Mike Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 View full article 1 Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Amsterdam Russ Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 Looking forward to this. Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Popular Post Daniel Nooger Posted April 18, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted April 18, 2022 I have a Four Tops story. Back in the mid-70's when I was in charge of the Chess Records reissue program during their time with All Platinum Records, I ran across a small (7-inch) reel bearing a "United Sound Studios" label (this was the biggest recording studio in Detroit in the 1940's and 50's) with the word "AMES" on it, no other information. Put it up on the deck: there's a basic rhythm section and some Four Freshmen / Hi-Lo's type harmonies on an uptempo swinger ("I Wish You Would".) Something about the way the lead singer pronounced some of his words - the penny dropped - this was a teenage Levi Stubbs fronting the Four Tops in 1955 - before settling on the Four Tops name they were called the "Four Aims". A (presumably) white recording engineer labeling the tape probably thought of the Ames Brothers who were big then. The Tops did get one doo-wop single released on Chess about a year later ("Could It Be You"). "I Wish You Would" finally saw release years later on a Chess Vocal Groups anothology. (Excerpt from my forthcoming book about Chess Records: The A/P Years) 7 Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Mal C Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 Picked up a copy on the Omnibus stand at London Book Fair week b4 last, it's a good read Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Windlesoul Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 (edited) I'm just waiting on some signed stock coming into A Nickel and A Nail within the next few days. Edited April 19, 2022 by Windlesoul 1 Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Chalky Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 3 hours ago, Windlesoul said: I'm just waiting on some signed stock coming into A Nickel and A Nail within the next few days. Give us a shout when you get them Mark 1 Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Shinehead Posted April 21, 2022 Share Posted April 21, 2022 Omnibus Press selling signed copies at £20 a pop including postage. Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Shinehead Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 I ordered mine from Omnibus Press Thursday it is been delivered today , great service from them Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 26, 2022 Author Share Posted April 26, 2022 a book/track/group related article from Adam White, can be had here https://www.adampwhite.com/westgrandblog/four-tops 'Reach Out' – Registered also has the below possible stage musical info Book notes: the story of “Reach Out I’ll Be There” will be reprised next month in Duke Fakir’s memoir, entitled – what else? – I’ll Be There, and written with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson. (Duke embarked on a similar effort with author Peter Knobler some years ago, but it didn’t come to pass.) The Tops’ mightiest hit will, of course, figure in the stage musical about their life and times, also dubbed I’ll Be There. This is expected later in the year, with a prospective Broadway run preceded by a debut in Detroit.... Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 The kindle version is now available Which also means that those after a bit of low cost Sunday reading or wish to check before laying out can now browse our built in kindle preview feature via the main article above Link to comment Social source share More sharing options...
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