Derek Pearson

Regardless of which release is legit we all know it's a proper blokes ball banging record. Have it. Go on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHKGXs5-ID4

No where near blatant disco like Anita Ward "Ring my bell" but I seem to recall this epic tune unbelievably being derided as discoshite by some at the time of release. Got a lot of modern room plays and rightly so before it charted. And it still sounds rather wonderful today even after all these years. Now that's what you call a proper singer. Throughout his career he's dropped some massive tunes along the way. And that's just given me an idea for a separate thread. Derek Oh and Sooty beat me to it - damn - but Evelyn King's "Shame" was the first 12" I ever bought as a new release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KraIB1z0aac

Thanks to Dave for starting this thread as it gave me a chance to finally air a link to the interview The New York Times did with Mr Tefteller way back in July 2009. “They’ve Got Those Old, Hard-to-Find Blues” https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/arts/music/12petr.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=tefteller&st=cse I've taken the liberty to cut n paste what I considered the most interesting piece of the interview which shines a light into the inner workings of a mind of an obsessive collector. I'd love to know what the results would be if somebody did a similar mail shot of say inner Detroit or Chicago these days - I wonder what if any rare records would be flushed out. Derek "Mr. Tefteller, 50, is one of the world’s most prolific collectors of Paramount blues. He pursues complete runs of every Paramount blues artist he considers important. Mr. Tefteller lives in rural Oregon but spends much of the year traversing the country for fresh stock, placing “Records Wanted” advertisements in antiques catalogs and The Farmer’s Almanac. He said he receives about a hundred calls a day, most yielding inconsequential results. “Records have a way of hiding,” he said. In 2002 Mr. Tefteller mailed fliers to every resident within 100 miles of Paramount’s former studio site in Grafton, Wis. “I flooded the area, and then I sat at the Best Western in Port Washington and fielded phone calls at the hotel for days,” he said. But his persistence paid off. One call produced the only known copy of King Solomon Hill’s blistering 1932 blues sides “My Buddy Blind Papa Lemon”/“Times Has Done Got Hard.” “I said, ‘O.K., put it back in the sleeve and put it somewhere where you’re not going to drop anything on it, and please don’t even touch it until I get there,’ ” he recalled. “She got a nice pile of hundred-dollar bills from me for that one.”

Despite having read a few descriptions of tax scam labels I still really hadn’t grasped what they were all about. True the descriptions could’ve been badly written and didn’t explain the issue properly or I didn’t read it properly and/or give the subject enough thought. Either way, I still didn’t fully understand how these illegal labels functioned. But then ironically my curiosity in a big hit record paved the way to a full understanding of just how and why tax scam labels operated. How it all started: One dinnertime as several more important jobs piled up I drank coffee and started reading online about “Mony Mony” a big hit song for Tommy James & The Shondells in 1968. My interest in both the song and the group had been sparked as earlier in the day I’d found a copy of the record in one of my sales boxes and wondered how the song came about. As Tommy James and the group were signed up with Roulette Records at the time this lead me into the murky world of the notorious gangster Morris Levy who controlled and ran the label. And from there a link took me to this fascinating interview article on tax scam record labels which explained much of the background as to why these labels were so profitable. Aaron Milenski on Tax Scam Releases (Opening papagraph copied here:) “Shit-Fi is proud to present an interview with Aaron Milenski, co-author (with Patrick Lundborg and Ron Moore) of the recently released The Acid Archives, on the subject of tax scam releases. Because Shit-Fi is concerned with the economics behind the production of music, especially the oddities and mysteries that challenge–or illuminate–conventions, this particular phenomenon is highly interesting to us, even if the music on many of these records otherwise would not warrant our attention. It’s true that the tax scam is a strange footnote to the history of the record industry, but looked at another way, it demonstrates exactly what is simultaneously alluring and repulsive about the industry, which remains rife with rip-offs, scam artists, criminality, and injustice. The history of the American music business prior to the corporate consolidation of the 1980s could not be written without mention of organized crime, but even as mainstream musicologists recognize the role of criminality in the business, we are not aware of anyone other than collectors who has documented the tax scam phenomenon”. (link to interview here) https://www.shit-fi.com/interviews/AaronMilenski And lo and behold - I should have guessed it and seen it coming miles away — but when ever tax scam record labels are mentioned, not far behind the name of Guinness always seems to pop up. (link to Guinness label listing here) https://forbiddeneye.com/labels/guinness.html Derek

As far as I know this San Antonio, Texas based label never had any specific company sleeves during it's lifespan. Is this the closest they ever got to one? Derek Blimey I'd forgotten just how expensive Soul Bowl was at the time I bought this..........

So apart from those you've mentioned Robb are there any other sleeves you'd like to see? This is my lame attempt at humour... Fantastic suggestions there - I salute you. Derek

An imaginary project called Dream Sleeves If I was something like an Art & Design Teacher at a Soul Music History Museum I’d set my students a project to inspire their imagination. To see who could design the best company sleeve for a variety of labels who — as far as we know - never actually had any. Their interpretation of ‘this is how they could’ve looked like’. For me personally there’s a whole raft of Detroit based labels that I’d love to see company sleeves for — Big Wheel, Ric Tic, Golden World, the list is endless etc etc etc. Further afield a sleeve for the legendary Shrine label is one I suspect many would love to see and own. In fact most of the labels from this city which we avidly chase and collect never came wrapped inside a company sleeve did they? It’s time like these that I wish I was a competent artist but I’m not, these days I struggle to draw a pair of curtains... And with a little bit of imagination it wouldn’t take much to knock up a rough idea of what the sleeve could’ve looked like would it? We’re starting from a good place as we know both the design and the primary colours they regularly used. So what labels do you wish there was a company sleeve for? With there being such a booming market for reproduction sleeves I’m surprised nobody has started selling ‘what could’ve been’, ‘what should’ve been’ dream sleeves. Mmmm now there’s a business idea. Derek

I'm sure we've done this topic many times before but what the hell..... Whilst I’ve never been one for gambling on things like the horses, football or whatever I’d regularly gamble good money on buying records blind ‘cos they looked interesting or should I say more specifically because the details on the label looked/sounded interesting. I guess the major difference between these 2 forms of gambling is that a lost bet on the track means just that, your money has gone for good, whereas buying a record blind that turns out not to be a winner gives you at least a chance to sell it on and recoup your losses. And lets not forget years ago there wasn’t that wonderful catch all tool called the internet and that massive music library known as YouTube hadn’t even been thought of And so it was in the summer of 1987 I received a well known list out of Illinois. Buried deep in the small print was a record I’d never heard of though I knew of other things on the label. However it was the compelling description that convinced me, nay forced me to bid on it. Can’t recall the exact details but - come on - who wouldn’t bid on a record described as obscure mid sixties mid tempo group out of Detroit. Now if that didn’t have you quickly writing a reply out nothing would. However there was a snag. The record had a 1cm crack from the running groove inwards. Oh? Mmmm..... Bah, undeterred I bid accordingly. Well I never - they don’t call me Bobby Big Balls for nothing as I romped home with the record. And I’m sure you’ll all be pleased to know that I’ve still got the record and I still handle it with kid gloves. And yeah it still is probably my best ever blind buy from the states. So what's yours? Derek PS. Very much doubt if it’s the same group who sang “Roar of the crowd” on Tina as that label came out of California. Or if it was the same outfit that cut for Poncho as that was another west coast operation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DhQ_IC9HmA

And what a great tune it is. Always thought it was another one of those bizarre situations where certain "good" records would never take off, despite how much you wanted them to and despite how many times you played them out. Can distinctly recall hearing Gaz Kellett playing this @ The Wilton years ago. Call me old school but I'd have probably priced this at less than £50. Eeh when beer wa' tuppence a pint and ya could leave ya front door open all night..... Derek

I'd been poorly for a few days and was in bed when I woke up bang on 9.59pm. Was trying to figure out if it was Wednesday as there was something on the tele I wanted to watch. Jumped out of bed, put mi dressing gown on and shot downstairs. It was half hour, it was on the tele and it was entertainment nothing more nothing less. It was a very brief visual snapshot to appeal to the masses of bewildered people across the land who've probably never stopped out after midnight and/or have never been part of any music related scene. On hardcore forums like this we could debate the rights and wrongs of the programme till the cows come home and we probably will. Years ago watching a programme like this would have made get my balaclava back on and start filling up empty milk bottles with inflammable liquids. But now I'm of that age where I like to wear pyjamas in bed I have learnt to accept the scene for what it is, even though it might not be what I want it to be. And was I glad to get out of bed to watch it? Yes I was. Derek x

Check Discogs Chris it's the first port of call for me regarding albums and stuff. Derek https://www.discogs.com/label/Soul+City+%283%29

Derek Pearson with special guest Mister Robert saying it for soul all eras all styles Saturday 28th September 2013 21.00-22.00pm. Bradford Community Based Radio BCB 106.6FM Once more we carry on regardless saying it for soul by playing a weird and wonderful selection of them old soul 45s. On tonight’s show we welcome back Mister Robert into the BCB studios for the first time this year. And for something different he’s set a standard of only playing something that he’s got 2 copies of — import issue & import demo being the usual pairing. If you would like to hear the show live there’s 2 ways to go about it — if you live within say 10 miles of the central Bradford based studio tune your radio to the106.6 frequency on your FM dial and you should be able to get it. Failing that go through the wonders of the World Wide Web on www.bcbradio.co.uk and hear it streamed live out of your PC. You can also listen to some previous shows (up to 2 months maximum) by accessing the BCB home page www.bcbradio.co.uk then clicking on the Listen Again button (top left corner of the page). Scroll backwards on the calendar to find the relevant dates. Then click on the date and all the specialist shows between 8pm and 4am will be shown. On finding my name you have the choice to either listen to it or download it. My new regular schedule on BCB Radio is now alternate weeks, so it’s one week on one week off, one week on one week off etc etc..... Derek Play Lists: Mister Robert: These were they (in the blocks of three): Gene Chandler - Good Times (4: UK Stateside demo & issue/US Constellation demo & issue) Linda Jones — I Can’t Stop Lovin’ My Baby (4: UK Warner Bros issue/US Loma demo & issue/US Loma LP) Theresa Lindsey - I’ll Bet You (2: US Golden World demo & issue) Jerry Butler — I Could Write A Book (2: US Mercury demo & issue) Garland Green — Sending My Best Wishes (2: US Spring demo & issue) Tyrone Davis — What Goes Up (Must Come Down) (2: US Dakar demo & issue) Ronnie Walker — You’re The One (1 only: US Philips issue) Johnnie Taylor — I Ain’t Particular (2: US Stax demo & issue) Judy Clay — You Busted My Mind (2: US Scepter demo & issue) Jean Wells — Broomstick Horse Cowboy (4: US Calla demo & issue/ US Calla LP/UK Sonet LP) Eddie Jefferson — Some Other Time (1 only: UK Stateside demo) Ted Taylor — Two Minute Warning (2: US Alarm demo & issue) Theme — At Least Two Copies of Each, or OCD for short…… Thank you for inviting me yet again…..going, going……gone Derek Pearson: to follow asap

Rather than try put together some sort of mad obscure set I simply decided to play some rock solid oldies that I haven’t heard played out anywhere for ages. Stuff you’d forgotten just how good it was. SHIRLEY WAHLS “That’s how long I’m gonna love you” (King) DANNY WOODS “You had me fooled” (Correctone) MALIBUS “Gee baby I love you” (Sure Shot) KENARD “What did you gain by that” (Dore) VOLUMES “Am I losing you” (Karen) WILLY WILEY “Just be glad” (Boblo) FANTASTICS “Where there’s a will” (Impressario) ROZETTA JOHNSON “Mine was real” (Clintone) WHISPERING SHADOWS “Stop the world” (Mr D’s) REX GARVIN “You don’t need no help” (WSJ) KELLY BROS “Crying days are over” (Sims) RAY POLLARD “This time” (Shrine) DYNAMICS “Yes I love you baby” (Top Ten) LONZINE CANNON “Quit while I’m ahead” (Philips) LITTLE CHARLES “Talkin’ about you babe” (Decca) ERMA FRANKLIN “Abracadabra” (Epic) CODY BLACK “Going going gone” (Rambrock) CLIFFORD BINNS “You got to help me” (Carrie) BIG FRANK & ESSENCE “I won’t let her see me cry” (Blue Rock) Derek

some neat photos there chaps - nice one. Fraid I ain't got nothing to compare with any of these historic posters apart from a pair I acquired sometime early eighties. The first was a very basic day glo orange poster plugging Marvin Gaye's visit to Bradford in 1981, I say basic 'cos it was just hand drawn lettering (you could actually see the pencil guidelines) with no photograph or anything. It's amazing what falls into your pocket on a night out when it's windy. The second was a much more professional jobbie promoting Smokey Robinson's visit to downtown Halifax in the same year I think. That came complete with a photo which I obtained by politely asking for it and was given it from the entrance foyer wall. Also bought a pale blue tee shirt for the same concert that still fits to this day. Actually that's a total lie - I have got a tee shirt but I'd be lucky if it would fit over one of my legs these days never mind my body. Derek

File under: Crunching old style Detroit thumper. Seem to think I got my copy sometime during the eighties or nineties for next to nothing (as you did then). Always felt it was a great collectors item but missing something just a little bit extra to elevate it higher. Good but sadly just quite not good enough perhaps it was too simple and basic? Played it out a few times to complete blank indifference. Having said that I can't recall ever hearing it played out anywhere to be honest? And like you say what a great looking label eh. Eventually flogged my copy to Derby George aka Garlic George at one of those Black Music record fairs in Manchester 'bout 10 years ago. Derek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbWr0uJI7eo

My flabber was certainly gasted when I looked at the attached photos but.....and is it just me? Why and how could any vinyl collector leave the records they didn't want in such a tangled mess like that? I mean I wouldn't even do it to Gary Glitter records...erm, on second thoughts maybe I would. Derek (slightly appalled in a very mild way)

Derek Pearson & special guest Craig 'Big Bad Boy' Butler Saturday 14th September 2013 Bradford Community Based Radio BCB106.6FM 21:00-22:00pm + playlists So fasten your seat belts and await 60 minutes of the good groove. It could go anywhere and often does. Expect the weird. Expect the wonderful. You can rely on us. And as usual if you’re interested in hearing the show live there’s 2 ways to go about it — first try the good old 106.6FM frequency on your radio if you live within say 10 miles of the studio and secondly through the wonders of the world wide web www.bcbradio.co.uk Onwards, Derek All Era’s. All styles. All over the place. Thirteen Tunes from ‘Big Bad Boy’ Craig Butler: The Versatile Gents — You’ve Blown My Mind — Linco Buddy Ace — Pleasing You — Paula © 1972 The Huns Review Featuring The Soul Brothers — Danger Zone — Sorro Marva Whitney — This Is My Quest — T-Neck Larry Sanders — Where Did Peace Go — Sound Of Soul © 1973 Big Maybelle — Blame It On Your Love — Paramount The Uptights — Look A Little Higher — Alley Sam Baker — Best Of Luck To You — Athens Cody Black — I Will Give You Love — Wheelsville The Jackson Brothers — I’ve Gotta Hear It From You — Providence Robert Winters — Soul Motivation Part 1 — Ron’s Damn Sam The Miracle Man — Damn Sam The Miracle Man — Tayster Don & Juan — The Heartbreaking Truth — Mala Have attached a couple of exciting glamour photos taken whilst "live" in the bustling studio by our roving cameraman Craig Butler. In the first shot I was half through adopting my moody pose similar to the ones in my recent best selling 'Vogue For Men' profile, which basically means me holding in my stomach as long as possible resulting in high blood pressure and a face as red as a beetroot, when CB took the shot early before I was ready. Not my best side but I've still had Vogue on the phone wanting to run it next issue.

Of all the big labels that I can think of I don't recall ever seeing many Wand white demo's on my travels. Though to be honest I've not actually looked out for any or searched high and low for copies. Virtually everybody that's ever seen my copy of this wonderful Masqueraders 45 comment on never seeing a copy like that before. So are white demos on this label tricky to locate or have I just been looking in the wrong places? I'm sure those with much more knowledge than I on this mighty label can illuminate more - SG come on down... And whilst we're at it does anybody know how many releases on Wand came out dressed in all white? Derek In an ideal world the lovely white labels wouldn't have been scribbled on but hey I don't live in an ideal world.

Thanks for all the replies chaps. To be honest I don't know where the idea that it's a South African release came from but the more I delved the more convinced I became that it was. The Australian Coral releases from 1968 looked like this So I went back into the 45cat website and had a look through the 'labels by country' section. Unfortunately there was nothing listed for Coral 45s in South Africa. Un-detered I had a browse around the various labels documented for that area and curiosity drew me to this one Design and typeset the same, no country of origin mentioned. I jumped to conclusions straight away so game set and match it was all over. And yes whilst this record gained a UK release via MCA Here's a pretty neat UK Decca single that sold on Ebay recently. Turns out these Decca American Series 45s were export only releases. What a wonderful tool the internet is. Derek

Traded some records with a mate yesterday and by chance picked up this Little Richard Coral 45 'cos it looked interesting and I'd never seen this label design on a Coral release before. Added some scans but the combination of a maroon label with silver print can be tricky to scan clearly. A 1968 release pressed on heavy vinyl with a 4 prong centre. But nothing printed on the label to indicate which country it's from. I sorta guessed somewhere like South Africa maybe perhaps? And Nat Tarnopol of Shrine fame gets a name check for production..... Checked out the usual places like Ebay, Discogs, 45cat and ran it through Google several times using different combinations of words, numbers etc but nothings showed up to convince me of anything. Oh I did find out it was released in Italy on Coral but that 45 had a white label and a large centre hole. "Try some of mine" 2:37 written by Don Covay and released in 1968 just after Okeh records had finished his contract so he was still in his 'I'm a soul man' phase. Issued in the states on Brunswick and in the UK on MCA. And what a belting little record it is - best description is think strident horn driven southern mid tempo dancer - a big name artist on a big name label - and to my eternal shame I'd never heard of it before........ derek To be complete I've tagged on a YouTube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-eltJoi0zI

Derek Pearson with special guest Mick Howard Shades Of Soul 21.00-22.00pm. Bradford Community Based Radio BCB 106.6FM For tonight’s guest we welcome the man from Heywood - Mick Howard - with his trusty box of old vinyl 45s by his side. Hard to believe it was way back in January 2012 since he was last on BCB radio. Time certainly does fly an' all that. Once again, he lifts the lid off his record box and we’ll see and hear what delights he's pulled out from the depths of his collection. As usual I’ll fill in with some crackly vinyl and tons of witty banter (sort of). Fasten your seat belts and await 60 minutes of the good groove. It could go anywhere and often does. Expect the weird. Expect the wonderful. And as usual if you’re interested in hearing the show live there’s 2 ways to go about it — first try the good old 106.6FM frequency on your radio if you live within roughly 10 miles of the studio and secondly through the wonders of the world wide web please visit the BCB website https://bcbradio.wordpress.com/ My new updated schedule here on BCB Radio 106.6FM is alternate weeks - so it’s one week on, one week off, one week on etc etc etc. To hear the previous show on 3 August 2013 featuring Andy Dyson as special guest: https://podcasts.canstream.co.uk/bcb/index.php?date=2013-08-03 onwards, Derek All Era's All Styles All over the place. And from under Mick Howard’s hat came these twelve: Jive Five "You're a puzzle" John Harris "Hangin' in" Ernie + Ed "Indication" Jimmy Gilford "Nobody loves me like my baby" Ray Barretto "Together" Los Sonidos De F.M "Tema de los adolescentes" Etoy Bogart "This maybe the last time" Soul Stirrers "Don't you worry" James Marsh "Searching for my baby" Nancy Butts "I want to hold your hand" Mixed Emotions "Am I imposing" Sweet Geraldine "Brainstorm" Dee Pee’s random selection of crackly vinyl 45s:

Out of all the early 70's UK Tamla Motown comps here's one that doesn't often turn up. The Motown Sound Volume One (STML 11217) released November 1972 I think. Most Motown comps are chok full of hit after hit but as soon as I saw this after reading the liner notes I thought it's the most un Motown like compilation I've ever seen. It's though the credit control department went on holiday for a bit and somebody knocked out the album when they were gone. I mean look at track 6 side B - "Cheating is telling on you" by The Lollipops, Duke Browner gets a mention but why was this included? If this album was released when I guess it to be it was filled with tracks from a few years earlier 1969-1970. Interesting but slightly puzzling release. Derek

Vintage blue nylon record bag Don't think I've ever seen one of these before. Are they from the UK. What era? Anybody else had one similar? Now before you all think "aah it's just some bag that you're granny would use that's been cobbled together to hold some records" - said bag has a hard fibre moulded insert that's shaped to strengthen and stiffen the walls. Insert has a neat little black stitched trim so the makers spent some money on it. Found it in Shipley full of classical albums. Sadly it's missing one of its Cheney lock clasps. Internally it's about 2 inch wide so it'll carry about 20 albums. Pretty neat I think. derek

It was here where I first lashed out a tenner on a record - Garnet Mimms "Looking for you" on British. That purchase changed the boy into a man. Derek

Blimey - glad you mentioned this as I distinctly recall seeing the mirror and thought at the time "that's out of order" but Human Rights Lawyer's hadn't been invented then. Have mentioned it to a few people over the years and just got complete blank looks. At that time though it was commonplace to see several people coming out of one cubicle at once. It was probably rare then for somebody to actually go into a cubicle to use the toilet....... Don't think the mirror lasted long though. Derek