Hi all, 

Newcomer question here, but I ran into an MP3 of (allegedly) the Whispers' "Needle..." yesterday which, even though the file says it's The Whispers, doesn't sound to me like either of the two I know (Dore/Soul Clock). Is is actually them and is this a second re-recording of the song, or is this someone else? 

Cheers, 

 D 

3 hours ago, damian said:

Hi all, 

Newcomer question here, but I ran into an MP3 of (allegedly) the Whispers' "Needle..." yesterday which, even though the file says it's The Whispers, doesn't sound to me like either of the two I know (Dore/Soul Clock). Is is actually them and is this a second re-recording of the song, or is this someone else? 

Cheers, 

D

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39DUIqvqPGE.

is this it.

ricky.

 

Yes, that very same one. What's the story behind it? 

 

Thanks! 

 

 

It is definitely the Whispers and it does sound more similar to the Dore version. There is an alternative version on the Northern Soul of Dore cds but as I haven't heard the cd I can't definitively say that the one on Youtube is indeed the Dore alt take but would assume it is.

Thanks! If it does turn out to be an alt. of the Dore version ('67-68?) then it's way ahead of its time in terms of sound! Even more than the released version which already sounds like something from a few years later... 

The version in the You Tube clip is off The Whispers "Shhhh" LP on Dore from 1980. I've always thought of it as a remix LP using the original tracks and adding some 80's touches, Cheers, Ady 

Awesome Ady, thanks for the info. 

1 hour ago, gointoagogo said:

It is definitely the Whispers and it does sound more similar to the Dore version. There is an alternative version on the Northern Soul of Dore cds but as I haven't heard the cd I can't definitively say that the one on Youtube is indeed the Dore alt take but would assume it is.

This is the version on the Dore CD 

re mixed on the Gold label  styrene I'm sure this was done around 1970  not the same mix to the Yellow label 1 vinyl which assumed a 1973 release

atb Kev 

Edited January 4, 20169 yr by Kev John

Wait, I'm confused now. Are there two versions on Soul Clock then? I want this one on the vid you posted - and I just bought this yesterday: 

https://www.discogs.com/Whispers-Seems-Like-I-Gotta-Do-Wrong-Needle-In-A-Haystack/release/1853975

Is it that version? 

16 minutes ago, damian said:

Wait, I'm confused now. Are there two versions on Soul Clock then? I want this one on the vid you posted - and I just bought this yesterday: 

https://www.discogs.com/Whispers-Seems-Like-I-Gotta-Do-Wrong-Needle-In-A-Haystack/release/1853975

Is it that version? 

Yes Damian you got the gold 1

The other 1 on Yellow label ! 

atb Kev 

Edited January 4, 20169 yr by Kev John

Great insight! Thank you. I love my 'yellow' copy. 

Both the yellow & gold versions of this Soul Clock 45 state 'Distributed by Canyon'.

Wally Roker's Canyon Records was just about bust at the end of 1970 (the Whisper's "I'm The One"  Soul Clock 105 being just about the last 45 they put out on Soul Clock in Nov). By December the group's contract had been sold to Janus Records & their first 45 for the label (Janus J-140 : a Canyon / Soul Clock production By Ron Carson / Art Freeman) had been issued. Another Whispers 45 had escaped on the Roker label ("Where Have You Been") around  April 70, so Wally must already have been trying to cling on to his labels at that time. The last 45 on Roker (from Swamp Dogg) escaped some time later (early 71 ?) and some further 45's (most probably old recordings) escaped on RRG (Roker Record Group) in 1971 BUT way before the end of 1971 the whole concern had gone up in smoke.

I would guess that the 2nd edition of the Whispers "Needle In A Haystack" 45 came out between the end of 1970 & the middle of 71. So I don't think a date of 1973 (mentioned above) would be correct for a legit issue.

 

 

 

Thanks Roburt 

That's put it straight !

Both Gold & Yellow issued around 1970 

atb Kev 

Of course the A side of "Needle In A Haystack" was a massive US hit. The 45 "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong" escaped in summer 70 and went straight onto the soul chart. After a few weeks it also entered the Billboard Top 100 Pop chart where it remained until 14th November (being @ # 65 that week).

The following week (21st Nov 70) their follow-up 45 (Soul Clock 1005) escaped and so I guess there would be little point in pressing up too many new copies of #1004 after that time. So maybe both the yellow & gold label 45's had been released by November 70 with the 2nd press being to meet the demands made after the track hit the US Pop 100 (when no doubt many mainstream US pop selling record shops would have been ordering copies for the first time).

I'd guess that the success this 45 enjoyed would have made Canyon's cash flow situation even worse (lots of money going out to meet pressing plant demands before any of the distributors / shops got anywhere near thinking about paying for the 45's they had received).

  

Edited January 5, 20169 yr by Roburt

Just saw this: https://www.soultracks.com/story-nicholas-caldwell-dies

R.I.P. Nicholas Caldwell of The Whispers: 1944-2016 - See more at: https://www.soultracks.com/story-nicholas-caldwell-dies#sthash.MfWeS0Ax.dpuf

Augh...

On 4 janvier 2016 at 19:43, damian said:

Wait, I'm confused now. Are there two versions on Soul Clock then? I want this one on the vid you posted - and I just bought this yesterday: 

https://www.discogs.com/Whispers-Seems-Like-I-Gotta-Do-Wrong-Needle-In-A-Haystack/release/1853975

Is it that version? 

It depends if the seller on Discogs put a photo of his actual copy or the one from the Discogs "collection". The golden styrene press is the better one IMHO. It has strings that suits the tune and give it more depth somehow. Also I've only seen promos of the styrene one. Which indicate that they were the first pressed. The yellow label version is on vinyl and don't have the strings !!! 

5 minutes ago, tlscapital said:

It depends if the seller on Discogs put a photo of his actual copy or the one from the Discogs "collection". The golden styrene press is the better one IMHO. It has strings that suits the tune and give it more depth somehow. Also I've only seen promos of the styrene one. Which indicate that they were the first pressed. The yellow label version is on vinyl and don't have the strings !!! 

Cool, I hadn't noticed the difference until now - just pulled up two clips and compared them. In this case I don't mind either version as what I really love about the Soul Clock recording is the singing (I like the 'you know you're waiting in VAAAAAAIN!!!!!' parts much more than on the other versions, which have a slightly more sophisticate vocal arrangement but this is the one that does it for me) ... and that should be the same on both mixes. 

 

Cheers