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Del-larks Queen City Demo`s


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Had a great night at the wilton last night, two or three people told me about this, and i`m only quoting, evidently at prestatyn a lad went up on the stage after the DEL LARKS set to get his demo copy signed, only to be told by sammy campbell that job opening was never demo`d, anyone throw any light on this? :thumbsup:

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Had a great night at the wilton last night, two or three people told me about this, and i`m only quoting, evidently at prestatyn a lad went up on the stage after the DEL LARKS set to get his demo copy signed, only to be told by sammy campbell that job opening was never demo`d, anyone throw any light on this? :thumbsup:

Morning H .......

The image below is from the web site / label scan archive of Anorak Records ........

I would doubt very much if they would include none - kosher scans of issues or demo issues .......

Malc Burton

post-5097-1206185176_thumb.jpg

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Morning H .......

The image below is from the web site / label scan archive of Anorak Records ........

I would doubt very much if they would include none - kosher scans of issues or demo issues .......

Malc Burton

Like i say mal only quoting, spoke to a mate who was on the stage withn the lad, I personally allways believed it was demo`d, lad who told me this well respected collector, who said sammy campbell said it was never demo`d for financial reasons, we discussed this for a while and came to the conclusion, that was any of the big new jersey records demo`d? robbie lawson,billy arnell, twans, don`t know myself and it came as a shock to me :thumbsup:

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well the vinyl is exactly the same on the black and silver demo as it is on the blue and

silver issue.it might be his record but i would take what sammy says with a very large

pinch of salt. unless someone wants to sell me one of those black and silver bootleg

demos for a tenner :thumbsup::thumbup:

dave

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well the vinyl is exactly the same on the black and silver demo as it is on the blue and

silver issue.it might be his record but i would take what sammy says with a very large

pinch of salt. unless someone wants to sell me one of those black and silver bootleg

demos for a tenner :thumbsup::thumbup:

dave

If there is any truth in this, then where & why were these dome? extemly scepticle over this myself, as i said just repeating what i heard never went to prestatyn myself :lol:

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Guest gordon russell

can't see any reason to do this at all.Bought an issue off of john manship in the 70's for £30.who would of known it was gonna be a big rareity in those days.....nobody,so no reason to boot it.Another reason that I don't believe it is that one of the first demo's found was by John Anderson,he told me he bought it in a job lot (no pun ) in a record shop,from an ordinary bloke who brought it into the shop in a bin liner with loads of other records...I think John paid $200 for the lot and only found the DEL LARKS when he'd sorted the good from the crap.Lastly the music scene at that time was as dodgy as a chocolate teapot.So to sum up these demo's have been about since the 70's and no one could have guessed it would go for big money.If they were after a quick profit they would have booted it on a light blue label and just taken the money. Oh they did,didn't they.For my money they are as real as a real thing.

All the best tezza

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can't see any reason to do this at all.Bought an issue off of john manship in the 70's for £30.who would of known it was gonna be a big rareity in those days.....nobody,so no reason to boot it.Another reason that I don't believe it is that one of the first demo's found was by John Anderson,he told me he bought it in a job lot (no pun ) in a record shop,from an ordinary bloke who brought it into the shop in a bin liner with loads of other records...I think John paid $200 for the lot and only found the DEL LARKS when he'd sorted the good from the crap.Lastly the music scene at that time was as dodgy as a chocolate teapot.So to sum up these demo's have been about since the 70's and no one could have guessed it would go for big money.If they were after a quick profit they would have booted it on a light blue label and just taken the money. Oh they did,didn't they.For my money they are as real as a real thing.

All the best tezza

U right.

T'was booted twice in the 70's... but the Black Demo aint one of 'em!

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U right.

T'was booted twice in the 70's... but the Black Demo aint one of 'em!

OK here is the story.

Recorded at Tony Camillo's studio in New York.

Sammy (Tyrone) was working for George Blackwell and his wife and putting on Gigs at the Apollo in Harlem.

SAMMY apparently got on wrong side of Georges wife at the time of the "push" on Job Openings and she arranged to BLANK the record via all the DJ's in NYC, and it consequently bombed.

Source: Sammy Campbell and Bobby Robinson.

The silver & Black demo's are genuine.

George Greco, Edison New Jersey supplied me a number in the 70's. Now in Las Vegas, NV.

Nuff said

ALAN

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Guest gordon russell

see....na na ..na na na..........also years ago when everyone thought that tyrone ashley was the lead singer...I always said they were one and the same...and everyone used to say...no. well right again tezza :thumbsup::thumbup::D

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REPLY FROM KEV ROBERTS:

Interesting to read Harry Crosby's thread on the Del-Larks demo. As the first person to ever find the Black and Silver epic at Mcfarlane music, Newark, NJ in 1978, I can assure everyone it was manufactured. Sam is a dear friend but like most of us, we all forget things along the way.Recorded in 1965, Sammy Campbell literally handed out the 45 to his neighbours for contributing money towards the recording and manufacture. George Blackwell was intending toi manage the group but fell out with SC, hence the band were left to distribute the 45 locally.The Black and Silver DJ copy is Bell Sound stamped and was probably pressed in Newark or at somewhere similar such as Stan Krause' fathers plant in Little Ferry,NJ(the plant that made Robbie Lawson in '67).

I originally offered the single to Ian Clark in '78 as Ian was the only 'good letter writer' back then! However his focus that week was on the latest 'hottie' Eddie Garrigan. My price was 80, he offered 60! I kept the 45 until 1980, when Dave Raistrick purchased it for £125. A 'great' year for me as I discovered JD Bryant on Shrine and sold it for £100!

So...the Del-Larks is REAL as Real can be.On a sightly sadder note, when I eventually got the 3 remaining original members back together for SoultripUSA in April 2006, all 3 were staring at 3 originals.....and you guessed it...neither had an original nor could they afford to buy them back!Hope everyone enjoyed them in Prestatyn. They were fantastic at Soutrip.Right..must dash, I'm trying to put the Salvadors back together for Soultrip 2009!

Edited by aardvark
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  • 11 years later...

Only just found this old thread so here's my threepence worth.

I spoke to Sammy at Kev's soultrip 2006 and he told me his well rehearsed stories of the George Blackwell days and how he escaped them because his brother had a bigger gun than the one George's wife was holding.

In addition, he said Job opening was recorded in 63 and released in 65 and went on to say he personally payed for recording, studio time, label design,

studio musicians, record manufacture, boxing and delivery. All costs were met by himself with no help from anyone else. So all good so far.

I met Sammy for a second time at Prestatyn, we had a good chat propping the bar up in the Queen Vic. Sammy didn't recognise me from our previous meeting and went on to tell me the stories once again. I didn't have the heart to say we've already been here so I once again listened with great interest. 

At the end I asked - If you payed out all your money leaving you broke for the making of this record why did you bother doing a demo run and issue run. 

He replied - Demo man I ain't going up that avenue. I asked why and he said No No No ain't going there.

My theory - Sammy came over to the UK in the 70's to record an LP,  (for - no names mentioned) did he bring the pressing plates with him and the rest is history. It's fact that the demos were in circulation in the late 70's could it be an early form of product placement. I mentioned this at the time to a few soul gurus but didn't get a good response. It's pretty obvious that Sam has some problem with the demo and I may be well off the mark. Who knows 

 

 

  • Up vote 1
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1 hour ago, Mick Boyle said:

Only just found this old thread so here's my threepence worth.

I spoke to Sammy at Kev's soultrip 2006 and he told me his well rehearsed stories of the George Blackwell days and how he escaped them because his brother had a bigger gun than the one George's wife was holding.

In addition, he said Job opening was recorded in 63 and released in 65 and went on to say he personally payed for recording, studio time, label design,

studio musicians, record manufacture, boxing and delivery. All costs were met by himself with no help from anyone else. So all good so far.

I met Sammy for a second time at Prestatyn, we had a good chat propping the bar up in the Queen Vic. Sammy didn't recognise me from our previous meeting and went on to tell me the stories once again. I didn't have the heart to say we've already been here so I once again listened with great interest. 

At the end I asked - If you payed out all your money leaving you broke for the making of this record why did you bother doing a demo run and issue run. 

He replied - Demo man I ain't going up that avenue. I asked why and he said No No No ain't going there.

My theory - Sammy came over to the UK in the 70's to record an LP,  (for - no names mentioned) did he bring the pressing plates with him and the rest is history. It's fact that the demos were in circulation in the late 70's could it be an early form of product placement. I mentioned this at the time to a few soul gurus but didn't get a good response. It's pretty obvious that Sam has some problem with the demo and I may be well off the mark. Who knows 

 

 

But surely, he would have had the black demo pressed up first? Maybe the issues were pressed straight after the demos and he was stung for changing the label colour? Realising what the demo sells for now would aggrieve Sammy if he let some go too cheaply or trashed them for not being in demand. Would be good to hear the full story of this great record.

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12 hours ago, chalky said:

Great story. Thanks for posting. For what it’s worth, nothing George Blackwell was linked to comes close to the quality of Job Opening, easily one of the best records ever. Sammy can also consider himself fortunate to have escaped the curse of Levine.

Any info on where the stock of Job Opening ended up? 

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On 30/03/2019 at 09:50, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

 For what it’s worth, nothing George Blackwell was linked to comes close to the quality of Job Opening, easily one of the best records ever.

Del Larks was great, from when I first heard it played at Wigan Casino.

But George Blackwells "Can't Lose My Head" easily sits next to it, in class and sheer quality Northern Soul !

Edited by Guest
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Just to reiterate......The Del Larks Black and Silver DJ was first found at Mcfarlane Music, Newark, New Jersey in 1978. 

I eventually sold it in 1980 to Dave Raistrick. 

The promo was manufactured by George Blackwell who not only sang but acted as a local entrepreneur for a few local acts. 

If anyone needs any further info, I will be happy to answer them. Cheers KR 

Edited by Goldsoul
  • Up vote 3
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19 minutes ago, Goldsoul said:

Just to reiterate......The Del Larks Black and Silver DJ was first found at Mcfarlance Music, Newark, New Jersey in 1978. 

I eventually sold it in 1980 to Dave Raistrick. 

The promo was manufactured by George Blackwell who not only sang but acted as a local entrepreneur for a few local acts. 

Mid anyone needs any further info, I will be happy to answer them. Cheers KR 

Cheers Kev. So did George Blackwell somehow cheat Sammy over the black demos? Chalky’s article confirms George put a spanner in the works to restrict the circulation of Job Opening. Mick’s comment above suggests there was a really bad dispute between the pair. Maybe George lost his head on this one...

Edited by FRANKIE CROCKER
typo
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George was a handful by all accounts, but he did finance the manufacture of the single, so I guess it was the typical ‘he said she said’ argument. 

When I put the Del Larks back together at Soultripusa March 2006, remaining members gave their version of events. 

Sadly George isn’t alive to throw his two penneth in. 

Just a great record with bad distribution due to the players in disagreement with Blackwell. 

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