Geoff

I've read all the posts on this and found it most interesting. However I have to ask why some people think ANMHE is a pop record? It doesn't matter if it got to number 1 in the hit parade in the UK or the USA, it is still a soul record imo. Or does a record that gets into the charts automatically become a pop record? As has been said in other threads, no one makes a record hoping that in 30 or 40 years some people in England will decide it is a rare classic Northern Soul record and play it. And then it will go for silly money on Ebay. Surely all records are made with the hope of commercial success in their musical fields; and hopefully success in the charts. I'm quite surprised that ANMHE wasn't a hit in the UK, remember hearing it enough at the time, but I'm at work, so can't consult my reference books. I've heard it plenty of times over the last year or so at soul nights, it fills the floor, and I enjoy dancing to it. I like the rare stuff as much as anyone on here, but some records are just really nice to hear, maybe in a little while it will go back in the box and be replaced by something else. It's easy to forget how good some of those oldies really are; and how everyone went wild about them at the time. Surely we can all put up with occasionally hearing something not to our taste at a soul night; after all it is meant to be an enjoyable night out, not some test of whether we've got good taste as decided by other people. As for McFadden & Whitehead, I've heard Sam play the sports version at Soul Essence, somehow it didn't sound right, suppose I expected the normal lyrics. Probably been okay if I didn't know the normal version. I wouldn't have thought this was one for a Northern night though, surely too disco, lol. At Essence he also played a rather strange version of What's Going On, not a patch on Marvin.

As far as I know He's A Rebel was composed by Gene Pitney, originally for Vicki Carr, but Phil Spector got in first with the Crystals.

Maurice Williams was also the lead singer with the Gladiolas, who recorded the original version of Little Darlin', which was overtaken by the white cover version by the Canadian group the Diamonds. They specialised in covers of mainly black doo wop songs. I don't know if MW wrote Little Darlin', but I suspect he did. Anyway that's my bit of useless information for today.

Don't know if British issues count under this thread but I bought the following on release in the UK. Invitations - What's Wrong With Me Baby - Stateside Chuck Jackson - Hand It Over (bought it for the A side Since I Don't Have You) - Pye Int Willie Mitchell - That Driving Beat (B side of Everything's Gonna Be Alright, both sides played at the time) - London (I think, can't be bothered to find it) Kim Weston - I'm Still Loving You - Stateside or Tamla Motown, again can't be bothered to look Detroit Spinners - I'll Always Love You - Tamla Motown Temptations - Why You Wanna Make Me Blue - Stateside Various other Motown, Atlantic, etc.

Nice to read there are still people around with trade union principles.

Were Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and Don't Stop The Music played at the Casino? Actually wouldn't mind chicken in a basket or something edible at a soul night at about midnight or 1am, always seem to be hungry then.

Joseph Webster - My Love Is Strong

Will it include his version of Do What You Gotta Do? It was the original I think, well before Nina Simone or the Four Tops.

While it would take cattle prodders to get me to dance to The Snake, it is the sort of track that appeals to non soul people. I imagine many on SS don't particularly want to hear Ghost In The House, The Night, etc, but I've seen them fill a dance floor with people whom you wouldn't classify as soulies. They are enjoying it so no harm done. I'm sure everyone has a favourite classic oldie, and are pleased when they hear it. And even some that are not particular favourites are nice to hear out occasionally. Judy Street's What always gets me out on the floor, you don't hear it that much do you? The other week I heard You've Got Your Mind On Other Things played, can't think who sings it, memory letting me down yet again. But it was nice to hear it. However saying that, a whole evening of classic top 500 stompers begins to pall after a while. Yet I know people who find the rarer medium or slower tempo records boring, so just got to accept we are all different. If The Snake became a hit, it may encourage some people to investigate our music further, and maybe give some money to Al Wilson or his family.

The first version I heard of this song was by Dionne Warwick, on her second LP issued in the UK in about 65 or 66. She may well be the original, as she worked so closely with Bacharach and David.

Hi Richard, CDs arrived today, playing them as I type this. Helping to keep me sane, feel like getting up and dancing, might cause a bit of a shock here though. Thank you very much for them, content and presentation are excellent, really professional. A couple will be on their way to you ASAP. Your kind gesture epitomises the best of the soul scene, full of kind, decent and generous people. Best wishes, Geoff

Just so many Modern Soul tunes I love. Almeta Latimore - These Memories Sandra Wright - I'll Come Running Back Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This Marvin Gaye - I Want You Marvin Gaye - Gonna Give You Respect Gloria Scott - What Am I Gonna Do Gloria Scott - Too Much Love Makin' Essex IV - My Heart Just Can't Take It Dells - It's Up To You Four Flights - All I Want Is You Wilson Williams - Faith Will Bring It Home Gene Chandler - Without You Here Loleata Holloway - I Can't Help Myself Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do For Love Dee Dee Warwick - Funny How We Change Places Joseph Webster - My Love Is Strong Knights - Love Knocked Me Down Natural Impulse - She Went Away Bobby Reed - Time Is Right For Love and so many others.

September Jones' I'm coming home at Walls Of Heartache in July.

Thanks for posting these, what a great singer and great songs. Always loved Any Day Now since I first heard it in 1965 at an allnighter, just after being dumped by a girl I was crazy about. Went and bought it the following week. Pity the first YouTube one has been removed.

Is there actually a song on it called Jamaica Ska? If so, who is it by? It used to be played in the clubs I frequented as a youth in about 64/65. I think it may have been a hit in the USA, I've heard a cover version by Annette Funicello.

Perhaps someone could explain to me why they couldn't be played at a do. I was under the impression that it was etiquette / rules of NS DJing that original issues were played, either US or UK, or maybe foreign. Therefore if these are first UK issues of these on vinyl it must be okay to play them. Or have I got it totally wrong? On the very rare occasions I have got to DJ at primarily NS do's (open to invitations, lol) I've generally used my original UK issue 45s that I bought back in the 60s, e.g. Stateside Invitations's What's wrong with me baby; Pye Int Hand it over (original b side of Since I don't have you), etc plus some American originals I've recently bought. Surely if there was someone there with American issues does it mean they would have precedence to play them? And if they did, how would I know, apart from looking through their record box? Bet they'd like that I don't think. What about the people who go to Vinyl Carvers and get LP tracks put on 45, or dare I say it, get MP3s of rare tracks? We could all do that I imagine. I am not trying to be contentious, I am asking a genuine question.

I'm no expert on sound files but the advantage of MP3s over Wav files is size. Usually the latter are enormous and take ages to download, even on broadband. However when I do a CD I try to use MP3s of 256 kbps or 320 kbps. I was under the impression that the MP3s you purchase from the likes of iTunes, etc are 128 kbps, which is not that good really, a bit of a cheek to charge for these, I would expect high quality MP3s if money is involved. Perhaps someone who has used iTunes could confirm this. On the subject of record companies selling CDs of MP3s, what price would they sell them for? They'd want more than the current price of CDs I'd imagine. And that is one of the possible problems of falling sales of CDs. If you go to the likes of HMV, etc their prices seem high to me. I know you can get some on the net cheaper but many can't be bothered or may not trust site security. I know copying and downloading has probably affected sales, but not all CDs are good value, some good stuff and some fillers, and not always good quality sound.

How many people do the management expect to get in there (Smersh or whatever it is called now)? I think the top 500 thing mentioned was in Highbury somewhere.

They were certainly memorable. I was caught short one night and eventually found a cubicle that wasn't too bad. Sitting on the pot trying to hold my trousers off the floor. Funny in retrospect, but never to be forgotten. The things we do for soul music.

I'd be lost without Soul Source, it is my home page on any computer I work on. Absolutely essential, brilliant source of information, etc. You know if you've got a soul related question you are sure to get it answered on here. Also good way to keep in touch with friends. Plus of course the Events calendar, the sounds, etc. Thanks to Mike for running it, and the moderators of course.

The Dome was the first club I went to when I started going out again (in 2002). I was quite scared when I got there, although I was going to meet some people off KTF group there was no one I knew there at first. A big place, dark, music like I'd never heard before. I was expecting NS of the tinkling vibes style. What was this strange stuff they are playing? Made me realise how little I really knew about soul music. I met the guys I was expecting, Andy Faulkner, Alan Gibbins, Martin Thomson, Tom Wood, and Sue Parker who had encouraged me to go, when I thought I was too old to go out to a soul night. Think I met Matt Male that night too. I think it was about 3 hours before they played a record I knew (Yes I'm In Love) and I took it from there, went out on the dance floor, feeling really nervous, all these people, fantastic dancers. But I must have got back into the swing of it, because I'm still doing it now. Through the Dome, and SITC and TOS and others I've met so many good friends. And it has been a musical education. I think the first post in this thread said they hadn't seen any of the regulars since then. Well they are about, but it is true, there are many people I've not seen since then, perhaps they are on the Mod scene, as when, on the odd occasion, I've been to a Mod club, I've seen various people who I used to see there. Also at the Va Va Voom events some Domers were present whom I hadn't seen since then. Also at Solid Hit Soul. I have to agree with Simon, it was great with the Dome, Scenesville and TOS all on in London. But of course everyone tells me I missed their great days. Don't know about that but the ones I went to were great. I've got a DVD of the last Dome, often look at it, brings back a great night. Thanks to the guys who run it and the DJs, they changed my life.

RCA tried 7 inch EPs that played at 33 1/3 in the very early 60s. One was Elvis Presley's Elvis By Request EP, had 4 tracks, It's Now Or Never, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Flaming Star, and Summer Kisses Winter Tears. According to the Billboard Book of US Top 40 Hits it got to number 14 in the American singles chart in 1961. Quite good bearing in mind that the first 2 tracks had only recently been number one hits there. At the time the EP wasn't issued in the UK for some reason. I don't know if it was ever issued at that speed over here. There must have been a reason for manufacturing 7 inch records at that speed, but for the life of me, I don't know, or if I did I've forgotten. Oh dear, the joys of age. But don't think it was the length of the song. Were any 12 inch singles in the "disco" era 33 1/3 rpm?

Please Don't Go used to be played by Martin Thomson (I'm sure it was him) at Soul In The City and I danced to it. Think it may have been played at the Dome, surprised if there weren't some dancers to it, good dance record, imo.

On the subject of overplayed tracks, I must admit I am getting a bit tired of the Majestics' I Love You So Much It Hurts. Always got me on to the dance floor, but now I look forward to the next record. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it, just heard it too much.

I still love the Joseph Webster track, only hear it out if Soul Sam's DJing. MP3s are fine, but not the same as hearing it out in a club. I've got it as my ringtone on my phone, but that isn't the same. Suppose that makes me a bit sad, lol.