Mike

George Jackson - Victim Of A Foolish Heart / Getting The Bills (But No Merchandise) - KENT NW 501 This was the first release of Ace Records Singles Club 45s from southern soul great George Jackson. The release notes from that time follow below... George was in-house songwriter for Rick Hall’s Fame Records in Muscle Shoals from1968 well into the1970s, and wrote hits for, amongst others, Candi Staton, Wilson Pickett and Clarence Carter. He was also a great performer, but his demand as a songwriter kept his recording career very much in the background. In the last year we have found a host of wonderful recordings by George in the Fame vaults and to tie in with the second volume of his Fame Recordings “Let The Best Man Win”, we are coupling two of the tracks on a 7 inch single. The A-side is the wonderful ‘Victim of A Foolish Heart’ which we think was recorded as a follow-up to George’s two released Fame singles, but shelved in favour of Bettye Swann’s version which was released on Atlantic. It was later covered by Joss Stone on her multi million-selling “Soul Sessions” album. The flip is George’s take on ‘Getting The Bills (But No Merchandise)’ which has a better-known version by Clarence Carter. All Singles Club releases are limited editions – and once they’re gone, they’re gone - so order your copy now. View full store item

Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band / The Meters - Express Yourself / Just Kissed My Baby - A's and Bees Both instantly recognisable across the generations, the A side sees a reissue of one of the most feel good records out there in - 'Express Yourself'. Most famously sampled by the mighty N.W.A. in '89…. 'Whatever you do, do it good'. On flip you get pure funk destruction in the form of The Meters - Just Kissed My Baby. An insatiable, groove laden intro which has been prime sampling material throughout the years - most notably in Public Enemy's 'Timebomb'. View full store item

Freedom Affair - Give A Little Love / Searching - One World Records The soulful 'Give A Little Love' is the second UK single by nine-piece Kansas City soul group The Freedom Affair who received huge critical acclaim last year with their debut album, Freedom Is Love. The 7" single is due for release on One World Records on 20 May and is expected to repeat the success of their previous single, 'Outta My Mind', which sold well and got strong radio support in the UK and overseas. As with the previous single, 'Give A Little Love' was co-written and produced by the group's founder, Chris Hazelton, who operates the Sunflower Soul label in Kansas City, Missouri. View full store item

Michelle David & True-Tones - It's Gonna Be Alright - One World Records The powerful and uplifting gospel-soul track 'It's Gonna Be Alright' will be Michelle David's third UK single, due for release on One World Records on 11 February. It follows the success of her previous One World singles, 'Yes I Am' and 'Good Good Good', both of which were big sellers and received strong radio support in the UK and overseas last year. As with the previous singles, Michelle wrote the optimistic 'It's Gonna Be Alright' with her producers Onno Smit and Paul Willemsen Your browser does not support the audio tag. View full store item

John Laughter and Third Generation - It's our time - MD Records Many of you may never have heard of the band, or the track “It's our Time” or even the studio label it was recorded on. This is a tough record for sure. When John Laughter left the Air Force in 1967, he returned home and went to College, he also picked up with local bands and started playing in nightclubs. At this time, he started to write “Dreams of a Child”. It was a simple composition, but John wanted to have Flutes and Saxes on it. Talking to the band, they agreed to practice the songs so they could start playing both songs in the sets they played in the clubs. One member, William “Bill” Tripp started writing the lyrics for “Its our Time”. One night, a guy called Dave Plummer, heard the band play the tracks and suggested that the band should record and press the tracks to vinyl and then start promoting the band. Dave’s studio, Cypress recording studio is still going today and has a rich history of musicians and bands that have graced the studio recording rooms and is responsible for also pitting out the Jax Transit Authority single in 1978. Delivered in a smart picture sleeve with extensive release notes. View full store item

The In-Souls - I've Got The Feelin' - MD Records Limited release. Only 300 pressed with no reruns. This MD Records 45 is sourced from recordings from the Virtue studio in Philly back in 1966. I’ve got the feelin’ a funky mid-sixties dancer which was later re-recorded and produced in 1967 for the Detroit Palmer label. But avaialble here for the first time on MD Records vinyl is the original recording backed with a previously unknown instrumental named “Tony’s Groove”. Again, as with all other MD Records 45s it's a limited press, though this release has a 300 copies limit View full store item

Bottom and Company - You're messing up a good thing - MD Records 113 Its not often that we have a conversation with Jordan where we don’t come away feeling like we have been through a whirlwind of inspiration and ideas. One particular conversation led to a discussion about new tapes he had acquired and one in particular from the Wishbone production company. Wishbone was the name of a production company and studio owned by Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey. These guys worked at Muscle Shoals and went on to be snapped up by Motown as writers and producers before moving on to start their own studio. This band is known, has some great tracks but never got the backing it deserved to go the distance. With only a handful of released tracks to their name Motown didn’t get behind them. Imagine our excitement when Jordan starts to play the tracks from the tape and there are 2 unreleased tracks on it. Following a quick chat and verification that they were unreleased; we started to hunt down the rights. Following an intensive week or so of conversations, Terry not only agreed to work with us but then proceeded to share his knowledge and catalogue with us to see what else might make it to vinyl for the first time. This is a great double sider with the A side being a fabulous 70s/modern version of a classic track that was also sung by Bobby Sheen and Bobby Womack. 'You're messing up a good thing'. There is every possibility that this is the first recorded version of this masterpiece of 70s soul. Flip it over and the skilful writing of JJ Boyce is delivered through a soulful group harmony track that is a fabulous balance to the powerful A side. 'I'm Sorry' View full store item

Al Lindsey feat Laura Rain - Claim It - MD Records 'This track got picked up on its digital release by any radio station and modern fan. So pleased to release this fabulous helping of two great slabs of Soul on our contemporary “Gold” label' Your browser does not support the audio tag. View full store item

Darrow Fletcher - (What Are We Gonna Do About) This Mess - Kent City 068 Now on 45 a great mid-70s soul dance track that only came to light recently. '(What Are We Gonna Do About) This Mess' is from the Zane Grey and LenRon Hanks Los Angeles songwriting period which also saw the superb ‘Honey Can I’ issued on Crossover. View full store item

Peggy Gaines - When The Boy That You Love - Kent City 062 Nashville singer Peggy Gaines had two singles on Ted Jarrett’s Ref-O-Ree label but the best track, the Bob Holmes-written and produced ‘When The Boy That You Love (Is Loving You)’, was only discovered in the mid-90s. Released on CD and a limited 100 Club Anniversary single, it became a guaranteed dancefloor filler and is still in demand, fetching over £100 for that first pressing. The plaintive ballad ‘Everybody Knows’ is making its vinyl debut and will appeal to both Southern and Deep Soul aficionados. Your browser does not support the audio tag. View full store item

Joe Graham / Bill Brandon - I'm A Happy Man / Whatever I Am I'm Yours - Kent City 064 Kent issued ‘I’m A Happy Man’ in 1999 on a CD of Atlanta producer Bill Haney’s Chant label recordings. Joe Graham had one 45 issued on the imprint but, having had great faith in him, Haney recorded him on eight tracks. Graham wrote the pretty number himself and it has earned many fans since its release, most of whom are keen to own it on a 7-inch single. It is coupled here with Bill Brandon’s permanently in-demand modern soul classic ‘Whatever I Am, I’m Yours’. View full store item

Mighty Whites / Jacqueline Jones - Given My Life / A Frown On My Face - Kent City 063 The Mighty Whites’ ‘Given My Life’ is the Modern Soul hit of the last 18 months. It’s popular on the European rare soul circuit through spins by Dave Thorley, on the funkier end thanks to DJ Dean Rudland, and is a 100 Club classic in the making. It is backed here with Jacqueline Jones’ 1974 Loadstone crossover classic ‘A Frown On My Face’ – a record that gets harder to find and more expensive by the month. Your browser does not support the audio tag. View full store item

California Playboys - Just Say A Four Letter Word / She's My Real Sweet Woman - Kent City 060 The California Playboys’ 1976 Loadstone LP has been changing hands for three-figure sums for decades. Here are the top two dance tracks Just Say A Four Letter Word and She's My Real Sweet Woman that put it into that price bracket. Both are favourites of Modern Soul fans, and to have them on a handy 7-inch disc with a suitable 45 edit will make them irresistible. View full store item