Carms there already is a film about Rodd Keith, or rather, he's mentioned in it big time and his son does a lot of interview stuff - "Off The Charts - The Song Poem Story" - I have it on dvd, or I did have, I might have chucked it last time I had a clear out. It was a one hour documentary film shown on US tv.

I used to have a site bookmarked which had sound samples of 90% of all the records released on Preview.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443335/

The movie is on YouTube as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOqn-I5u1MY&wide=1

Preview sure was an "interesting" label!

Quite good that "You mention my name" but suffering badly from under-production, think what it would be like with a big hammond organ behind it and some brass.

Carms, I can't add anything to the story of the Preview label or to the history of the personalities involved. Just wanted to say how absolutely fantastic it is to see such enthusiasm, passion and dedication for some music - and the background to it - that would otherwise remain consigned to history's musical land fill.

This is what 'Northern Soul' is about! Forget all the bickering, nit-picking and so on that overshadows things from time to time. It's the music that counts - as it always should. I take my hat off to you and the others who got swept away by it all.

A great record to look for on preview is BONNIE GRAHAM - A FOOL AM I. Superb northern

No doubt you will have seen label discogs on the net. It's fair to say you will wade through a large amount of dross on the label to pick up a few gems. There's several of these labels, MSR is another. I have an EP on another song poem label which has a reasonable track, (out of the 4 cuts,) but can't remember what it is & can't find it at the moment.

Thanks for putting up the U-tube film re song Poems Seb . My goodness there were some desperate people out there wanting to get their work published . So much awful material too. Would this be the same DVD you talk of Pete ?

I still think an actual film portraying Rodd Keiths life story which also touches on the artists that tried to further their careers doing this stuff would be excellent viewing .I have just listened to Bonnie Grahams voice , and she has a great voice !

I can't begin to imagine how hard it must have been for a talented artist with a great voice reduced to singing some of this drivel , it must have been sou destroying for some. As stated in the film it felt like prostitution for Rodd Keith.

Yes this is a very Wacky label !

Nige also has a third single where two women sing , the backing track is fantastic almost Detroit sounding but the girls sing in a blusey style which comes over like crying cats on LSD if only those vocals were better we keep saying !

Nige mentioned a well known song which really does capture peoples hopes and dreams for fame and fortune in those times , a song that I had never actually listened to properly before which is Dionne Warwicks " do you know the way to San Jose " , she talks of in a week or maybe two they might make you as star ....weeks turn into years how quick they pass ..... all the stars that never were are parking cars and pumping gas ....

Sort of rounds the thread off nicely, and would make a superb soundtrack for a film on this topic .

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My Obsession With The Preview Label - A Feast Of Teri's

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My Crying Cats,,, ( now its new C/U name) would go down a storm at the right All Nighter Mrs I reckon ,,,, N x ;-)

I traded a Terri North last month, good little record that. Not as good as "Do the pig" by Rodd Keith of course (don't go buy it, joking clearly!)

Wow..a great read, pleased that I now have one in the playbox!

Callum

Just listened to terri north on youtube,

It's AWSOME

Garry

Thank you for your kind words Carmen. I liked your story and to be honest once someone had put it up as a want on FB there seemed a few on the "bandwagon" after it, but you really wanted it and i could see that so it was a pleasure to sell it to you. I have had 2 - 3 copies of this in the past and no one seemed that bothered about it. Not the best production out there but it has a "Northern" feel about it. Myself, Dean Anderson & Dave Taylor (Nottingam) did back in the late eighties find 3 or four different versions with the same backing as "Like the Lord said" all on one trip (not sure that was a good thing or not). A couple were'nt too bad but the others seemed to get more bizzare lyrically. Clearly he was just making it up as he went along!! Anyway Glad you finnaly got it and hope you enjoy it..

A couple were'nt too bad but the others seemed to get more bizzare lyrically. Clearly he was just making it up as he went along!! Anyway Glad you finnaly got it and hope you enjoy it..

No he wasn't, honestly, people sent in their own lyrics and he put them to music and sent it them back as a record - that's how he (and the label) made money. So they had X amount of backing tracks, they advertised for 'lyrics wanted' and 'put your own voice on a record' and they would fit the lyrics to whatever backing track was suitable. They were a production line and didn't write any of the songs themselves, they were written by ordinary folk and nutters alike.

sadly i didn't buy it from michael.....want a copy.... nice record but not essential!!!

Got a couple of nice things on Preview that have had the odd outing

Bonnie Graham I Confess

Rodd Kieth Its Over and Done

JohnP

Great read. The only song poem recordings I've come across have been country, this is a real surprise.

Very interesting. I always wondered about Preview Records. I listened to scores of their records and didn't like any. I don't really like The Terri North on You-Tube. But I couldn't find the Bonnie Graham. I'm really curious about that one.

Can anyone upload a sound file of the latter, or post a link to it?

This one sounds interesting....

Preview 1551 - Teri Mathews 'I'll Gather Happiness' / Dick Jones 'Sweet Soul Baby'