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neckender

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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!

120 quid a week was a fortune! I was paid the princely sum of 98 quid a month as an office junior in 1977, and that was at the city's second biggest employer, a major engineering company. 30 something line managers probably earned 120 quid a week. 

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i loved Soul Bowl, when we started going to Stafford in the early 80s we would follow Keb and Guy up and down the country and by speaking to people would sometimes find out who the cover ups were by.

I remember picking up Bobby Hutton-come See- Demo for £5 and Sam Fletcher pic cover for £7 amongst many others.

 

An invaluable part of collecting Soul for me and many of my friends.

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a great read and some top stories....never bought from soul bowl myself,another too young in the 70s and early 80s by the mid 80s when id left school and had some money I was spending it all on my scooter and being happy with the bootlegs bought from the rallys :huh:

 

but your stories about waiting for the list ..and then ringing up after 8 and the line being engaged and missing out on tunes struck a chord..use to do the exact same thing in the very early 90s when  djing and collecting reggae from a list sent out monthly from a bloke in Nottingham..loads of original JA 7s for a couple of quid a time..got his 'typed' lists again about 10 years back as hes still not doing the internet thing....prices had certainly changed though!

 

dean

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Guest Matt Male

I remember a mate of mine getting the Soul Bowl lists in the late 70s/early 80s, he was well into it but unfortunately I wasn't really into collecting when I first got into the scene, more interested in the dancing and the er... 'social' side of things. Always felt like I'd missed the boat, and this confirms it. :(

 

To be honest I'm not sure I would have ever, or even now, had the patience, dedication to put in the time and effort required to built a great collection. True collectors, like our esteemed author, are truly a breed apart in my opinion.

 

p.s. Just sitting here trying to imagine what 200,000 45s would look like filling my front room... :g:

 

pps In 1984 I was working at the Jag, living at home, but earning the same wage as a married man with kids. What the hell did I spend all my money on? :huh:

Edited by Matt Male
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In 1975 I was not much of a collector , not having a lot of money and any money I did have went on getting to venues, gear etc.

Anyway, after a  Peterborough Wirrina nighter which were on a Friday night I decided to visit John`s shop in Kings Lynn.

John was amazingly patient with a very " animated " young soulie who was quite happy to gaze in wonder at all the records and " chat " about anything and everything.

He eventually, very tactfully managed to steer me out of the door clutching a copy of the Epitome of Sound which I still have today.

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Super read and a truly fitting tribute to arguably the great finder of rare soul music.  Oh for a time machine to go back to the time the lists came out and to have todays tech with it, enough to make you cry reading some of the titles and prices when you consider what they achieve price wise in today's market.  Some of those paying silly prices now do not realise in some cases just what quantity was available for some titles.

 

What day and what time is the Soul Bowl tribute at Prestatyn?

 

2pm - 5.30pm on Saturday  :thumbsup:

Edited by Steve G
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Let's not forget the DJ's got first pick! Ian Levine got the Carstairs from John. He heard it in the US, couldn't find and he and Colin Curtis found it in Soul Bowl. Colin told me that 20 years ago.

 

Whats amazing is John was going to the U.S. when it wasn't safe for a white man to venture into some of the areas he went (not a racist comment, just that is how it was then)

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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:

 

I would finish my paper round and the lady who ran the shop would be there every tuesday trying to get through..!! Some absolute great records she managed to get for me !!

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Great writeup and tribute to JA at Soul Bowl, Butch

 

I would just like to add that without ppl like John, the scene would just not of been the same and help find so many great Soul Sounds, feeding top DJ's such as Richard Searling.

 

I have forgotten about all about the money you had from me John back then, when myself and Kelvin Loach use to order various tracks including Soul Packs, now legendary !

 

ktf and respect

Richard 

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Great read and who didn't wait with bated breath for the SB list? I was lucky, my mate Ian was a postie at the sorting office so I would get the 5am call and we would go through the list but unlike Eddie I didn't wait for 8am, basically as soon as we were ready the phone started to ring! Mrs Soul Bowl was lovely, but in the end John didn't have the phone on until the stated time so we just had to hope the chosen ones were there. Great days, legend dealer and part of the scenes history. 

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Guest UPTITE U250A

Let's not forget the DJ's got first pick! Ian Levine got the Carstairs from John. He heard it in the US, couldn't find and he and Colin Curtis found it in Soul Bowl. Colin told me that 20 years ago.

 

Whats amazing is John was going to the U.S. when it wasn't safe for a white man to venture into some of the areas he went (not a racist comment, just that is how it was then)

"He heard it in the US"....not exactly....he actually started to record local radio stations (on cassette)and whilst in Miami he tuned in to a BRILLIANT black music(can I say that on Soul Source ? No racism intended)radio station called WCKO.It was a local dj that introduced and played the Carstairs.IL found that out from the tape.... :thumbsup::):hatsoff2:

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Hi John, it's been mentioned before but in a nutshell Sam believed so much in the new modern tracks John was turning up he asked Richard ( who was getting 1st plck ) to trade 3  of his biggies, Larry Houston, Z Z & Co , Dustin Wilson in exchange for William Powel, Don Gardner & Daemon Fox, I know! you sort of had to be there mate  :D

Thank you for enlightening me Arthur. That's true belief indeed. 

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Guest UPTITE U250A

Hi John, it's been mentioned before but in a nutshell Sam believed so much in the new modern tracks John was turning up he asked Richard ( who was getting 1st plck ) to trade 3  of his biggies, Larry Houston, Z Z & Co , Dustin Wilson in exchange for William Powel, Don Gardner & Daemon Fox, I know! you sort of had to be there mate  :D

which did he get in exchange for Dusty Wilson?

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I found out about soul bowl while i was still at school, either through blues and soul or black echoes. I then preceded to read the lists in physics lessons. I really had no clue what i was looking at. just the odd artist that looked familiar. The first title i got was £1.50 and my mum had to show me how to do the postal order, probably around 78/79 . My first expensive record was Gene woodbury £20, I was so exited I told John I would come and pick it up at portland street. I travelled on the bus from nowich, i't took forever going round all these little villages, but i could not drive so had little other option. Got my record then John took me back to the bus station. Traveled back on the bus thinking, iv'e just met the king!. Top bloke who has forgot more than most know.

Andy

Andy i took Berni for a day out their when we first met seemed a better option than a meal out.Been married  25 years so it did no harm. :)

John did get the wine out and chips were ordered.

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Guest Johnny One Trout

Great writeup and tribute to JA at Soul Bowl, Butch

 

I would just like to add that without ppl like John, the scene would just not of been the same and help find so many great Soul Sounds, feeding top DJ's such as Richard Searling.

 

I have forgotten about all about the money you had from me John back then, when myself and Kelvin Loach use to order various tracks including Soul Packs, now legendary !

 

ktf and respect

Richard 

 Kelvin Loach from Congleton ? If so he drove to Wigan one week, drove down a motorway slip road the wrong way and then got lost in Wigan and went the wrong way down a one way street. Those were the days.....

 

John

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Forgot to mention you could buy anything off his cheapie selection at the front for under a tenner and know it would be bloody fantastic! Im sure i got my Timeless Legend and Storm from him from that front page bit but will have a look at the old lists with the rings around the buys I have in the loft to confirm. JA is a leg end of biblical proportions and does deserve a book about his record hunting and dealing. 

His listing of all his stock for sale by label was an absolute goldmine and interspersed with old adverts etc for the releases made for fantastic viewing. Will again look to see whats in the loft 

Edited by TheBigO
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 Kelvin Loach from Congleton ? If so he drove to Wigan one week, drove down a motorway slip road the wrong way and then got lost in Wigan and went the wrong way down a one way street. Those were the days.....

 

John

 

Thats sound like Kelv, ran it ( white VW Beetle iirc ) out of OIL once too...... lol

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I phoned up for Moses Dillard "I'll Pay The Price" original for £7. It was still there and when I asked if he had another copy for a mate he said he did! Two mint copies of Moses Dillard for £14! Great days!

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Guest Johnny One Trout

Thats sound like Kelv, ran it ( white VW Beetle iirc ) out of OIL once too...... lol

 

LOL it wasn't a Beetle though it was either a Sunbeam or Hilman soft top

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LOL it wasn't a Beetle though it was either a Sunbeam or Hilman soft top

 

I'm sure it was, the engine was air cooled and was in the boot.......use to go everywhere with him and Linda - Always took it to Richardson's to be repaired !

 

Them were the days ..........

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.....................And I think Rare Grooves was also John (not 100% sure about that), a short lived label that put out LR Superstars in 1990. 

 

 

Yes, it was, and Vince Broomfield was extremely complimentary towards John when I interviewed him for Prestatyn radio back in 2013, saying he owes a debt of gratitude to John for his exposure in the UK.

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R 

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