Chuck Cockerham - A Brief Interview

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Circa 1986, I swapped my copy of Chuck Cockerham on Mala for 2 cassette tapes of unissued Motown and some Northern tracks ( value about £2) with Dave Withers on an indoor market stall ( Afleck's Palace) Manchester.

Hi Chalky, nice post.

The Photo for the group. It's the same as on discogs BUT now has names on it.

Do you know where those names came from? Did Chuck 'assign' them to the Photo during the interview? or did they come from somewhere else.? 

Dave, you forgot to mention the bit where he said he had a box of them to shift.

 

4 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

Circa 1986, I swapped my copy of Chuck Cockerham on Mala for 2 cassette tapes of unissued Motown and some Northern tracks ( value about £2) with Dave Withers on an indoor market stall ( Alfeck's Palace) Manchester.

Dave never mentioned that to me.

I found a copy in a shop in Asheville N.C. sometime in late 80's or early 90's which I sold to Richard Searling for £8. Sounded like something he could play at Parkers.

Me and Alex Jones went back to Asheville shop maybe mid 90's as there were a lot of albums in there and we figured we may get a deal for buying a lot [which we did],

45s on show hadn't really changed but as we were pulling out albums I leaned against what I thought was a wall and fell into a room full of 60's promos. $3 each and tons of good stuff.

 

1 hour ago, Modernsoulsucks said:

Dave never mentioned that to me.

Maybe not, probably my trade was unimportant to him, but my connection to this 45 dates from around 1970-72 so it was very personal  item to me and I know it's history  (i.e.  years loving the record but unable to persuade my friend to swap, and years later getting possession of his copy) and what I eventually did with it (Very Reluctantly too). This was before the record gained recognition I presume.......as to when the NS scene discovered it I do not know, but my friend ( a member of this web site) had it around 1970-74 period.

I can tell you that , when trading it, I asked Dave Withers did he know it , and suggested to him to play it there and then.. He replied that he didn't, and it was obvious after a few bars, he approved. He was either a magnificent poker player, or he genuinely didn't know it. There would probably be no reason for him to remember it....to me , it is imprinted on my memory.

I was sad to let it go but at the time, as a lapsed Motown collector, was thrilled to get this tape of Motown unissued ( Suspicion, Love starved heart, Keep Steppin;, After the rain etc ).

 

 

Cliff Steele had it in the 80s, first time I heard it was on a tape of his. 

Can't exactly remember when I traded it, but  somewhere around1986-87  would probably cover it I think.

From first hearing it, and occasionally borrowing it, in about 1971-72, I eventually got it in a batch of 45s my friend sold me...that would be around 1985/6......

So, after loving the record, and wanting it for years....I traded it within months . 

I guess we've all got similar tales

 

 

 

 

Just been speaking to my friend who seems to think he got the Chuck Cockerham in a Soul Pack from Global Records on Chepstow Street, Manchester. 

He also recalls getting Collette Kelly "City of Fools" in a pack from there too.

 

4 minutes ago, Owd Codger said:

Just been speaking to my friend who seems to think he got the Chuck Cockerham in a Soul Pack from Global Records on Chepstow Street, Manchester. 

He also recalls getting Collette Kelly "City of Fools" in a pack from there too.

 

Chuck Cockerham would have never gone in a Soul Pack when I was at Global. One-offs were never put in packs, Ed Balbier was paranoid (probably justified) about rarities slipping out that he would sometimes check a box before it was sold. Collette Kelly quite likely as there was thousands of blue Volt and yellow Stax titles in the mid 70s.

Well, I spoke to him and it was an immediate recall.

But it was around 1971 or so, so who knows for certain.  I'll take his word for it

 

7 minutes ago, Owd Codger said:

Well, I spoke to him and it was an immediate recall.

But it was around 1971 or so, so who knows for certain.  I'll take his word for it

 

Before my time so not guilty.

His job allowed him time to trawl through market stalls etc looking for imports.. I expected him to say Shudehill or High Street Market stalls.

He immediately recalled...Soul pack / Global.

Not to worry

12 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

Maybe not, probably my trade was unimportant to him, but my connection to this 45 dates from around 1970-72 so it was very personal  item to me and I know it's history  (i.e.  years loving the record but unable to persuade my friend to swap, and years later getting possession of his copy) and what I eventually did with it (Very Reluctantly too). This was before the record gained recognition I presume.......as to when the NS scene discovered it I do not know, but my friend ( a member of this web site) had it around 1970-74 period.

I can tell you that , when trading it, I asked Dave Withers did he know it , and suggested to him to play it there and then.. He replied that he didn't, and it was obvious after a few bars, he approved. He was either a magnificent poker player, or he genuinely didn't know it. There would probably be no reason for him to remember it....to me , it is imprinted on my memory.

I was sad to let it go but at the time, as a lapsed Motown collector, was thrilled to get this tape of Motown unissued ( Suspicion, Love starved heart, Keep Steppin;, After the rain etc ).

 

 

Interesting read’ I bet you wish you kept it as the price is astronomical these days 

8 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

Just been speaking to my friend who seems to think he got the Chuck Cockerham in a Soul Pack from Global Records on Chepstow Street, Manchester. 

He also recalls getting Collette Kelly "City of Fools" in a pack from there too.

 

Soul packs from Global Records always had interesting 45s I once got Martha Starr Loves only Solution’ which wasn’t well known at the time ‘ happy days 

 

Interesting read and great photos Chalky ‘ thanks for sharing