Over the years when talking about Tommy Neal on Palmer,most people have said that it is promo only.On John Manships auction site this week he also states it as promo only. I always thought otherwise and recently found this on the net from a few years ago. Chris. 

The regular issue copy must be very rare- out of the 15 copies on popsike, all of them are promo's.

But,  Manship's price guide (6th edition) does give separate prices for issues and promos so he has to know

both exist. 

Quote:

The lengths and varied attempts that Richard Popcorn Wylie & Tony Hester went to, to get this magnificent 1967 Club classic to the Billboard charts without success 
makes for very interesting Northern Soul documentation and reading. One theory is:

1st. release was the very rare "Pink" labeled Pameline PAM 200 45 in 1967 
2nd attempt at release was the Palmer 5024, that never seemed to have got past the promo stage.
3rd and most successful release in late 1967, Pameline PAM 100 yellow label, aimed to meet demand, within "Northern Soul's" parallel universe in Pittsburgh, Pa. where the iconic DJ "Mad Mike" had turned it into a local "club hit" so the yellow label incarnation was was born using the Palmer matrix P5024 the Yellow label was pressed. Local "old-timers" confirm the yellow label was in the Record Stores in small quantities to meet Pittsburgh demand. 

The quest was still on as Popcorn & Tony believed they had a Billboard hit on the hands if only they could get "radio" breakthrough. Off to the west coast and L.A. the song went, where in December 1967 where "Surf and Jazz" dedicated label owners of Vault Records Jack Lewerke & Ralph Kaffel released the song. But that failed to make an impact also. 

Ironically in 1968, British Decca's willingness to take a risk on releases, gave Tommy Neal his one and only British 45. It was an instant success at the Twisted Wheel, King Mojo, Nite Owl, and every Soul club in London. Now considered a MOD and Northern Soul timeless classic. So popular in fact, Decca kept the Vocalion 9290 release on their catalog well into 1970. Making the British release 3700 miles away from it's birth, the best-seller of all the 5 releases. 

The other timeline though, could also be. Popcorn and Tony took their masters to Palmer "first" and Palmer only pressed promo copies but also made some on yellow Pameline for Tony & Popcorn to distribute. And the "pink" label copy was a rogue press from who knows where (it does not carry the P-5024 matrix in the deadwax.) The pink variation is certainly the rarest imprint, and is surrounded by exact timeline mystery.

What we do know for certain, that this is Wylie & Hester at their most inventive and it was an absolute simultaneous club smash in Pittsburgh and England in 1968 and remains today and all time floor-packing classic! And it looks so much better on Pameline, spinning away on the turntable cams, than the all too common British Vocalion.. still today that vintage opening line "Get You Car Or Your Motorbike.. " signals an exodus to the dancefloor..

footnote: To add to the confusion of who Tommy Neal actually was, as he mysterious only released this one classic 45. The original Bell Sound acetate credits the artist as "TOMMY MEALY". maybe after 4 attempts at a USA side hit, Popcorn and Tony moved on to other things, hoping their next great production wasn't so jinxed. 

 

Ed

8 hours ago, the yank said:

The regular issue copy must be very rare- out of the 15 copies on popsike, all of them are promo's.

But,  Manship's price guide (6th edition) does give separate prices for issues and promos so he has to know

both exist. 

I know this has been talked about many times,but my opinion is that the palmer label was first and due to it being poorly promoted,Popcorn Weiley decided to do it himself.Hence came about the Pameline label,I also think the Palmer Stock copy is it's rarest format. Chris. 

There is no mention of the Vault release in JM description, any idea why?

UPDATE: OOPS! it is mention later in the Text!! 

Edited November 15, 20186 yr by jim g
Mistake

The Palmer issue definitely exists, I have a copy here.

Looks like John has just reworked the text he used on a previous Tommy Neal auction back in 2017.

I also showed John the Palmer issue at that time, so he definitely knows it exists. Think he just hasn't updated the text 😀

Cheers

Richard