Sorry if this topic has already been covered before. Has anybody got any details on the Breakthrough Album listed on the label, was this ever released?

Edited October 28, 20222 yr by Nigeljag

Very happy to be proved wrong as I would love to learn that there was enough material for an LP, maybe lurking unreleased somwhere, but I searched several years ago and asked around at Soul Essence in Yarmouth where I first heard it played out, found nothing unfortunately…what an album that could’ve been!

The wonderful 45 like no other both sides has been reissued this week on Symphonical Records, so maybe we’re in for a treat if they managed to find the LP 🤞🏻

Meanwhile the reissue was waiting on my doormat when back from work today, which I’m quite happy about having regrettably sold mine a few years back…the release sounds amazing compared to the beat up copy I had! 😆
 

Thanks Scotters, 3 singles issued on Split records, so there's a possibility that there could be an LP lurking somewhere, it would be great if a definitive answer could be found

Never seen or heard anyone else who has seen an LP.  Not enough material released for an LP so maybe some lurking in the vaults?

The legendary Boba said, it's probably the greatest Sweet Soul record ever, testament enough 👍 

Great record. Anyone seen one for sale in recent times? I'm wondering what the price would be.

Last one I saw, sold for £1200 in 2016, so who know what the current price could fetch, although the reissue might stabilise the price for a while

I think one went through Anglo auction last year? Can't remember the price but I think it was four figures and not a great copy either from memory. 

I'm not too surprised at that price, since it's a much better record IMO than "1000 Tears Too Late" / "The Crawl" which has been sold a number of times on eBay and itself fetches quite a bit of money. Curious whether "Color One Tear Black" is really so much rarer, or whether it's just that no one is willing to sell.

18 hours ago, Ephraim said:

I'm not too surprised at that price, since it's a much better record IMO than "1000 Tears Too Late" / "The Crawl" which has been sold a number of times on eBay and itself fetches quite a bit of money. Curious whether "Color One Tear Black" is really so much rarer, or whether it's just that no one is willing to sell.

"A Thousand Tears Too Late" is rarer, but not by much I guess. It may look like several different copies have sold on ebay, but the ones that sold in 2010 for $226, the one in 2017 for $1136 and the one in 2022 for $1375 were all the same copy changing hands.

The reason "Color One Tear Black" goes for more is because it's better and more in-demand.

Edited November 1, 20222 yr by Sebastian

On 31/10/2022 at 02:51, Ephraim said:

Great record. Anyone seen one for sale in recent times? I'm wondering what the price would be.

Been a couple at least this year privately

 

I kept and also still love the early 80’s version by Billy Peterson Jr with the female backing (also on Split)…just noticed that 45 also quotes taken from an album ‘Hitman’, but again no knowledge of such LP.

3 hours ago, Scotters said:

I kept and also still love the early 80’s version by Billy Peterson Jr with the female backing (also on Split)…just noticed that 45 also quotes taken from an album ‘Hitman’, but again no knowledge of such LP.

Hadn't heard of that - thanks Scotters!

 

8 hours ago, Sebastian said:

"A Thousand Tears Too Late" is rarer, but not by much I guess. It may look like several different copies have sold on ebay, but the ones that sold in 2010 for $226, the one in 2017 for $1136 and the one in 2022 for $1375 were all the same copy changing hands.

Oh, good observation. I'm also curious how many stock copies are out there... I own the one sold in 2014 but haven't seen any others.

All produced & Arranged by Bill Smith, would this be the same Major Bill Smith the owner of Le Cam Records?

I'll take "Storm Warning" over the other two hands down ... my feet are itching just typing this out ... 

1 hour ago, Nigeljag said:

All produced & Arranged by Bill Smith, would this be the same Major Bill Smith the owner of Le Cam Records?

Le Cam was Fort Worth, Texas, Split was Ohio, not saying they aren't the same Bill Smith, but I think it makes it seem unlikely 

Kev 

Bill/William Smith is one of the group members as far as I can ascertain.  Nothing to do with Major Bill.  Both James Bowens and Bill Smith were part of James Bowens and His Agents who did the storming northern side Baby I Want You

Edited November 1, 20222 yr by Chalky

The notes with the Symphonical release on Bandcamp

Cincinnati teens Bill Smith & Randy Vandivier would play together during the late 60s in a group called ‘Billy & The Hitch Hikers’ fronted by James Bowens, who through his fascination with James Bond would adopt the nickname ‘Double O’ 

Hailing from Lincoln Heights, the group would be surrounded by and play with the likes of Bootsy Collins, Charles Spurling who became staples at local King Records 

Bill & Randy would find themselves working together at the local Holiday Inn during the 70s whilst writing & performing with their own projects. This gave Bill the opportunity to pursue recording & releasing local artists under his own record label, 'Split Records', which would happen at the all in one recording & production facility, Rite Studios in their local neighbourhood 

Bill had asked Randy to gather the musicians together for three separate recordings to be released under Split Records, whilst employing ‘Double O’ and his backing vocal group ‘The Demingos’ 

‘Color One Tear Black’, a poignant, melancholic expression of lost love, created & sang by James Bowens was their third recording in the studio. The guys on that session were Pete Irving on saxophone, Robert Chamberlain playing bass guitar, John Keys on guitar, Randall Vandivier playing trumpet & Harry Darke on drums

It''s still fairly frequently available and pushed towards us collectors, at least on the q.t.