teddybear / Burn the callender / Sandwash , a Agency Studio Recording,certainly the same guy - one side great northern dancer and the flip phew a absolutely fantastic ballad ! in my experience very rare (got 4 copies around 8-10 years ago) sold the spares and haven't seen it since...

Anyways, I got the record yesterday. It was stone mint which was cool. But I thought it was terrible. The ballad side is sort of meandering and poorly written, and there isn't any backup (even girls) on the record. The thing that made the sensations so great was their fantastic harmony.

The other side just sounds like random funky soul to me, although Andy is much more qualified to judge whether a record is a "great northern dancer".

Either way, it's an interesting record, it would be cool to know if John Washington was involved with making music in any other capacity after the sandwash record..

I remember Andy getting this and listening when I went round the his. I like both sides, both interesting but doubt it would go down in the "great" northern category.

Wasn't John Washinton the co-writer of other Way Out material, Jesse Fisher?

According to this biog of the Sensations John Washington went truck driving after the label shut...... https://www.answers.c...he-sensations-2

According to this biog of the Sensations John Washington went truck driving after the label shut...... https://www.answers.c...he-sensations-2

thanks a lot. that is a weird sort of gossipy / insidery article with a lot of detail. I wonder who wrote it, maybe Andrew Hamilton?

thanks a lot. that is a weird sort of gossipy / insidery article with a lot of detail. I wonder who wrote it, maybe Andrew Hamilton?

The pair of you should wash your ears out with soap .. The ballad really is nice,aswell as the uptempo flip with girly reply to the hook line - John Washington is vocally very versatile and sings with soul and passion ! Is it the absence of the group that makes it terrible Bob ? I think the people aren't familiar with these two sides otherwise i'm sure it would have had positive reviews... all personal taste though.

If you want to move it on Bob...

thanks a lot. that is a weird sort of gossipy / insidery article with a lot of detail. I wonder who wrote it, maybe Andrew Hamilton?

Yes it says Andrew Hamilton at the end Bob. Quite interesting article I thought - Joan Baez on Way Out? :

Edited January 20, 201213 yr by Steve G

Is this the one Mick H plays ?

Sure I saw and heard it at Lowton wheb he was on, its a thumper !

Sure it is cos I asked about this an now have seen the label it rings a bell.

Is this the one Mick H plays ?

Sure I saw and heard it at Lowton wheb he was on, its a thumper !

Sure it is cos I asked about this an now have seen the label it rings a bell.

Yes that's the one young man, Mick was where one of those first little clutch of went to .Was it in the back room he played it ,if i remember at lowton ? i also played it a few times at the early Lifeline's when i first found it (i dare say it was known about before that ,but it was new to me at that time !)

The pair of you should wash your ears out with soap .. The ballad really is nice,aswell as the uptempo flip with girly reply to the hook line - John Washington is vocally very versatile and sings with soul and passion ! Is it the absence of the group that makes it terrible Bob ? I think the people aren't familiar with these two sides otherwise i'm sure it would have had positive reviews... all personal taste though.

Have to agree, it's a very soulful double-sider, and whilst the Sensations aren't in the background, it has everything else that made the Sensations productions so special....John Washington's vocal talents are as strong on this release as "Demanding Man".... it's a must have 45..

I played the crossover side at a venue once it bombed and the bar suddenly became very busy! Shades of Curtis M in the vocals I thought......good record.

In addition to having no group, I thought the ballad side was poorly written and sort of went nowhere. I have to listen to the northern side more (and I'll listen to the ballad side again). Thanks.

The pair of you should wash your ears out with soap .. The ballad really is nice,aswell as the uptempo flip with girly reply to the hook line - John Washington is vocally very versatile and sings with soul and passion ! Is it the absence of the group that makes it terrible Bob ? I think the people aren't familiar with these two sides otherwise i'm sure it would have had positive reviews... all personal taste though.

I thought I said I liked it...off to wash me lug oles out.

I played the crossover side at a venue once it bombed and the bar suddenly became very busy! Shades of Curtis M in the vocals I thought......good record.

Not surprised at that Steve, it's a ballad, barely walking pace .... not really a crossover tune.... but agree with your comments on Curtis like vocals, very different style to his work with the Sensations, but great all the same.

Andy Dyson played the 'Calendar' side in the lounge at Essence last year. It's the one side I wrote down to track down all weekend. Glad to say I managed to pick one up since. It didn't sound as good when I played it at home as it did in the lounge, if I'm honest (maybe I needed half a dozen pints down me to recreate the mood) but it's still quite nice... about sums it up! :0)

Sean

OK, I finally found my copy under a stack of other records and listened to it again. The uptempo side is actually really good, almost (haha) rare groove sounding. I think I didn't get past the weird intro or something when I played it before. The ballad side is okay but not great, has a nice lo-fi vibe to it though.