So decided to do a cd of records that I never, ever play...ones that just sit there neglected, like for instance Kim Tolliver - I don't know what foot to dance on...that sort of thing. Anyway I just played one that Ian did just after Weak Spot and Doomsday, "Running in another direction" by Barbara Pennington. You know what, it's brilliant! Has a fantastic string arrangement too. It's not as good as "24 hours a day" which truly is a great record but it might be worth giving it a listen, really enjoyed it.

Edited September 4, 200816 yr by Pete S

So decided to do a cd of records that I never, ever play...ones that just sit there neglected, like for instance Kim Tolliver - I don't know what foot to dance on...that sort of thing. Anyway I just played one that Ian did just after Weak Spot and Doomsday, "Running in another direction" by Barbara Pennington. You know what, it's brilliant! Has a fantastic string arrangement too. It's not as good as "24 hours a day" which truly is a great record but it might be worth giving it a listen, really enjoyed it.

To be honest, as pop/soul records go that stuff he did wasn't that bad was it?. It was later on that he spoilt his credebility a bit. The Motor City stuff didn't do anything for me either & in fact rather spoilt the memory a bit, but to be fair to him, i think his intentions were good.

Edited July 1, 200619 yr by B-side-B

So decided to do a cd of records that I never, ever play...ones that just sit there neglected, like for instance Kim Tolliver - I don't know what foot to dance on...that sort of thing. Anyway I just played one that Ian did just after Weak Spot and Doomsday, "Running in another direction" by Barbara Pennington. You know what, it's brilliant! Has a fantastic string arrangement too. It's not as good as "24 hours a day" which truly is a great record but it might be worth giving it a listen, really enjoyed it.

...Agree wholeheartedly with Pete on this one. I'm also a big fan of "Suffering" by the Exciters, which I think would have a great reputation across the scene if it was not 'guilty by association'. as it were...

In fact, the best of Ian's earliest 45s can still hold their own with pretty much anything that just happens to be Northern by classification, rather than created especially for the scene. As Pete says, "24 Hours A Day" is a truly great record and one that no other producer who's emerged from our scene has ever been able to match (and, likely as not, never will...)

TONE

Blimey, I wasn't expecting one person to agree with me let alone two!

Something else I meant to mention about Ian's early attempts at songwriting, notice how he keep slipping the titles of other records into the lyrics e.g. Please don't run from me, My world is on fire, Ton of dynamite...probably loads more..

Blimey, I wasn't expecting one person to agree with me let alone two!

Something else I meant to mention about Ian's early attempts at songwriting, notice how he keep slipping the titles of other records into the lyrics e.g. Please don't run from me, My world is on fire, Ton of dynamite...probably loads more..

...probably? How about these two

"Ooh Honey Baby" - Earl Cosby - "Your Sweet Lovin'" - Margie Joseph - "Is My Weak Spot..." (Evelyn Thomas)

or

"...Every Night, You're Creepin' In My Dreams" - Stevie Wonder/Tamiko Jones ("I Can't Erase The Thoughts Of You" - Barbara Pennington)

...Anymore for anymore?

TONE

Got James Wells's "Baby I'm still the same man" on Polydor 12" off my mate Tony Warot some time ago (came out the same week as Millie Jackson's "House for sale"), what a brilliant record . . . !! I was also informed that he died a few years back, another talent sadly missed.

Martin

So decided to do a cd of records that I never, ever play...ones that just sit there neglected, like for instance Kim Tolliver - I don't know what foot to dance on...that sort of thing. Anyway I just played one that Ian did just after Weak Spot and Doomsday, "Running in another direction" by Barbara Pennington. You know what, it's brilliant! Has a fantastic string arrangement too. It's not as good as "24 hours a day" which truly is a great record but it might be worth giving it a listen, really enjoyed it.

Good call Pete and..let's not forget that Ian L has the No.1 DANCE RECORD UP NORTH AT PRESENT; Standing On Solid Ground-Sidney Barnes.

We sold 8 copies in 3 years until the last 3 months, now everyone wants it!

I just played "Elusive" by Babe Ruth (the UK version) - apart from the horrible rock guitar solo at the end, this sounds great as well! Can remember the floor at Wigan vibrating to this in early 1976. Take away the rock connotations and it's a great little record.

James Bynum - Time passes by - brilliant...(actually I would have played this regularly but haven't had one for years til recently so not exactly a never play record)

James Bynum - Time passes by - brilliant...(actually I would have played this regularly but haven't had one for years til recently so not exactly a never play record)

There was also a track by L J Johnson - Your magic put a spell on me - which had a fantastic string laden beginning but I think was too fast to dance to at the time let alone now.

Careful now, the man himself might get tempted to come on this forum if we're not careful.

Being relatively a newcomer, has he ever been on here before.

Kev

Got

James Wells's "Baby I'm still the same man"

on Polydor 12" off my mate Tony Warot some time ago (came out the same week as Millie Jackson's "House for sale"), what a brilliant record . . . !! I was also informed that he died a few years back, another talent sadly missed.

Martin

[/quote

Long version also on flipside of UK seven. Nice record

Ian Levine took great singers and locked them into repetitive, third-rate disco.Well done, Ian.

There was also a track by L J Johnson - Your magic put a spell on me - which had a fantastic string laden beginning but I think was too fast to dance to at the time let alone now.

Careful now, the man himself might get tempted to come on this forum if we're not careful.

Being relatively a newcomer, has he ever been on here before.

Kev

Remember Dave Evison playing it during his last hour oldie's spot the last couple of years @Wigan

Sold my copie for a fiver in 't record bar.

Cost me 35p as a new release

I had great respect for ian as a dj but as a producer he was hardly George Kerr.The backing singers on most of his productions were wooden,however I think the Exciters was one of his better efforts.Many people have tried to reproduce the northern sound and failed I still shudder when I think of the night simon soussan did a spot at wigan casino and played his instrumentals.

What happened to the Levine topic?

Ed

What happened to the Levine topic?

Ed

Moderators took it down (temporarily).

Looks like the few spoiled it for the majority.

Jaysus

Get the guy back on, its better than Eastenders.

Ed

Moderators took it down (temporarily).

Looks like the few spoiled it for the majority.

There's nothing to say a new one can't be started up!

Simon

Jaysus

Get the guy back on, its better than Eastenders.

Ed

What a shocking thing to say

Wheres the mod's when you want them

Big J got done good & proper and little J told Dawn where to get off, meanwhile Billy was posting fousands of pounds in the post box and !!!!!!!!

Well you'll just have to watch it yourself wont you

What a shocking thing to say

Wheres the mod's when you want them

Big J got done good & proper and little J told Dawn where to get off, meanwhile Billy was posting fousands of pounds in the post box and !!!!!!!!

Well you'll just have to watch it yourself wont you

That Dirty Dan Davey was givin it the big un an all.

Any chance of asound clip Pete.

Any chance of asound clip Pete.

What, from the original post? - didn't realise, it's 2 years old this topic!

Maybe all these tracks could be put on a compilation and sold cheap at petrol stations/Asda etc...

Spreading the soul to the world...

Love and peace xxxxx

Maybe all these tracks could be put on a compilation and sold cheap at petrol stations/Asda etc...

Spreading the soul to the world...

Love and peace xxxxx

great.

Maybe all these tracks could be put on a compilation and sold cheap at petrol stations/Asda etc...

Spreading the soul to the world...

Love and peace xxxxx

Now there's an idea, and maybe it could be called something like 'The greatest Northern Soul soundalikes in the world, ever!'

Simon

James Bynum - Time passes by - brilliant...(actually I would have played this regularly but haven't had one for years til recently so not exactly a never play record)

Terrible out-of-tune BV's on that one but it's a great song and the guy can sing......

Nice horn arrangement too....

Ian D

As much as I prefer real instruments etc, I feel some great songs came out of the 80's. I lived in Milton Keynes back then and we had a brand new TV channel called 'Sky Channel' (around 1983/4) that we paid 20p a week for! During the day the likes of Pat Sharp and Gary Davies would be playing videos on air, live from Cartlon TV in Swiss Cottage. One of the tracks that blew me away was called 'Bad Habit' by Jenny Burton:

https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-20O9KSIjwY

This amongst other tracks were something I aspired too, because I think they were clever enough to make me like them even though I think I can hear some synths. At the time it was new music, and I felt I had to adapt a little to accommodate it. However, over the years I have tended to go back towards real instrumentation as a preference but...some of the stuff like this and what Ian did I liked very much. I was always shocked to read the writing and production credits and when I saw Ian's name felt chuffed because a British person had gone and actually written and produced material I liked. I used to live in Holland during 1976/77. When I returned and went to a local Hull disco of all places, I heard the likes of L J Johnson and Evalyn Thomas, again with Ian's name associated etc. I remember saying to myself if he could do it, so could I, and my earlier pact to write music was sorted. If he reads this, I am sure he would be pleased to learn that he is partly responsible for my aspirations to write songs. I am not familiar with too many Northern politics as I was never involved with that culture, but I respect what happened and indeed what is happening now. No matter what people's personalities are like, if it is their passion to paint, write, produce or sing it must be commended. The likes of Norman Whitefield, who is going through a bad time right now is one of those special people that gave us a new exciting style of music that some may like or not. The credence generated by change can only be realised many years after when musical styles differ for example. I have a terrific yearning to study music from the 1940's. It was romantic and I now feel some music from the 1980's and 70's have elements of romance that can be rediscovered now. Of course, my heart lies in the 1960's and early to mid 1970's because that was my era, but who knows what is around the corner for soul music!

Edited September 16, 200816 yr by Carl Dixon

Bloody hell! Have never heard it before. Superb tune!

I think here in the UK, we take it for granted that everbody,s heard it, specily when it been around for over 30 years.

It must be great hearing this and other stuff like it for the 1st time.

It is one of I L,s best that for sure.

To be honest, as pop/soul records go that stuff he did wasn't that bad was it?. It was later on that he spoilt his credebility a bit. The Motor City stuff didn't do anything for me either & in fact rather spoilt the memory a bit, but to be fair to him, i think his intentions were good.

Well said mate An honest opinion without being vindictive or anything. I think i could quite get to like you