rhumour has it that was not his real name -anybody know for certain?also just heard but unconfirmed that he has passed away -anybody have an update on him recently?

His original L.A. collection, or the bits I saw of it, was phenomenal as you'd expect. All perfectly alphabetised so he could lay his hands on a record quickly. Quite often I'd find a tune in L.A. and ring him about it and within seconds he'd have his own copy in his hands from his cupboards. He only really liked 100mph traditional Northern Soul and was very dismissive of anything mid-tempo, funky or crossover as we now know it. However, he'd usually have a reference copy of most things to hand. On the odd occasion when I was at his place and he was on the phone in the other room I'd start looking through his shelves and just staring at stuff I'd never seen before and then he'd come back in the room and say, "what ze f*ck are you doing"? That's my collection and no one is allowed to see it" and then slam the sliding door to the cupboard shut almost trapping my fingers.......

He also made a point of taking multiple copies of the same record from any finds, so he could locate the best copy 'for his collection'. The famous story is that when Kev found the Casualeers on an L.A. record dig with Simon, Simon took all 50 copies as he 'had to have the cleanest copy'. Naturally Kev never saw the other 49 Casualeers ever again.

Ian D

Ian,

The worst thing was, he sent the Casualeers to Russ before I had chance to get home and play it that weekend at the Casino

I think we'll have to keep our fond memories of 'Simone' to ourselves. It's a case of you had to know him before making any real judgement.

Funny to see one or two slagging him still while themselvelves and/or friends are selling his pressings for £30 plus on Ebay.

Totally agree with Steve Smith's analogy..... Steve G's 'collection' question...I think Mick Smith was one of the first to pounce due to the haul being stored in Weybridge(too far for us Northerner's to travel, plus I imagine many did not take the collection too seriously....big mistake...huge! Brilliant photo from Julian Bentley

What a fantastic talent SS was.......

So the box I saw was no more than 500 - all the big titles - wonder who had the rest? It was broked as "Soussan's collection".

I think he'd filtered it off for a few years up until Les got it. He certainly had multiple thousands of 45's in 1976 and that was just at his house. He told me that he also had a climate controlled room with the bulk of his collection there, but I'm somewhat sceptical that it ever existed. On the other hand, I never saw anything in bulk ever at his apartment and I know he did several major warehouse trips just in the 6 months I was in L.A., so I don't know where he put that stuff.

One time I was at the Hollywood Record Fair in the Capitol Records car park and Bob 'The Bear' Hite from Canned Heat pulled up in a pick-up truck that was loaded with with around 10K 45's that he was giving away and Simon took them all! I dunno where those went either but he picked up a ton of great early 70's stuff from that load alone. Maybe he had a storage unit somewhere....?#

Ian D

Edited December 18, 201212 yr by Ian Dewhirst

Ian,

The worst thing was, he sent the Casualeers to Russ before I had chance to get home and play it that weekend at the Casino

I think we'll have to keep our fond memories of 'Simone' to ourselves. It's a case of you had to know him before making any real judgement.

Funny to see one or two slagging him still while themselvelves and/or friends are selling his pressings for £30 plus on Ebay.

Totally agree with Steve Smith's analogy..... Steve G's 'collection' question...I think Mick Smith was one of the first to pounce due to the haul being stored in Weybridge(too far for us Northerner's to travel, plus I imagine many did not take the collection too seriously....big mistake...huge!

What a fantastic talent SS was.......

I agree pretty much with everything you say. He was an incredible talent whether you liked him or not and certainly his nose for Northern Soul was just incredible. Many many times I've seen him in Warehouses or Garages that I'd lost interest in going through anymore and he's suddenly pull a record out, study it and say, "this is the one baby boy. I can smell it" and he'd be right. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of arrangers, producers, writters and publishers and no matter how old looking or straight the label was, he'd often see something that most people would have missed at the time.

He was definitely in the right place at the right time to find stuff though and he sure didn't dick around once he got going. I think once he'd done that first Colony trip in '71 or thereabouts he was always heading towards L.A. (via a year in Mexico City whilst he waited for his green card). By the time I got there, he'd already cleaned up massively (and got banned from most places in the process).

Out of most people I'm probably the one who should moan the most, since neither Neil Rushton or myself never saw any of the proceeds from a million-selling record we collectively co-produced. Mind you, Simon then got shafted when Soultrain went bust, so there's always a bigger shark around......

That Don Cornelius clip is kinda ironic as well, since Simon got ditched by Soultrain after producing half of the Shalamar album! Simon and Don knew each other long before Shalamar via a club called the Candy Store. In fact, the first night I got to L.A. Simon introduced to Don at that very club. Wouldn't swap the memories of that trip for anything though!

Ian D

I think he'd filtered it off for a few years up until Les got it. He certainly had multiple thousands of 45's in 1976 and that was just at his house. He told me that he also had a climate controlled room with the bulk of his collection there, but I'm somewhat sceptical that it ever existed. On the other hand, I never saw anything in bulk ever at his apartment and I know he did several major warehouse trips just in the 6 months I was in L.A., so I don't know where he put that stuff.

One time I was at the Hollywood Record Fair in the Capitol Records car park and Bob 'The Bear' Hite from Canned Heat pulled up in a pick-up truck that was loaded with with around 10K 45's that he was giving away and Simon took them all! I dunno where those went either but he picked up a ton of great early 70's stuff from that load alone. Maybe he had a storage unit somewhere....?#

Ian D

Ian,did'nt John Manship say that Simon sent Kop a couple of pallet loads over to Toronto?Never the less,your knowledge of Simon(e) lays the way to speculation,did he sell off everything?The sheer physical volume of stuff he found needed somewhere to store it all,as you pointed out...mysterious... Impossible as it sounds,his history and finds would make rivetting,heart stopping reading and more...

I think Simon had a storage space somewhere in LA (perhaps Hollywood?).

Very astute but can that really be him on Facebook then?

No,- probably the Frenchman (photo above) who works part-time in L.A.

simon soussan ,the dick turpin of the northern soul scene, sick of hearing about his 5 year activity , year upon year , lets ave a thread about people who have given so much more than this shyster a la raistrick ,hennigan,thorley,darge,withers,and oh so many more worthy people .........its not even good history!!!

So the box I saw was no more than 500 - all the big titles - wonder who had the rest? It was broked as "Soussan's collection".

tim ashlybendy (not how you spell it) had some and said that some where under priced at the time and they had notes on the them for the pressing plants to drop or add colours to the label on the reissue/boot

Edited December 18, 201212 yr by soulpaul0

SOUSSAN FOUND!!!

Our reporters tracked him down to his house in Malibu, but when we confronted him, he didn't want to talk to us....

https://viciousbabushka.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b72a74970b016761cea3a2970b-800wi

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Steve G

simon soussan ,the dick turpin of the northern soul scene, sick of hearing about his 5 year activity , year upon year , lets ave a thread about people who have given so much more than this shyster a la raistrick ,hennigan,thorley,darge,withers,and oh so many more worthy people .........its not even good history!!!

Why not a thread FROM these people,what's stopping them all these years from doing so, those who have given "so" much?

Why not a thread FROM these people,what's stopping them all these years from doing so, those who have given "so" much?

some of those people do post threads on here

simon soussan ,the dick turpin of the northern soul scene, sick of hearing about his 5 year activity , year upon year , lets ave a thread about people who have given so much more than this shyster a la raistrick ,hennigan,thorley,darge,withers,and oh so many more worthy people .........its not even good history!!!

It's an open forum so anyone can post about anything. Like it or not S.S. discovered 100's of incredible Northern Soul records, doubtless many that you'll probably love, so how you can say it's not good history is difficult for me to comprehend. Just because he was a shyster didn't mean it was 'bad' history whatever that means.....

Feel free to start some threads on your own choices if you like....

Ian D

It's an open forum so anyone can post about anything. Like it or not S.S. discovered 100's of incredible Northern Soul records, doubtless many that you'll probably love, so how you can say it's not good history is difficult for me to comprehend. Just because he was a shyster didn't mean it was 'bad' history whatever that means.....

Feel free to start some threads on your own choices if you like....

Ian D

I think most people agree with you Ian and like most people I love hearing your stories of theses days. I suspect it's Kevs usual disrespectful dismissal of anyone that wasn't around for and anything subsequent of his few years on the scene back then. It is tiresome and irksome, and although I occasionally give you a hard time on this your transparency and honest in these discussions is great to read. And you do have a very inclusive way of storytelling. When's the book, maybe you need a ghostwriter!

Would be good to get an intro from Mr Uptite, only posted on 3 threads and 2 of them about SS, I can her Mr Cato and his fellow conspricacists cogs whirling overtime as I type.

And to be fair to Diddy a lot of people on here talk about Northern as if it happened between 74 and 77, which i suspect it did for lots, but I agree that is for another thread.

I think most people agree with you Ian and like most people I love hearing your stories of theses days. I suspect it's Kevs usual disrespectful dismissal of anyone that wasn't around for and anything subsequent of his few years on the scene back then. It is tiresome and irksome, and although I occasionally give you a hard time on this your transparency and honest in these discussions is great to read. And you do have a very inclusive way of storytelling. When's the book, maybe you need a ghostwriter!

Would be good to get an intro from Mr Uptite, only posted on 3 threads and 2 of them about SS, I can her Mr Cato and his fellow conspricacists cogs whirling overtime as I type.

And to be fair to Diddy a lot of people on here talk about Northern as if it happened between 74 and 77, which i suspect it did for lots, but I agree that is for another thread.

Are you a wannabe moderator? You don't know Soussan so why bother criticizing people who do.

Start your own thread.....

The one Bit that is interesting is you say he had a massive talent, can you expand on that, he obviously had an ear and a brain for spotting good Northern, did you mean wider than that? Not that that isn't impressive, just keen to understand if there was more.

Are you a wannabe moderator? You don't know Soussan so why bother criticizing people who do.

Start your own thread.....

Where did I say anything about your knowledge of SS. I was critiquing your superior and disrespectful tone you always use on here. Thanks for proving my point.

Anyway back to the thread......, Soussan just called and he's alive and well and living in Stoke Newington. Ian D's meeting him for coffee to view the 100 count Mello Souls SS just found at Monarch.

The Top 500 thread reached 7,000 views, are we heading there?

Hopefully Jocko can start a thread about his recollection of the scene, somehow though I think he'll stay on this thread.

Would be good to get an intro from Mr Uptite, only posted on 3 threads and 2 of them about SS, I can her Mr Cato and his fellow conspricacists cogs whirling overtime as I type.

Jocko , maybe SS himself playing games ???

Cheers

Swifty

young man, I am old enough to remmeber one night at the end of the 1970's when his record collection appeared one night at a nighter in a big box courtesy of let me see Les McCutcheon maybe. A lot of interest and a queue to look, but compared to nowadays and the knowledge we have now - not that much to slaver about really Bob.

Are you talking about that box at the Yate nighter?

Soussan just called and he's alive and well and living in Stoke Newington. Ian D's meeting him for coffee to view the 100 count Mello Souls SS just found at Monarch.

The Top 500 thread reached 7,000 views, are we heading there?

Intersting how you mention both the Mello Souls and the Top500 there, Kev...considering the Mello Souls somehow couldn't even make it into the Top500 book!

Guess Simon will have to junk that worthless 100 count box!

Aye.....snap em up quick!

One time I was at the Hollywood Record Fair in the Capitol Records car park and Bob 'The Bear' Hite from Canned Heat pulled up in a pick-up truck that was loaded with with around 10K 45's that he was giving away and Simon took them all! I dunno where those went either but he picked up a ton of great early 70's stuff from that load alone. Maybe he had a storage unit somewhere....?#

Ian D

Bob Hite had a massive collection of Blues records - the attached mentions how he never stopped expanding his collection - seems highly likely he would 000's of records of no value to him back then!

https://subrosa.itcmedia.net/en/catalogue/fundamental/doctor-boogie-presents.html;jsessionid=519F5A47FC54E6245212310275C0D22B

Nice story Ian

Mike

Are you talking about that box at the Yate nighter?

Yes Flynny - one of the few times we ventured West to Yate via Southampton (to pick up Pete "Winkleman" )....same night we had to stop at The Widd's grandma's house on the way home......I remember it like yesterday, but I cannot remember half the titles in the Soussan / McCutcheon box - funny that!....We were essentially Wiganites because it was easier to get a train to.

Yate in the middle of nowhere.

Bob Hite had a massive collection of Blues records - the attached mentions how he never stopped expanding his collection - seems highly likely he would 000's of records of no value to him back then!

https://subrosa.itcme...212310275C0D22B

Nice story Ian

Mike

He was a regular fixture @ the Hollywood Swap Meet which I think was the first Sunday of every month in the mid 70's. You'd often get people rolling up with trucks full of 45's. Unfortunately Simon was always there, often going directly from Chez Nous in Beverly Hills which closed @ 4.00am......

I just googled and found this....

https://gogonotes.blogspot.co.uk/2008/03/197677-capitol-records-swap-meet.html

Ian D

Yes Flynny - one of the few times we ventured West to Yate via Southampton (to pick up Pete "Winkleman" )....same night we had to stop at The Widd's grandma's house on the way home......I remember it like yesterday, but I cannot remember half the titles in the Soussan / McCutcheon box - funny that!....We were essentially Wiganites because it was easier to get a train to.

Yate in the middle of nowhere.

In that case, I remember it as I was there that particular nighter as well! You weren't actually allowed to look through the boxes they wheeled in on a trolley - they had it listed out and you had to wait your turn to look through the paperwork! It was packed with classic Oldies and most were waaaaay under priced. There were three subsequent lists produced for mail order...incredible stuff for peanuts even back then.

2 questions.

What happened to his chip shop in Goole.?

What did you get for his wedding present,Ian.?

2 questions.

What happened to his chip shop in Goole.?

What did you get for his wedding present,Ian.?

a fish supper and a bottle of babycham

I think most people agree with you Ian and like most people I love hearing your stories of theses days. I suspect it's Kevs usual disrespectful dismissal of anyone that wasn't around for and anything subsequent of his few years on the scene back then.

Or maybe he just doesn't like hearing heroic tales about someone who stole hard earned money from lots of punters by taking their money and not supplying records, or selling counterfeits as originals, etc?

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Pete S

Pete- Any real evidence?

I can only comment on how I found him.

I think it's more his flamboyant personality that turned most Brit Northern collectors off.

I wonder how many bought real treasures from him for pennies that are now worth mega bucks?

Or about the folks selling his 'reissues' for vastly inflated prices.

We were a better scene with him involved, in my humble opinion.

Pete- Any real evidence?

Sorry I must have imagined everything I've read, been told, read on here and witnessed first hand

I've enjoyed all the stories and agree that he's a larger than life character but....no excuse for some of the things he's documented on here as having got up to.

People with long memories remember buying the likes of George Blackwell and The Salvadors as originals only to find out that they weren't...

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Pete S

some of those people do post threads on here

So where was the relevance in his comment?What he was implying had nothing to do with this topic.My reply was my way...of pointing that out.

Thanks for the input though Bob.

Sorry I must have imagined everything I've read, been told, read on here and witnessed first hand

I've enjoyed all the stories and agree that he's a larger than life character but....no excuse for some of the things he's documented on here as having got up to.

People with long memories remember buying the likes of George Blackwell and The Salvadors as originals only to find out that they weren't...

Pete,have you ever noticed how sometimes some threads seem to deviate out of proportion,well I think the case is that here.I cannot understand all these negative comments and constant slagging of him.The ****** topic was supposed to have simply been asking for news on his "status",I called it an update.I am not asking for nor interested in all this hate mail stuff.Anyone wants to discuss anyone/anything unrelated to the topic should start off another thread.Pretty soon someone will ask if I am still at Steadman Place!! And your interpretation of "heroic",really is uncalled for Pete.He was a most extraordinary person,its a shame people only reflect on the darker side.He was much more than that.As for pressings.... about the funniest post was for his wedding present

Swearing removed : Get a grip, you know site rules.

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Dave Moore
Foul Language

The fucking topic was supposed to have simply been asking for news on his "status",I called it an update.I am not asking for nor interested in all this hate mail stuff.

Well close the "******* topic" down then.

Peter

Swearing removed. Get a grip, you know the site rules.

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Dave Moore
Foul Language

And your interpretation of "heroic",really is uncalled for Pete.

Just in the context that a real 'hero' would be on the right side of the law.

Starting a topic about Simon though is akin to starting one about Ian Levine or Russ Winstanley, with opinion always divided down the middle. Light the fuse and stand back.

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Pete S

In that case, I remember it as I was there that particular nighter as well! You weren't actually allowed to look through the boxes they wheeled in on a trolley - they had it listed out and you had to wait your turn to look through the paperwork! It was packed with classic Oldies and most were waaaaay under priced. There were three subsequent lists produced for mail order...incredible stuff for peanuts even back then.

You may well be right. It's a hazy memory, remember being there and having to fight my way through the "scene elders" of the time

Or maybe he just doesn't like hearing heroic tales about someone who stole hard earned money from lots of punters by taking their money and not supplying records, or selling counterfeits as originals, etc?

Pete. I'm with you. But don't want to spoil the thread. Since no one knows where he is, agree close it down. Just in it for the money I suspect....

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by Steve G

well, ive just backscrolled over several dozen posts and i simply cannot believe the undiluted animosity that prevails.....and all because of the name simon soussan...it really does raise the hackles dosn't it?, some much so that the audible sound of knife sharpening is unmistakeable!...so much whipped up hysteria...for heavens sake, get a grip of your dark sides...or are you all hoping that 21-12-12 will be your redemption and the demise of the hated?. simon soussan is as much a part of the furniture as winstanley, levine and anyone else who seemingly perverts the course of justice. the scene thrived off the back of bootlegs, dispised as they are or else, wouldn't we all be in the same position as we actually are now..where too few djs have the severely obscure records that only get featured at one venue at a time, every week...would there, in all honesty be a scene for us then?. so what if soussan cashed in on us poor unsuspecting souls, it was the 70's, a very nieve time for a very embroionic scene and, dont forget, chris burton was doing it before him...and people bought the records, because they couldn't afford the originals but wanted to have that tune at home where they could listen to it in their own confines. the scene evolved though didnt it?, and these days many, many of us dont balk at prices for originals and thats despite the eternal inflatory prices on offer ( excluding the super rare of course ) its already been stated here that simon was letting stuff go for pennies, so if the last laugh is on him, its because he's the one white-as-a-ghost like, wondering how he lost out on SO MUCH MORE MONEY!!.

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by AGENTSMITH

ok i take it back he wasnt a shyster , more of a boot legging ledgend for the rose tinted glasses masses lol !!

Pete,have you ever noticed how sometimes some threads seem to deviate out of proportion,well I think the case is that here.I cannot understand all these negative comments and constant slagging of him.The fucking topic was supposed to have simply been asking for news on his "status",I called it an update.I am not asking for nor interested in all this hate mail stuff.Anyone wants to discuss anyone/anything unrelated to the topic should start off another thread.Pretty soon someone will ask if I am still at Steadman Place!! And your interpretation of "heroic",really is uncalled for Pete.He was a most extraordinary person,its a shame people only reflect on the darker side.He was much more than that.As for pressings.... about the funniest post was for his wedding present

It's site etiquette to post an intro in the Freebasing Forum under 'Intros'. It tends to help when posting so folks know something about each other. Please post an intro when you get a minute.

Thanks,

Dave

Mr. Uptite - can I go back to Post 1 - your opening post. You said:

".........also just heard but unconfirmed that he has passed away "

Can you please tell us who you heard from that he had passed away, irrespective of whether it is still

unconfirmed? Tell us the person's name not a reference to a "friend" or "source" etc.

No big deal is it to tell us a name? They only passed on information to you after all.

Thanks

Well close the "******* topic" down then.

Peter

Swearing removed. Get a grip, you know the site rules.

Just for clarity and I have flagged it to the moderators first - but, I was simply quoting what the thread starter had said in his post prior to mine which has gone unchecked. Using quotes to provide context and clarity is an altogether different matter in my book. It is something that decent newspapers find acceptable. I try to be considerate in the language I use on SS and to be quite frank I don't need to be told to get a grip by anybody - particularly in an open thread. It might have been better to pm me.

Thanks rant over.

Peter

Just for clarity and I have flagged it to the moderators first - but, I was simply quoting what the thread starter had said in his post prior to mine which has gone unchecked. Using quotes to provide context and clarity is an altogether different matter in my book. It is something that decent newspapers find acceptable. I try to be considerate in the language I use on SS and to be quite frank I don't need to be told to get a grip by anybody - particularly in an open thread. It might have been better to pm me.

Thanks rant over.

Peter

Moderation issues are to be posted in the feedback section.

Happy to discuss in proper location.

Regards,

Dave

Found him he's alive and well in the u s of a

Edited December 19, 201212 yr by sheldonsoul

well, ive just backscrolled over several dozen posts and i simply cannot believe the undiluted animosity that prevails.....and all because of the name simon soussan...it really does raise the hackles dosn't it?, some much so that the audible sound of knife sharpening is unmistakeable!...so much whipped up hysteria...for heavens sake, get a grip of your dark sides...or are you all hoping that 21-12-12 will be your redemption and the demise of the hated?. simon soussan is as much a part of the furniture as winstanley, levine and anyone else who seemingly perverts the course of justice. the scene thrived off the back of bootlegs, dispised as they are or else, wouldn't we all be in the same position as we actually are now..where too few djs have the severely obscure records that only get featured at one venue at a time, every week...would there, in all honesty be a scene for us then?. so what if soussan cashed in on us poor unsuspecting souls, it was the 70's, a very nieve time for a very embroionic scene and, dont forget, chris burton was doing it before him...and people bought the records, because they couldn't afford the originals but wanted to have that tune at home where they could listen to it in their own confines. the scene evolved though didnt it?, and these days many, many of us dont balk at prices for originals and thats despite the eternal inflatory prices on offer ( excluding the super rare of course ) its already been stated here that simon was letting stuff go for pennies, so if the last laugh is on him, its because he's the one white-as-a-ghost like, wondering how he lost out on SO MUCH MORE MONEY!!.

I guess he's the easiest target. The fact is that many people did business with him, many without even knowing because Simon was pretty much the ONLY U.S. based supplier of prime Northern Soul in the early 70's. So whether you bought your records from many of the dealers or bought your bootlegs from Selectadisc, Soussan was generally involved somewhere along the line. The last time I saw him was 1990 and he wasn't doing so well then, living in a basic apartrment somewhere around Santa Monica I believe with a new wife and a couple of kids.

The point that people maybe miss, was that Soussan, hustler or not, was a true lover of Soul music. He also knew, was generally liked by, and got on, with many artists. He introduced me to Solomon Burke, Ike Turner, Jack Ashford, James Jamerson and countless others. So he was a small-time hustler who got out-hustled himself by much bigger, more respectable hustlers, like happens every day to most of us.

In the grand scheme of things, S.S. isn't even a blip compared to, say, UBS who got fined $1.5 billion today for rigging the libor rate (like Barclays before them) or the scum bankers and politicians who have recently ripped us off etc, etc, so no point in getting hysterical over a small-time hustler like Simon. There are far worse people around than him believe me.

Ian D

And he's still got his fav shoes for dancing

Pete,have you ever noticed how sometimes some threads seem to deviate out of proportion,well I think the case is that here.I cannot understand all these negative comments and constant slagging of him.The ****** topic was supposed to have simply been asking for news on his "status",I called it an update.I am not asking for nor interested in all this hate mail stuff.Anyone wants to discuss anyone/anything unrelated to the topic should start off another thread.Pretty soon someone will ask if I am still at Steadman Place!! And your interpretation of "heroic",really is uncalled for Pete.He was a most extraordinary person,its a shame people only reflect on the darker side.He was much more than that.As for pressings.... about the funniest post was for his wedding present

Swearing removed : Get a grip, you know site rules.

Still not had an answer on that.

Still not had an answer on that.

I took him and Sabrina to a Morrocan Castle just off Sunset, which was his favourite restaurant. Pigeon pie and cous cous. The food was pretty unbelievable and that was actually a good night. I seem to remember he was on top form that night and cracked up everyone who was waiting for their cars to be brought by the valet.....

Ian D

I guess he's the easiest target. The fact is that many people did business with him, many without even knowing because Simon was pretty much the ONLY U.S. based supplier of prime Northern Soul in the early 70's. So whether you bought your records from many of the dealers or bought your bootlegs from Selectadisc, Soussan was generally involved somewhere along the line. The last time I saw him was 1990 and he wasn't doing so well then, living in a basic apartrment somewhere around Santa Monica I believe with a new wife and a couple of kids.

The point that people maybe miss, was that Soussan, hustler or not, was a true lover of Soul music. He also knew, was generally liked by, and got on, with many artists. He introduced me to Solomon Burke, Ike Turner, Jack Ashford, James Jamerson and countless others. So he was a small-time hustler who got out-hustled himself by much bigger, more respectable hustlers, like happens every day to most of us.

In the grand scheme of things, S.S. isn't even a blip compared to, say, UBS who got fined $1.5 billion today for rigging the libor rate (like Barclays before them) or the scum bankers and politicians who have recently ripped us off etc, etc, so no point in getting hysterical over a small-time hustler like Simon. There are far worse people around than him believe me.

Ian D

I don't think anyone here is claiming that Simon is the Anti-Christ. And I don't think they were trying to diminish his contribution to The Northern Soul scene or Disco Music/modern Soul production. I think they were just commenting on things he DID do to them or others. SOME of them (not all) were saying that the negatives outweigh the positives in terms of overall effect on The Northern Soul scene.

I can't even know, for sure, if his action affecting me wasn't legitimate. There's a reasonable chance that Tom DePierro SOLD the Frank Wilson to him (his own idea), despite his telling me that Simon took it and never returned it. He needed cash badly, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he had sold it (maybe for $500 or so). He really didn't know what it would be worth. And Simon knew it was and would be worth much, much more, of course). Nevertheless, people who were wronged like to be able to complain about it, to get at least THAT as paltry compensation.

I took him and Sabrina to a Morrocan Castle just off Sunset, which was his favourite restaurant. Pigeon pie and cous cous. The food was pretty unbelievable and that was actually a good night. I seem to remember he was on top form that night and cracked up everyone who was waiting for their cars to be brought by the valet.....

Ian D

Dont trust anyone who eats cous-cous. .Thanks Ian.

I met him only a couple of times and was on the end of as Ian knows the incident at the Mecca Well Ian was on the end of it I just happened to be standing too close.

My first meeting I cannot remember when, was I was very young and bought some records off him only to find out that out of the half dozen 3 were boots. I think I complained to Richard S about it and the next thing was I had my money back but I never got any more records from him because I had complained - the other three were originals and pretty nice too! So I probably shot myself in the foot by complaining- so then I had to buy off Kev R if I wanted something I couldnt get from Global!

I remember as a youngster I was in Awe listening to his knowledge as I was knowledgeable but not enough to compete with him in a conversation so I just stood there listening while he had conversations with others. One of the Characters of the Scenes in the 70s.

I don't think anyone here is claiming that Simon is the Anti-Christ. And I don't think they were trying to diminish his contribution to The Northern Soul scene or Disco Music/modern Soul production. I think they were just commenting on things he DID do to them or others. SOME of them (not all) were saying that the negatives outweigh the positives in terms of overall effect on The Northern Soul scene.

I can't even know, for sure, if his action affecting me wasn't legitimate. There's a reasonable chance that Tom DePierro SOLD the Frank Wilson to him (his own idea), despite his telling me that Simon took it and never returned it. He needed cash badly, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he had sold it (maybe for $500 or so). He really didn't know what it would be worth. And Simon knew it was and would be worth much, much more, of course). Nevertheless, people who were wronged like to be able to complain about it, to get at least THAT as paltry compensation.

True Robb. He always credited me with 'saving his life' when I took a beer glass full on into my face when things turned nasty one night at the Mecca and, as a result, he managed to get out in one piece. However that didn't stop him ripping myself and Neil Rushton off when Shalamar took off. I'm a believer in karma, so what goes around comes around.

For instance, he always had appalling problems with a stomach ulcer so he spent a massive amount of time doubled-up in pain. When I saw him again some 17 years later, he was still in great pain. In fact, I seem to remember that Les McCutcheon had to bail him out so he could get some stomach surgery in the mid 90's. Irrelevant I know, but if you live by the sword etc, etc.....

Ian D