I've really enjoyed buying Soul Packs from Rod Dearlove over the last 10 years or so...thanks namely to Brian Goucher for putting me in touch and then being added to sales lists and regular emails etc.
As many of you will know, Rod is influential former DJ (Thorne /  early Soul Essence etc) and the man behind the brilliant but limited run of 'Voices From The Shadows' soul magazines in the 80's / 90's....I missed most of these at the time as I was only really buying Blues & Soul back then, but thankfully now have all copies and further realisation of how little I know.. and how few records I really have!

Rod has retired now, having a break from selling records, but I loved not knowing all of what was going to be in each parcel...I keep all the 'Voices' soul pack records in separate boxes and in this thread I will gradually be posting a few mixes to share some favourites, mostly 60's to 80's.

As 'Voices' started in the 80's, that's where I begin on this hot summer eve with some 45's from the 80's...some Capitol Classics, moving into steppers and then some ballads. Nothing rare, just great soul. Hope you enjoy

Tracklist:
1. Sheree Brown - Get down, I'm so bad (Capitol)
2. Audrey Wheeler - Irresistible (Capitol)
3. The B. B. & Q. Band - Time for love (Capitol)
4. Maze - Running away (Capitol)
5. Clifton Dyson / Gwen Matthews - I'm giving up (QS)
6. Margie Joseph - Give it to me (HCRC)
7. Charles Beverly - Don't you want a man like me (Vanessa)
8. Perfect Touch - Merry go round (Morning Glory)
9. Eugene Wilde - Gotta get you home tonight (Philly World)
10. Kenny G ft Lenny Williams - Don't make me wait for love (Arista)
11. The Valentine Bros - Let me be close to you (Bridge)
12. Dorothy Moore - Don't hold your breath (Volt)
13. Edwin Starr - Nothing but all (Friends)
14. Jackie Ross - If it was me (Golden Ear)
15. Sheree Brown - I wanna be by your side (Capitol)

Edited June 25, 20222 yr by Scotters

Great magazine and a lovely mix of tunes. Keep them coming!

Hi, Steve

Can you give me Rod's contact info

I used to buy a lot off Rod back in the 80's & 90's but not for a few years and thought he had stopped trading as such.

Still got all the Voices Magazines, I think I picked up first issue in Record Corner before buying it direct.

Thanks in advance, Karl

He had a discogs shop and sent a monthly email list but not heard much for a while

At the turn of 1987, issue no. 2 of VOICES included a hugely positive early review from Rod of the then new Bobby Womack LP release 'Womagic' (MCA). Then in issue 3 Mike Charlton gave a further detailed track by track endorsement.. and in that same issue Jan Barker couldn't decide between 3 of the tracks when counting down the most significant top 20 soul sides of 1986.

I bought the LP as a new release at the time and played over and over through my mid-teens, but then somehow forgot all about until recently....No apologies then for peppering this mix with half a dozen tracks from that LP, also including a couple of other releases around that time featured in issue no 2 of Voices (Genobier Jeter, Frederick).

Also in issue no.2, Tim Brown pulled together a great few pages 'The complete Latimore', listing out all of Benny Latimore's record releases up to that point, so I've also included a couple Latimore records that have arrived here in the various soul packs alongside others from the 70's and 80's...more to follow in future mixes.

The opening few tracks are as fast as the tempo gets, gradually slowing it down as the mix goes on, some steppers then some slowies....just great, easy to find, affordable soul music.

Hope you enjoy. Issue 3 / soul pack 3 to follow in a week or two.

Tracklist:
1. Bobby Womack - When the weekend comes (MCA)
2. Soul Children - Don't take my kindness for weakness (Stax)
3. Edwin Starr - Stay with me (Granite)
4. Latimore - Discoed to death (Glades)
5. Bobby Womack - The things we do when we're lonely (MCA)
6. Aretha Franklin - With everything I feel in me (Atlantic)
7. Annette Snell - Love connection (Dial)
8. The Sweet Things - Breakfast in bed (Capitol)
9. Bobby Womack - More than love (MCA)
10. Stuff 'n' Ramjett - It's been a long time (Chelsea)
11. Latimore - Just one step (Glades)
12. Maze - Feel that you're feelin' (Capitol)
13. Bobby Womack - Outside myself (MCA)
14. Genobier Jeter - All of my love (RCA)
15. Instant Funk - So glad I'm the one (TSOP)
16. Peggy Scott - You can never get something for nothing (SSS)
17. Bobby Womack - I ain't got to love nobody else (MCA)
18. Latimore - Dig a little deeper (Glades)
19. Frederick - Gentle (calling your name) (HEAT)
20. Manhunt - I can't go on (Ti-con)
21. Bobby Womack - I can't stay mad (MCA)
...Thanks for looking / listening. Soul Pack 3 / Issue 3 coming soon

Edited June 30, 20222 yr by Scotters
Photos added, Tracklist added

absolutely brilliant magazine  - pity when he got it to full colour and professionally laid out on issue 25  - he had to stop 

as previous posters have said record lists contained some bargains - early soul essence Yarmouth reviews were entertaining

Oh dear, I seem to have started something that I now know is gonna take some time to work through this year and likely into next!😅....

Issue No 3 of 'VOICES' from 1987 and I delved a bit deeper this time, trying to find some of the records featured in this issue and soon realising my collection is in absolutely no sort of order and needs a proper good tidy up!

Two mixes for the price of one here, the first being more mid tempo and steppers, the second being slower ballads / deep and sweet...all from the early to mid 80's and many of these featured & reviewed in issue 3 as then new releases...some I bought at the time as new, many from Rod over the last several years before he retired, that I'd have likely never heard if it wasn't for him including them in various soul packs.

Mixes include tracks from Rod's choices of 'single of the issue' (Bobby McClure) and 'Album of the issue (Prince Phillip Mitchell 'Devastation') along with tracks form several other LP's & reviewed / featured in issue 3. Both mixes are also peppered with other early and mid 80's indie soul tracks that may well be featured in earlier or later Voices mags.

 

Tracklist:
1. Bobby McClure - You never miss your water (Edge)
2. Prince Phillip Mitchell - I can't get used to sleeping by myself (Ichiban)
3. Perri - Maybe tomorrow (Zebra/MCA)
4. Bobby Bland - Love me or leave me (Malaco)
5. Prince Phillip Mitchell - The show must go on (Ichiban)
6. The Manhattans - All I need (Columbia)
7. Solomon Burke - Love buys love (Rounder)
8. Dan Douglas - I'm gonna run me an ad (Try Me)
9. Louisiana Purchase - Baby come back (Basin Street)
10. Rhonda Clark - Sugar (Spectrum X)
11. Denise LaSalle - What's goin' on in my house (Malaco)
12. Solomon Burke - Don't tell me what a man won't do for a woman (Rounder)
13. Chuck Stanley - Day by day (Def Jam)
14. Bobby Bland - Second hand heart (Malaco)
15. Luther Ingram - All in the name of love (Profile)
16. The Manhattans ft Regina Bell - Where did we go wrong? (Columbia)
17. Prince Phillip Mitchell - She was my lady (Ichiban)
18. Treat - Without you (First Prize)
19. David Hudson - Let's get back together (Naylo)
 

 

Tracklist:
1. Solomon Burke - It don't get no better than this (Rounder)
2. Prince Phillip Mitchell - You're gonna come back to love (Ichiban)
3. Luther Ingram - Baby don't go too far (Profile)
4. The Emotions - I can do anything (Red Label)
5. Force MD's - Here I go again (Tommy Boy)
6. Denise LaSalle - Is he loving' someone else tonight (Malaco)
7. Magnum Force - Share my love (Chi Sound)
8. Solomon Burke - Love is all that matters (Rounder)
9. Stoneheart - Baby tonight (Gateway)
10. CL Blast - 50/50 love (Park Place)
11. Be Be & Ce Ce Winans - I.O.U. Me (Capitol)
12. Prince Phillip Mitchell - I taught her everything (Ichiban)
13. Charlie Roberson - Let me do something for you (WE)
14. The Johnny Otis Show ft Charles Williams - When something is wrong with my baby (Charly)
15. Bobby Bland - Angel (Malaco)
16. Denise LaSalle - It be's that way sometimes (Malaco)
...Thanks for listening / looking.