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neckender

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WOW!!!! 

What a read Mark

,I used to buy off John in the mid seventies,yeah, constantly getting the engaged tone,then the "oh yes" moment when the records you wanted were still available.It would have been a postal order and order form to pay as I don't think I had a bank account at the time,remember the weekly paypackets all paid in cash.

When Saxie Russell was a hot track I ordered 3 copies as two mates wanted one 85p each John sent 2 issues and a white demo as it was a multiple buy!!!!! 

Think it was also known as the cake factory as nearly every  enquiry got the reply S gone haha

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Happy days indeed!

 

Starting getting the lists when it was still Groove City. Every week would just marvel at the array of unknown artists and labels on offer. Just absorbing all the info was pleasure enough even on weeks I couldn't afford anything.

Me and my mate Phil Attley used to club together to buy the Soul Packs too. Feel sick at what we passed over if the first few bars of a tune weren't on the fours stompers or zippy floaters or too funky!

As someone said.....oh for a time machine knowing what we do now!

 

High insight: the benefit of knowing before it becomes Hindsight!!

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Great stories and anecdotes,..just what was asked for..and i presume this thread hasn't even scratched the surface yet...( hopefully worth several hundred more! ) i, sadly can't add to this..other than to say if in anyway it's of remote interest or irony, the "cheap element" has metamorphosed into what i call john's "dustbin" at prestatyn...and i, like many others i'm sure, can't wait to get their grubby little paws in it from friday onwards! :yes:  :lol:

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This could turn out to be the biggest and best thread ever. The weekly emotions a Soul Bowl list would generate for me from the early seventies when I was still at school meant that I could only call at lunchtime the following day. Sneaking out of the school grounds to the nearest phone box was stressful enough, sometimes to find the phone box out of order; running to the next one only to find the number engaged until, eventually, the answer `Soul Bowl`. The elation in finding the record(s) I wanted still available; the utter devastation at the words `sorry, thats gone`.   

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Guest Bob Blackwood

I drove ian levine there one time,he got quite excited driving through Asby de la Zouch,his favourite place name.Anyway for driving he gave me a copy of bobby taylor there are roses when really i wanted anything more uptempo!!!

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Great reading Mark, didn't start buying from soul bowl until the mid/late 70s. Have a persistent memory of sneaking into my Managing Directors office around 8:00am trying to get through on the phone before his car came round the corner. I remember the fear of getting caught making my heart beat almost out of my chest but as an obsessive collector needs must.

 

Also good to finally read the definitive story of what happened with Bostocks, Bradford. There are stories of the Salvadors from the very early 70s from Andy Simpson, John Manship etc.

The ex soul bowl Mirwood and Money label 45s were still there for sale as late as the early 80s offered in record packs.
Ironically I had a Bob & Fred Ill be on my way from John too, it was in the deep soul section of the list!, from memory I think ended up selling or swapping with you Mark.

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Brilliant read ! I went to Portland St. with Rob and Martin Thomas in the late 70's I think , was blown away and got Edward Hamilton - BDYW £8 and the Ideals - Mighty Lover £4 plus Harold Melvin - Get Out £4  and I reckon I was only earning £15 a week  :lol: Oh and those Soul Packs , got Innersection Demo in one that I remember , happy days eh?

 

:thumbsup:

Edited by SWIFTY
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What a brilliant read thanks. Sadly born just too late for Soulbowl (lost count of the stories and quotes I've read or heard about prices then, but all relative I guess). Just grateful now that many of those amazing records are still being played out and filtering their way out of some collections to still be enjoyed elsewhere.

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Fantastic read and brought back happy memories. First stated receiving the lists in 1975, late for school waiting for the post. From memory there also used to be the new releases on the front page e.g sexy sugar plum, Alfie Khan, Barnaby Bye etc. Got back into the scene around 1996 and started getting the lists again picking up the Pointer Sisters. Records were always mint. Like a lot us, I wished we had a time machine. Also wished I had purchased some of those soul packs. 

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Wow, memories. Remember buying stuff like The Ringleaders, John Bowie - Your gonna miss a good thing for about a fiver before they went huge.

 

wish I still had them today instead of selling them, ah well hindsight!

 

Great shop and list for picking up so many tunes back in the day.

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I can only echo what everyone has said here...

Absolutely great read Mark and John.

It has actually given me a new perspective on the whole origins of the rare soul scene that evolved into what it has become up till today.

In fact it's like a breath of fresh air to be honest!

 

Thank you.  :hatsoff2: 

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No wonder I could never get through on the phone.

 

I very rarely got my first choice of record, it was very frustrating in those days.

 

I always wanted visit Soul Bowl in person, but it was a bloody long way and I never did make it.

 

I had an arrangement with my boss at work so that I could use the telephone in my department until I got through, then however much time I had lost, I would work when everyone else had gone home.

 

As well as Soul Bowl, Brian Phillips list was my favourite. Again I very rarely got my first choice off the list, and I'm not surprised after hearing that half the countries Dj's were perminently camped outside his house at the time.

Edited by Quinvy
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The Del Larks in 75 is worth more than 450 quid in today's money! No wonder only people like John Vincent could afford one. Mere mortals just had to go to Sam's, Wigan or wherever he was booked to hear and dance to it. The way it should be!! Here's a UK inflation caculator so we can get a grip on those seemingly cheap prices!!
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

Edited by macca
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Same here with the phone calls etc.

Must say i didn't know he had connections with Paul & Gerry at Bostocks in Bradford.

So in addition to all the good stuff that we got off Bradford market, there were tons more that ended up at Soul Bowl. It would be interesting to know how that deal came about.

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Great read, should be Hall of Fame surely? Here's one of my memories.

 

So, it's Saturday morning, 1974 'ish, and the postman arrives with my "Soul Bowl" purchase. Risk running downstairs in my undies to grab it as soon as possible. Back up to the room, un-stick the mailer and behold the record. It was sssoooooo precious to me I just held it in my hands like a formula-one car steering wheel. Oooops! I snapped the record. It had cost me about £3, a lot of money for a fifteen year old schoolboy. Get dressed, run to the phone box, phone Soul Bowl. "The record you sent me is broken. Is there any chance you have another?" (little did I know that they had loads and were trickle feeding them). They said it was unusual for records to be broken in the post and I said I appreciate that but?.......they sent me a replacement. It was "Cool off"on orange Pameline and it was my pride and joy. :)

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Should the hall of fame thread have a category in which John is recognised as a promoter of soul. No in the sense of running an event or as a DJ but as a provider of soul to the masses.

 

The category is already there. I'd expect John to be nominate at some stage.  Problem is to be inducted, you have to first be nominated. 

 

Regards,

 

Dave

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Getting through on the phone was always a problem. Engaged, engaged, engaged. Through.

 

Remember when John was selling up to Craig Moerer in the 90s….Andy Davies calls says he's just found an unissued Millie Jackson album acetate and John wants to throw it in the skip  :lol:

Edited by Steve G
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Guest johnny hart

The Del Larks in 75 is worth more than 450 quid in today's money! No wonder only people like John Vincent could afford one. Mere mortals just had to go to Sam's, Wigan or wherever he was booked to hear and dance to it. The way it should be!! Here's a UK inflation caculator so we can get a grip on those seemingly cheap prices!!

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

These lists illustrate how todays rocketing prices have took record buying away from many. The average wage in 1980 was £120 per week, Soul Bowls prices approx; Del -Larks £50,Brice Cofield,£6, Sandy Wynns £2.50. Today average wage £400 Per week approx. What price similar records now? [also way back then beer was 30p a pint and petrol 28p alitre!   Oh for the good old days. Anyone remember when Soul Bowl lists featured"pen and Ink "style collages of unknown artists on the back of lists ,Esplendido post gracias!

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I first started buying records from Soulbowl in the early 70’s. It was always exciting waiting to get the new list and hoping the postman wasn’t late. We didn’t have a phone in the house back then and had to run to phone box and hope no one was in so you could ring through bang on 9:00 or else all the good stuff would be gone.

 

I use to spend hours going through those lists there was so much stuff on there I still have so some of the muti-coloured lists from 1973 Ivory’s at £3 wow

I will always remember Tobi Legend £3 and Reparata & Delrons £3 arriving brand new in Bell sleeves I still have those records today. I was only on £5 a week wages!

 

John mentions his mate on Bradford market I use to go and buy records from him I had no idea that he was connected to John that solves that mystery where he was getting records from.

 

Back in the day before the internet etc there very few places you could buy any decent records from. The only places I could find where:-

 

Soul Bowl - mail order lists

Boylans in Conisbrough — help set up by my old mate Snowy Morgan

Violet Mays in Sheffield — first time I ever saw multi coloured Motown label imports

Barnsley Market — market stall run by young girl turns out these were Bubs right hand man Derek Greenhoff’s spare copies I still have my Montclair’s WDJ I bought off the stall.

 

John as well as inventing selling records by mail he is a really nice chap, I eventually met him in the flesh at a record fair in Leicester a few years back now.  I had spent all my money and John let me take a copy of Choice of Colour 45 on APT and without even paying for it, Mick Smith vouched for me and I sent John a cheque in the post when I got home. Not too many dealers would do that today.

 

Happy days

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Guest son of stan

Late 80s I used to share a flat with a mate who got the list. He'd often have gone to work when it was delivered. I used to carefully undo the staple and then bend it back when I had finished with the list . Lol!

While I am fessing up, I once phoned up to reserve a record but must have had a night in the pub or bought another record or something because for some reason, I couldn't scrape together the six quid(!) to pay for it and didn't' complete the purchase.Anyway, couple of days later the record is delivered anyway. Garland Green 'Girl I Love You'. Always felt a bit guilty about that....

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