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Graham Warr Catacombs Discoveries


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I've never met Graham to the best of my knowledge, and I'm sure that he's a great bloke and all that, but I know for a fact that there are at least three records on there that I took up to the Mecca for their first Northern plays, well before they broke elsewhere, so I tend to agree with you, Julian...

Was going to say, don't show that list to Mick Smith as he'll say a good third of those records were discovered by him and his southern pals

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wouldn't have thought graham would have gone to the plaza!! but you never know!!!

all the best

max..

It's a small world! Just realised i sold you the Sapphires a couple of weeks ago off 'bay.

From Rodeodrive to blue282828 !!

Really enjoyed reading Grahams recollections in States, i think we have all got some great tales to relate....and i still know of a guy in LA, ex Radio DJ, who used to fill the "trunk" of his car every Friday with the throw outs who has a million 45's in his yard..and they aint been touched...yet

These tales all NEEDS to be recorded for Northern Soul posterity...come in John Anderson, Martin Koppell, Bernie Baumik, Bob Cattaneo

ALAN

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It's a small world! Just realised i sold you the Sapphires a couple of weeks ago off 'bay.

From Rodeodrive to blue282828 !!

Really enjoyed reading Grahams recollections in States, i think we have all got some great tales to relate....and i still know of a guy in LA, ex Radio DJ, who used to fill the "trunk" of his car every Friday with the throw outs who has a million 45's in his yard..and they aint been touched...yet

These tales all NEEDS to be recorded for Northern Soul posterity...come in John Anderson, Martin Koppell, Bernie Baumik, Bob Cattaneo

ALAN

too true alan! all the little snippets that can be gathered together!! we all have something that will be of interest & maybe fit into the jigsaw to build the whole picture!! here's one for you! did i tell you about the day me & alan s should have met to go & buy the "cats" well i'll have a think & get the story right then print it!! another! alan & the bottle of whisky!! ha ha thats a good one! a million stories!! i'll get thinkin'

max..

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Max, dont talk to me about Clubs, gee another thread in my life, good times bad times, made a mint spent more BUT i still wake up in the mornings with a tune goin in my head.

Take me Back, Oh please take me Back.

Will we ever be set free?

Doubt it!

YOU KNOW YOU LOVED IT!!!!!!!

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Guest denmac

Yep, you're right. Graham was one of the (very) few people who actually made the trip to the U.S. back then. He told me a few great stories about his finds and I told him he should write a book! I'm certain that Julian and Brian '45' had their own U.S. based connections, which, in many cases, were from the same souce, so not surprising that the same records were turning up at the same time. Also I can remember the London contingent - Tony, Clarky, Ady, Dave Rivers etc would always be turning up with goodies from their own sources too, so it really was a magical period.

Happy days mate, where every week would bring a whole raft of truly great records. We were very lucky and blessed to be there at the time.

Hopefully I'll see you @ the gig and maybe get a carful of us over!

Best,

Ian D :thumbup:

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Max, dont talk to me about Clubs, gee another thread in my life, good times bad times, made a mint spent more BUT i still wake up in the mornings with a tune goin in my head.

Take me Back, Oh please take me Back.

Will we ever be set free?

Doubt it!

Oh that must have been the RICH Alan Senior era?

Ian D :thumbup:

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Guest denmac

another set of stories we should hear. refer back to may 21 06,searchin for tunes in the usa. come on lets have them. not what you found but every thing else that makes looking for tooones the complete story,places, people,what was the store like,did they have their own label, WHO shopped there. ok i`m starting to sound like a loony but did any recording artists lived near by. was the shop owners mum a recording artist in the 30/40`s.

yeah lots of questions, but information is food to us lot aint it??

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another set of stories we should hear. refer back to may 21 06,searchin for tunes in the usa. come on lets have them. not what you found but every thing else that makes looking for tooones the complete story,places, people,what was the store like,did they have their own label, WHO shopped there. ok i`m starting to sound like a loony but did any recording artists lived near by. was the shop owners mum a recording artist in the 30/40`s.

yeah lots of questions, but information is food to us lot aint it??

Yep, yer right Denmac.

I've had a shotgun pointed at me in Des Moines, been surrounded by some very angry, drunken black guys in Watts, been mistaken for a government agent @ a record store in Compton which was a cover for a drug operation (but still found 2 x Charles Russell's "It Ain't Easy" and lived to play 'em), had an attempted mugging on me in Philly (and it was almost me that got arrested) and had to fight my way out of a shop in Clearwater.

And those are just the ones that spring to mind LOL.....

I'd LOVE to read a book about all his stuff. Maybe a chapter each on each collector's experiences in the U.S. might be a winner?

Ian D :thumbup:

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Yep, yer right Denmac.

I've had a shotgun pointed at me in Des Moines, been surrounded by some very angry, drunken black guys in Watts, been mistaken for a government agent @ a record store in Compton which was a cover for a drug operation (but still found 2 x Charles Russell's "It Ain't Easy" and lived to play 'em), had an attempted mugging on me in Philly (and it was almost me that got arrested) and had to fight my way out of a shop in Clearwater.

And those are just the ones that spring to mind LOL.....

I'd LOVE to read a book about all his stuff. Maybe a chapter each on each collector's experiences in the U.S. might be a winner?

Ian D :thumbup:

now that would make a brilliant read !!

max..

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Do you think they'd stock in Smiths Max?

Ian D :thumbup:

they might well do! but just think how many would sell at a weekender then some of the dealers would stock it! i remember the old smiths shop in w'ton! it wasn't bad! mind you that was for rock n roll when i used to shop there cica 1957

max..

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they might well do! but just think how many would sell at a weekender then some of the dealers would stock it! i remember the old smiths shop in w'ton! it wasn't bad! mind you that was for rock n roll when i used to shop there cica 1957

max..

Actually I thought that's what Little Reg's book was going to be about 'cos it was called "Searching For Soul".

There's some great Soussan stories as well. I'm surprised he never got killed over there LOL....

I was 2 years old in '57! You must be at least 63 then Max?

Ian D :thumbup:

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Yep, yer right Denmac.

I've had a shotgun pointed at me in Des Moines, been surrounded by some very angry, drunken black guys in Watts, been mistaken for a government agent @ a record store in Compton which was a cover for a drug operation (but still found 2 x Charles Russell's "It Ain't Easy" and lived to play 'em), had an attempted mugging on me in Philly (and it was almost me that got arrested) and had to fight my way out of a shop in Clearwater.

And those are just the ones that spring to mind LOL.....

Ian D biggrin.gif

Ian, can't have been as bad as when the Liverpool guys used to turn up at Sammies :thumbup:

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Actually I thought that's what Little Reg's book was going to be about 'cos it was called "Searching For Soul".

There's some great Soussan stories as well. I'm surprised he never got killed over there LOL....

I was 2 years old in '57! You must be at least 63 then Max?

Ian D :thumbsup:

hi ian, a good guess! i was 65 last oct, and still so much into my SOUL MUSIC! i couldn't live without it after all these years! it's an addiction i refuse to give up!!

max..

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Oh that must have been the RICH Alan Senior era?

Ian D :lol:

Hello Ian,

how ya doin my old mate...i knew about the Denver Hit, someone told me :lol: ........i'm going to drop one on your new thread..(i had same idea, great topic) when i went to see Chuck in Rochester NY :no: ......but sometimes we did'nt have to go too far did we, only to Telford....on Saturdays....can you remember? Kenny Smith issues, Joanne Courcey's and Larry Lurex, and yes as always you were right mate...freddie Mercurys first 45...and the time checks sponsored by Heinz Beanz...LOL....top knowledge, top bloke you are...ok now play Magic Night and Clyde McPhatter "Frank".. :thumbsup:

ALAN :lol:

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Or that scary girl with the excessively large milk-glands who used to hang around with John Vincent LOL....

Ian D

Ian / Steve,

Jackie from Maltby.

A fan of Guiness and the Poppies, great lass though, a real laugh, thoughlike most others aint seen her for years.

She Kept on saying for some reason, at the time, "The bells, the bells". :thumbsup: ..LOL...think about it boys it will come to you. :no:

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Ian / Steve,

Jackie from Maltby.

A fan of Guiness and the Poppies, great lass though, a real laugh, thoughlike most others aint seen her for years.

She Kept on saying for some reason, at the time, "The bells, the bells". :thumbsup: ..LOL...think about it boys it will come to you. :no:

Just wait 'til I see Jackie from Maltby.

She'll have yer arse in a sling!

(Not quite as fierce as Dennis from Maltby tho :lol: ).

You still waxing about Rochester Alan?

Remember when you used to come on my record stall 76/77 with some of your finds!

If only we knew then what those 50 cent 45's would become.

Some of us might have stashed a few away for a rainy day!

:lol:

Sean

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Just wait 'til I see Jackie from Maltby.

She'll have yer arse in a sling!

(Not quite as fierce as Dennis from Maltby tho :thumbsup: ).

You still waxing about Rochester Alan?

Remember when you used to come on my record stall 76/77 with some of your finds!

If only we knew then what those 50 cent 45's would become.

Some of us might have stashed a few away for a rainy day!

:lol:

Sean

If only, if only.................world weary sigh......

Ian D :no:

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Or that scary girl with the excessively large milk-glands who used to hang around with John Vincent LOL....

Ian D

As other have said , that was Jackie Daly from Maltby .......

Jackie was not adverse to displaying her attributes given the occasion - and she always used to find the occasion :thumbsup: ........

Why did you find her scary , Ian ?

Malc Burton

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As other have said , that was Jackie Daly from Maltby .......

Jackie was not adverse to displaying her attributes given the occasion - and she always used to find the occasion :thumbsup: ........

Why did you find her scary , Ian ?

Malc Burton

Oh, don't me wrong Malc, Jackie was great fun and her attributes livened up many a night @ Sammy's. Those garbonzas are indelibly imprinted on both my mind and right hand LOL.....

But I still don't think I'd wanna meet her in a dark alley in the early hours. Has anyone seen her lately?

Ian D :thumbup:

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Oh, don't me wrong Malc, Jackie was great fun and her attributes livened up many a night @ Sammy's. Those garbonzas are indelibly imprinted on both my mind and right hand LOL.....

But I still don't think I'd wanna meet her in a dark alley in the early hours. Has anyone seen her lately?

Ian D :thumbsup:

Was that while JEV was doing his spot ? ( Only joking ) .........

I have not seen her since the old king died , but have been told she still lives in Maltby .......

Malc Burton

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Was that while JEV was doing his spot ? ( Only joking ) .........

I have not seen her since the old king died , but have been told she still lives in Maltby .......

Malc Burton

Yep a great lass! She always seemed to have 'containment' problems. For some reason I just got a mental flashback of Jackie dancing very frenetically to "The Flasher" @ Sammy's and people diving for cover LOL.......

Ian D :thumbsup:

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i remember the cats at that particular time was the dogs nads,saturday night was not to be missed.ti was johnny morris who got me into soul,mossa as he was called then, was a cats regular he and his mate jackie roe were addicts of the place.mossa lived just up the road from me,he was a couple of years older.i'd knew him years through playing football as woodcross celtic was our team.we occasionally met in the local pubs,and he would tell me about this place ,in wolverhampton that played soul stuff that you would not believe.he had quite a collection of british and the imports of the day,in fact for a time he did a mobile disco with his mate clank.so we'd chat he'd lend me a few records through the week to cut my teeth on.stuff like joy lovejoy,shepphard sisters,little sonny,bobby hebb,chales wright,loads more ,i can't remember.so he kept on you need to get to the cats,so i did ,i suprised them both by turning up getting a membership.walking in was just unbeleivable,the sounds that were playing were out of this world.every record that came on i wanted it.what do you think? they said ,that was it hooked.needless to say i soon madethis a regular haunt.from that first time the d.js at that time were alan s the late bob crocker carl dean.then blue max pep graham warr

to be honest,i only went a coupletimes when alan s was at the helm.so i can recall the tunes of the day,when we could'nt wait to peer through the little hatch to see what was next with a line up of max,pep,graham,and sometimes steve glover who had one hell of a british collection.max would come on do a warm up playing tunes like ,fabulous emotions,fidels,wombat,thelma lindsey,mongo santamaria,johnny newbag.then graham with some awesome stuff many listed but i also recall cliff nobles gettin away on phil la of soul,a version of teddy and the fingerpoppers later outing on arctic,lawrence/arabians

coincidence,the tripps,tempos,exus trek,then pep with donald lee richardson,soulville allstars,brice coefield,nolan chance.graham warr certainly should get the credit he deserves,as i recall quite a real un- assuming kind of guy.i myself bought stuff from his oasis shop.always had a bargain top man woody

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Just wait 'til I see Jackie from Maltby.

She'll have yer arse in a sling!

(Not quite as fierce as Dennis from Maltby tho :lol: ).

You still waxing about Rochester Alan?

Remember when you used to come on my record stall 76/77 with some of your finds!

If only we knew then what those 50 cent 45's would become.

Some of us might have stashed a few away for a rainy day!

:(

Sean

Sean!!

Dont tell Jackie, i dont want to be victim of Chesty Morgan's alto ego :lol:

You have just created a flashback to Saturday's on the market.......

Always raining dressed in Anoraks talking bollocks and Northern in the rain. Good job you brought along Dennis and Keith to keep some sensibility and order....LOL.... :thumbsup:

Rochester NY will always be with me at Chucks place.

As i was going through a Radio station find on the top floor, a Porn flick was being filmed on the floor below, and i could hear everything....... EVERYTHING....as a gang bang got under way.

Try not to laugh when you picture me picking up another pile of 45's and you can hear moans, groans and gents uttering, well, crude terms of encouragement to the young lady they were entertaining, which i would describe them as well.... :thumbup: .... and the next record up is Donnie Burkes "Satisfaction Guarenteed".

Nice demo though, brilliant finish, a bit like what was going off downstairs...still should have known what to expect...... first record i fell over on stairs going up was a copy of Subway Riders "After the Session :D "

which coincidently also had a HUGE crack in it.......enough to start Denis off......

All best Matey

ALAN

Just occured to me that we should have registered the stall as a charity......

Ronnie McNeirs @ £12, Eddie Spencers at a princely £1.50 a throw....Edwin Starr "Mellows" £3......mmmmm

Still not managed to find a Tardis on Ebay yet but when i do......

Edited by Alan Senior
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Just occured to me that we should have registered the stall as a charity......

Ronnie McNeirs @ £12, Eddie Spencers at a princely £1.50 a throw....Edwin Starr "Mellows" £3......mmmmm

Still not managed to find a Tardis on Ebay yet but when i do......

Here ya go mate:-

https://cgi.ebay.com/DOCTOR-DR-WHO-ARC-TARD...1QQcmdZViewItem

Don't know if it'll work or not, but if it does I'll go halves with ya!

Can picture the scene... 1976, Me and Griff (pissing wet through) stood behind the stall, counting the coppers in the box... meanwhile, a bunch of teenage soul boys from Mexborough, eagerly thumbing through the latest batch of Selectadisc pressings and current releases... while old Mr Adams scours for a mint copy of Benny Hill on Columbia... "ere, this new Ann Perry "Circulate's" a bit tasty innit?" "Nah, too fast for me Neil... bet it sounds great slowed down" :lol:

Enter.. Alan, back from Rochester... clutching his latest finds... "Try this 'Revels' "Everybody Can Do The New Dog" on Jamie... great little dancer!".... "Yeh, sounds OK but... I Prefer the flipside though, "True Love" Alan... maybe the scene will be ready for that in 30 years or so!" :lol:

"OK I'm doing "Seven Day Lovers" on Peachtree, at 3 quid, if anybody still wants that old thing, and I've got a box of these Joe Murphys on Vivid... nice double sider... anybody fancy it at a quid apiece?"

"Come off it Al... where's the good stuff.."

"OK... Ronnie McNeir if you fancy, (tenner to you) but I'm keeping the Jimmy Burns on Erica to me sen... reckon it'll be worth a few bob one day"

"Might be right Alan... but I reckon these Import Ujimas, Essex IV's and Brothers Guiding Light's I've got ere will be fetchin' £20 one day. I've got a dozen of each at 65p if anybody fancies a punt...?"

"No takers? Ok.... One day lads... one day"

"If only we could see into the future" :lol:

:thumbsup:

Sean

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hi ian, a good guess! i was 65 last oct, and still so much into my SOUL MUSIC! i couldn't live without it after all these years! it's an addiction i refuse to give up!!

max..

Age aint nothing Max. The west mids do's wouldnt be the same without you. You're a top bloke mate with a taste in music to match. REPECT. Kimbo n Lisa.

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Hi Julian,

Graham is definitely saying he discovered everything on the list on trips to USA from 1970 to 1973,except for Soul Twins which he found first copy in Hammersmith and then 100's of copies (many scratched) later in Miami.

I will pass any queries on to him and am sure he will come on Soul Source with response. I was talking to him last week and he said he found 3 copies of Sam & Kitty and nobody liked it.

Neil

Graham Warr did NOT discover the Soul Twins, I did !!! In summer 1972, I called Ian Levine,

played him over the telephone and brought down the Torch, there he played it for the first

time. The following weeks both Tony Jebb & Keith Minshul tried to buy off me. I pulled it

out of Record Corners basement.

This is well documented, listen to the Richard Searling shows August 1999 or ask Ian Levine.

I didn't set the Northern Soul world on fire but did bring a few unknowns up from London in 1972/73.

Chris Lalor

Edited by Chris L
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Graham Warr did NOT discover the Soul Twins, I did !!! In summer 1972, I called Ian Levine,

played him over the telephone and brought down the Torch, there he played it for the first

time. The following weeks both Tony Jebb & Keith Minshul tried to buy off me. I pulled it

out of Record Corners basement.

This is well documented, listen to the Richard Searling shows August 1999 or ask Ian Levine.

I didn't set the Northern Soul world on fire but did bring a few unknowns up from London in 1972/73.

Chris Lalor

Hi Chris,

I just re-read the thread and there's a significant line in it which reads:-

"Graham is definitely saying he discovered everything on the list on trips to USA from 1970 to 1973, except for Soul Twins which he found first copy in Hammersmith and then 100's of copies (many scratched) later in Miami.

Your place in history is assured mate!

Ian D :D

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Hi Chris,

I just re-read the thread and there's a significant line in it which reads:-

"Graham is definitely saying he discovered everything on the list on trips to USA from 1970 to 1973, except for Soul Twins which he found first copy in Hammersmith and then 100's of copies (many scratched) later in Miami.

Your place in history is assured mate!

Ian D :lol:

It's not that important any more Ian, what people should know that an awful lot of stuff came from

the London area in about 72/73, including things like Duke Browner, Fuller Bros, Sweet Things,

Cooperettes, there were some decent places to find stuff, all dead cheap, the Cooperetees cost me

about 35 pence !!! People like Dave Burton, Dave Rivers, Nigel Martin plus the Record Corner gang

were giving DJ's like Keith M, Jebby & Ian L stuff to play and I have to say they were really tops in

givin these records a chance, not sure how'd that work today !! :lol:

I'm in a great mood today, the Stoke afterglow still working........... :D

Chris L

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It's not that important any more Ian, what people should know that an awful lot of stuff came from

the London area in about 72/73, including things like Duke Browner, Fuller Bros, Sweet Things,

Cooperettes, there were some decent places to find stuff, all dead cheap, the Cooperetees cost me

about 35 pence !!! People like Dave Burton, Dave Rivers, Nigel Martin plus the Record Corner gang

were giving DJ's like Keith M, Jebby & Ian L stuff to play and I have to say they were really tops in

givin these records a chance, not sure how'd that work today !! :lol:

I'm in a great mood today, the Stoke afterglow still working........... :D

Chris L

I know that better than most since my cherished (2nd) copy of The Carstairs came from the good Mr Rivers I seem to recollect, as has many a rare Northern gem!

As I said in another thread, Record Corner's lists was a must in the early 70's and they were always first onto any new release which had a Northern feel and the list is endless. Wish I'd have been in that basement back then - must have been brilliant.

Bloody hell. You still have an afterglow. Blimey the drugs must have been good or was it just the buzz of Stoke?

Ian D :lol:

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  • 2 months later...

post-8974-1212577380_thumb.jpg

SEE FLYER FOR DETAILS OF GRAHAM WARR DJ SET PLAYING 100% 45's HE DISCOVERED IN USA, BROUGHT BACK TO WOLVERHAMPTON AND GAVE FIRST UK CLUB PLAYS AT THE MIGHTY CATACOMBS.

SATURDAY JULY 12, 8PM TILL 1AM, 3RD ANNUAL CATACOMBS DJ'S GET TOGETHER AT SOULVATION @ LEA HALL CLUB, RUGELEY, STAFFS. ADMISSION £6 PAY ON THE DOOR. ALWAYS A MAGIC NIGHT.

AND NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OWNERS OF THE CATACOMBS TRADEMARK!

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest KEN-SOUL

Max, dont talk to me about Clubs, gee another thread in my life, good times bad times, made a mint spent more BUT i still wake up in the mornings with a tune goin in my head.

Take me Back, Oh please take me Back.

Will we ever be set free?

Doubt it!

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Guest KEN-SOUL

well, al. no we cant escape our childhood. i can still remember vividly, where i was, when i first heard al williams-i am nothing. it vibrated with my whole d.n.a.! i was only 13 - 14, yet i still remember where i was dancing at the time. it was the same with the de-lites, lover, people say they know where they were when kennedy was shot. i remember where i was when these classics were played!

r. searling also tried to break some records, which, with no success, were never heard of again...

where are they now?

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  • 13 years later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I have spoke to Richard Searling on many an occasion and also listened to many interviews and Manchester radio shows and seen him live of course and he always enthuses about the importance of Dena Barnes and how it was one the most influential records of his NS career.

I am far from doubting anyone's testimony, but I wonder if more than 1 copy was discovered at the same time on the same trip, and RS ended up with one too (?) Bought or gifted ? Same record sold between DJs ?

Be interesting to know if there was a little backstory to this great track in this respect.

Edited by codehound
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