Sebastian

They were on Epic in the UK during the 70s. Their US LP-only "If You Were There" (which Ace Spectrum also recorded) actually got a 7" release on UK Epic.

Just out of interest, who is credited as the songwriter(s) on the Venicia Wilson track? Are the original songwriters Howard Bogess and Fred Bauer recieving any royalty payments for your restructured version?

This is what Ian Levine wrote about the tune in a late 2001 "rarest of the rare" article in Togetherness Magazine. 4 - VENICIA WILSON - THIS TIME I'M LOVING YOU - TOP-TOP - 1-007 This is my biggest floorfiller of the moment, and the record I paid the most for in my whole life. Probably white I'd guess, but almost up to Sandi Sheldon standard for pure Northern Soul, this is the kind of discovery people thought we'd never ever turn up again, and yet, larger than life, here it is. It's basically a female version of an awful pop record on Jamie by Peter Hamilton called "Hey Girl". The lyrics are similar but different in places, the backing track is similar but different in places, and whereas the gimmick on the Peter Hamilton version is that it keeps jumping up a key, doing it four times through the song, this one doesn't, and only modulates once after the big instrumental in the middle. It's got the kitchen sink thrown in... huge strings, big brass, and the most stomping sixties beatsince Nancy Sinatra made "These Boots Are Made For Walking". So while not truly an actual soul record, in fact the song is a bit like "Downtown", it's easily the BIGGEST Wigan Casino stomper that NEVER was. Despite that I love it to bits. It reigns supreme, and everyone wants it, even dyed-in-the-wool old Pete Smith.

That's a recent legal issue with an alternative version that lacks the brass arrangement.

NICE! Thanks for that. If anyone has got any other label variations of this, please post them up. To me it looks like we have scans of the demo/issue pairs for the following:

"I'm A Good Woman" was very popular at the time of release and there were at least 5 different label variations. I know of 3 demo variations and 2 issue variations. All of them are genuine original releases. Have a look at the scans below.

Superb mid-60s garage pop tune and indeed with a young Rick James on vocals. It was not issued as a single at the time of release though.

This has been on eBay, the latest one showed up just about 2 months ago.

The Side Effect version was issued on an LP from 1973 called "Effective" on the GAS label.

I think it's a great version of the Willie & The Handjives tune. Definitely not soul though and one for the 60s garage rock collectors indeed. It has been comped for that "scene" and is well known, have never seen it sell for much money though.

You are ofcourse right. Using recycled vinyl results in bad sounding records. I wrote the "AND they let you bring your own plastic mixture that you've made from old melted 45s... " with my rongue placed firmly in cheek because it's so EXTREMELY unlikely that a pressing plant would let you bring your own plastic when you want to press a record.

The only way you could do what you describe above is if you had the original "mother stampers" that the original 45 was made from. If you have that AND you're able to press it at the factory where the originals were made AND they let you bring your own plastic mixture that you've made from old melted 45s... then you will get the exact same audio reproduction and run-out etchings. Perhaps that is what has happened with the King Tutt 45 you've got? I don't know, I just think it's fascinating and would like to know how to distinguish between an original and the counterfeit. If you don't have the original "mother stampers" then you will not be able to make an exact counterfeit of a record. You might get the run-out groove etchings and run-in/run-out widths correct, but the the volume and wave form of the audio WILL differ between the original and the countereit no matter how much work you put into it. Properly mastering and cutting a lacquer/stamper for vinyl production is a dying art (and has been for about 25 years).

That is extremely unlikely to happen - if not actually impossible. And sorry for harping on about this... but proof about the difference between originals and counterfeits can usually be found by studying the info in (and the size of) the run-out grooves. You've written that the info in the run-out grooves is the same on both the originals and the counterfeit/"limited reissue" that you've sold, but I don't believe that it is written in the EXACT same way as on the original and it's almost entirely impossible to make the run-out and run-in grooves match the width and amount of turns on the originals. Would be great if you could post up this info for the "limited reissue", but I'm not holding my breath.

I just did an A/B comparison and they are the exact same recordings, but mixed and mastered quite differently as Dave pointed out. The brass is more prominent on the Maple/Canyon issue and the piano is more prominent on the Lee John issue. But all ingredients can be found in either version, they are just buried or highlighted in the mixes to different degrees.

I agree. I just wanted to highlight that they were all the same recording, not different versions (as in different vocals, different backing track etc.).

The Crown Four and Chosen Few releases of "Birth Of A Playboy" on the three labels LEE JOHN, MAPLE and CANYON are all the exact same recording, they are not different versions. The LEE JOHN mix has got a lot more treble compared to the MAPLE and CANYON releases though. The release info for the 3 releases is as follows: Crown Four - Birth Of A Playboy / Love Of My Girl - LEE JOHN 619 Chosen Few - Birth Of A Playboy / Taking All The Love I Can - MAPLE 1000 Chosen Few - Birth Of A Playboy / Taking All The Love I Can - CANYON 1000 "Love Of My Girl" and "Taking All The Love I Can" are not the same tune. As far as I know The Crown Four, The Chosen Few and The Adventurers (on BLUE ROCK) were different names for the same group (bar one member or so).

There must be some difference in the matrix markings between the two different versions. Would be great if anyone of you who currently have a copy of this can post up what it reads in the dead wax and specify which version you've got. Thanks in advance!

It can't look exactly the same as on the original so it would be great if you could post up some pictures of the dead wax matrix info. And focused pictures of the labels as well (turning on the "macro" setting on your camera should do the trick) Here are pictures of the matrix details on an original copy. "D-A-N-C-I-N'" side: "YOU'VE GOT ME HUNG UP" side:

From what I understand the BUNKY 7" issue is legal but was issued in 1990, ten years after the original 12" release on AL & THE KIDD which was issued in 1980. The FYNAL VYNAL 7" is also a legal reissue done in 1985.

Keep your eyes peeled on eBay and do constant searches for it. It turns up every now and then and I've seen several cheap copies sell during the past year. Here is one of them, which ended 2 months ago at £23: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=180298370436

Usually sells for £15-£25.

Really nice to see that video! Nearly fell off my chair when he showed that "Schytts" LP! They're a schmalzy swedish schlager type of band and one of my relatives used to be their singer... Have never really thought about what their name sounded like when said in english...

You have a point there, and I agree with you to some extent (I still consider it to be one of the rarest Johnny Guitar Watson 45s though), but those "cheap" copies from 5+ years ago that you speak about have now been snapped up and they are not leaving collections by the look of it. There haven't been many copies offered for sale of this 45 during the past two years. How rare a record actually is seldom plays a big part as far as the price goes when a record comes up for grabs that otherwise seldom comes up for sale.

Some more info here: https://www.yearoftheblues.org/features.asp...CE5C231CA}& https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacock_Records https://www.bsnpubs.com/abc/robey.html

Obviously I was the person selling this record so might be a bit biased... but you've got to be kidding? Why should that Johnny Watson record sell for £30? Over 60 people had it on their "eBay watch". There's big demand for it and it doesn't turn up for sale often. Those two factors combined usually result in high record prices. And having been included on a very popular recent Kent compilation CD helps as well. It is a rare record despite the fact that you haven't payed more than £10 for any of your copies. The actual rarity of a record usually doesn't become apparent and it doesn't start to fetch big bucks until they've become popular and more people know about them. Judging from the e-mail I recieved just about an hour ago from the buyer, it would be a big surprise if he doesn't pay for it (or the other record he bought!). Ofcourse he will. Almost everyone pays for the stuff they win in eBay auctions. The non-payer ratio is about 5 to 1000 in my experience.