Johnny Baker : Shy Guy : Fog City

[Sunnysoul 562]

What a fantastic record and strangely now almost forgotten . Would L-O-V-E to see this re-activated and become bigger than ever ! First played at the Mecca was it ?

Was this issued with label design variations? Scans most welcome ...

Was it booted ?

Could someone kindly post a clip. Thanks in advance.

[Soul Shrews 554]

What a fantastic record and strangely now almost forgotten . Would L-O-V-E to see this re-activated and become bigger than ever ! First played at the Mecca was it ?

Was this issued with label design variations? Scans most welcome ...

Was it booted ?

Could someone kindly post a clip. Thanks in advance.

Love this too sunnysoul. It was definately booted back in the 70s Not sure about original label variations

Would love a copy myself

Cheers Paul

[Baz Atkinson 436]

yes definetly booted logos look similar,one of them where you need to take a second look.Check out his releases on the cisco logo also,very soulful indeed.

BAZ A.

[Soul Shrews 554]

yes definetly booted logos look similar,one of them where you need to take a second look.Check out his releases on the cisco logo also,very soulful indeed.

BAZ A.

Hi Baz I've only got "Operator Operator!/Accept Me As I Am" on Cisco are there any more?

Think Johnny Baker was the vocalist on Webster Lewis "Give Me Some Emotion"? Anyone confirm?

Cheers Paul

[Baz Atkinson 436]

Hi Baz I've only got "Operator Operator!/Accept Me As I Am" on Cisco are there any more?

Think Johnny Baker was the vocalist on Webster Lewis "Give Me Some Emotion"? Anyone confirm?

Cheers Paul

GREAT TASTE AS USUAL MATE,ACCEPT ME AS I AM IS A GREAT DEEP SOULCLASSIC IMHO,SURE IVE SEEN OTHER STUFF ON CISCO BUT MIGHT BE WRONG A LISTING WOULD HELP,THINK IT WAS ONLY A SMALL INDIE LOGO OUT OF SAN FRAN [OBVIOUSLY].WEBSTER LEWIS THATS INTERESTING.

BAZ A

[Soul Shrews 554]

GREAT TASTE AS USUAL MATE,ACCEPT ME AS I AM IS A GREAT DEEP SOULCLASSIC IMHO,SURE IVE SEEN OTHER STUFF ON CISCO BUT MIGHT BE WRONG A LISTING WOULD HELP,THINK IT WAS ONLY A SMALL INDIE LOGO OUT OF SAN FRAN [OBVIOUSLY].WEBSTER LEWIS THATS INTERESTING.

BAZ A

Yes Baz it was a Dave Godin ''significant side" back in the day

Reviewed pretty much as a new release

Sure I read somewhere that Mr Baker was the vocalist on "Give Me Some Emotion" but for the life of me can"t remember where

Cheers Paul

[Val (Chunky) 90]

This is an original....it later came out without the picture I believe

[Soul Shrews 554]

This is an original....it later came out

without

the picture I believe

Yep thats a real 'un Chunky

The writings different on the boot too

Whats it go for these days? The original obviously!

Cheers Paul

[Trev Thomas 465]

Yep thats a real 'un Chunky

The writings different on the boot too

Whats it go for these days? The original obviously!

Cheers Paul

one on manships £40

[Soul Shrews 554]

one on manships £40

Thanks 'soulman1964'

Cheers Paul

[Guest jinx74]

This is an original....it later came out without the picture I believe

its been 6 or 7 years since i spoke with mr hammond (mr fog city). i remember it as being this:

and then your copy. he made multiple pressings of both jb records:

and i think there is a different press of the Fog City with different music. or maybe its the Fog City press you have that is different than mine. i cant remember...

anyway, Donnie-O was a big deal to jb as you can tell by the vocals. mr hammond told me some stories about dude but said that jb was really broken up when donnie died. i think they were kids when it happened. again i have all the notes of my talks with him in storage. my brain is too blown to remember everything.

lastly, the Fog City (and You Babe) track is probably my most favorite song ever. mostly due to the words he sings about walking through the fog to get to his girl, san francisco-y stuff he mentions, fog horns and cable car sounds. its just so real to me cause ive lived here my whole life...

ugh... dont smoke weed kids... rambling of the dumb thought happens.

later...

[Soul Shrews 554]

its been 6 or 7 years since i spoke with mr hammond (mr fog city). i remember it as being this:

and then your copy. he made multiple pressings of both jb records:

and i think there is a different press of the Fog City with different music. or maybe its the Fog City press you have that is different than mine. i cant remember...

anyway, Donnie-O was a big deal to jb as you can tell by the vocals. mr hammond told me some stories about dude but said that jb was really broken up when donnie died. i think they were kids when it happened. again i have all the notes of my talks with him in storage. my brain is too blown to remember everything.

lastly, the Fog City (and You Babe) track is probably my most favorite song ever. mostly due to the words he sings about walking through the fog to get to his girl, san francisco-y stuff he mentions, fog horns and cable car sounds. its just so real to me cause ive lived here my whole life...

ugh... dont smoke weed kids... rambling of the dumb thought happens.

later...

Hi Justin, how ya doin? I'm a little confused here is "Fog City (And You Babe)" the flipside to "Shy Guy" or a different release alltogether?

Do you have a discography on Johnny Baker? Love everything I"ve heard by him so far.

Cheers Paul

[KevH 4,742]

Mecca spin for Colin Curtis if i'm not mistaken. Cue Mel Brat

[Guest jinx74]

Hi Justin, how ya doin? I'm a little confused here is "Fog City (And You Babe)" the flipside to "Shy Guy" or a different release alltogether?

Do you have a discography on Johnny Baker? Love everything I"ve heard by him so far.

Cheers Paul

sorry...

Fog City/Practice What You Preach (Fog City 01/02)

Donnie-O/Shy Guy (Fog City 03/04)

i dont think jb put out anything else other than the Cisco Records "Operator/Accept" 45. i know he was driving limos in LA a while back. seems like someone said he was singing in europe or somewhere out that way. maybe on a ship... or maybe that was sonny rhodes?

[Soul Shrews 554]

sorry...

Fog City/Practice What You Preach (Fog City 01/02)

Donnie-O/Shy Guy (Fog City 03/04)

i dont think jb put out anything else other than the Cisco Records "Operator/Accept" 45. i know he was driving limos in LA a while back. seems like someone said he was singing in europe or somewhere out that way. maybe on a ship... or maybe that was sonny rhodes?

Thanks Justin

Please PM me if you get any spare copies

Johnny Baker?.............Sonny Rhodes? ................ You ramblin" again mate?

Cheers Paul

PS Any info on the backing singers on the Cisco 45 ? (Mothers Finest)

[Sean Hampsey 1,232]

Hi Baz I've only got "Operator Operator!/Accept Me As I Am" on Cisco are there any more?

Think Johnny Baker was the vocalist on Webster Lewis "Give Me Some Emotion"? Anyone confirm?

Cheers Paul

That,s true Paul.

Johnny was lead on "Give Me Some Emotion".

Have played "Shy Guy" out in recent months and remember playing it as a 'virtual' new release.

Never forget a very young Alan Senior drooling over the decks at my copy, some 30+ years ago. Priceless.

Always loved the CISCO 45 too and rate "Accept Me As I Am" as one of the finest ballads of all time.

Would certainly be good to see others getting behind "Shy Guy" again!

Sean

[Soul Shrews 554]

That,s true Paul.

Johnny was lead on "Give Me Some Emotion".

Have played "Shy Guy" out in recent months and remember playing it as a 'virtual' new release.

Never forget a very young Alan Senior drooling over the decks at my copy, some 30+ years ago. Priceless.

Always loved the CISCO 45 too and rate "Accept Me As I Am" as one of the finest ballads of all time.

Would certainly be good to see others getting behind "Shy Guy" again!

Sean

Thanks Sean

Would like to see other DJ's getting behind ''Shy Guy" too.............but after I"ve secured myself a copy eh?

Cheers Paul

[Guest jinx74]

Thanks Justin

Please PM me if you get any spare copies

Johnny Baker?.............Sonny Rhodes? ................ You ramblin" again mate?

Cheers Paul

PS Any info on the backing singers on the Cisco 45 ? (Mothers Finest)

haha... yeah i cant remember every bay area thing ive heard from musicians over the years. my brain is old and fuzzy.

as for extras... i dont know. ill give it a look and get back to you. seems to me that i used to have spares of the Cisco stuff but i guess thats probably the more common stuff for yall to see.

Mothers Finest was johnnys sister and two cousins or something like that. i know they were family of jb. thats all i remember though. ill try and dig up mr hammonds # and ring him and ask questions. Hammonds brother is a local musician for the TCBs (Takin Care of Business) and... shit... some other group that did a northern tune you dudes circle jerk one another for.

[Soul Shrews 554]

haha... yeah i cant remember every bay area thing ive heard from musicians over the years. my brain is old and fuzzy.

as for extras... i dont know. ill give it a look and get back to you. seems to me that i used to have spares of the Cisco stuff but i guess thats probably the more common stuff for yall to see.

Mothers Finest was johnnys sister and two cousins or something like that. i know they were family of jb. thats all i remember though. ill try and dig up mr hammonds # and ring him and ask questions. Hammonds brother is a local musician for the TCBs (Takin Care of Business) and... shit... some other group that did a northern tune you dudes circle jerk one another for.

Count yourself lucky with an old and fuzzy brain. Mines like Swiss cheese...........smelly and full of holes

Thanks for the info Justin

top man

Cheers Paul

[Guest Paul]

"Donnie-O" and "Accept Me As I Am" made a huge impression on me as new releases and I was amazed that Johnny Baker didn't become a big success.

Many great ballads were often found on the other side of 45s which were played on the scene as new or recent releases - and the ballads were often the official "A" sides.

A classic example is "Sarah Mae" by Freddie Hughes which, coincidentally, also came out of San Francisco.

In my opinion, the early-to-mid 1970s was probably the last great period for real soul music.

I wish I was sixteen again.

Paul Mooney

[Sunnysoul 562]

OK, so going on both Chunky's scan and jinx74's scan there seem to be two different label designs for Shy Guy, both WITH the picture , right?

So, does anyone have a scan of Shy Guy WITHOUT ANY picture on the label ?

(PS Where is Mr Manship ?)

Edited March 26, 2007 by sunnysoul