Rick Cooper

The list with Billy Davis - Stanky on it was done for northern titles that were only in small quantities and worth more. Sometimes they were mailed out but usually just for buyers at the Manchester site who asked. The other list was around 7 or 8 pages and sent to shops as well as private buyers. This a page from one list. Some nice titles that went big much later and others that don't fetch much now. The price codes are the amounts you list, although I think A was 14p. Number 57 was Bits and Pieces- Keep on Running Away on the multi coloured Nasco issue.

@Dave Moore did a great article on here about the Four Perfections- https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/soul-articles/the-four-perfections-the-story-by-dave-moore-r2964/ @Joel E Turner did another great article about the Showstoppers- https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/soul-articles/aint-nothin-but-a-house-party-a-chat-with-bruce-weinroth-producer-of-the-show-stoppers-classic-r4806/ As both tracks were recorded at Cameo Parkway does anyone know if they could have been done at the same session i.e. a split session of two tracks for each act. I think I'm Not Strong Enough has a saxophone that sounds a little like Mike Terry, who was on Ain't Nothing But A Houseparty.

Wow, a "follower" in the 1970s! I'm not surprised you don't recall it as it wasn't a record that caused much excitement. I managed to find the lists that Dave K sent me many years ago and found Stanky listed for 75p , not £3 as I thought. Billy Davis is number 73. If the prices seem ridiculously cheap now at the time they were about right. Nobody had much money then and most people bought pressings and re-issues from Selectadisc, originals from Soul Bowl or new US releases from Record Corner. Others spent money on having a good time.

Mal, thanks for that. I met up with some of the group a few years ago and asked them how they picked what to play. They said that they would listen to Radio Luxembourg and then choose the ones that sounded best for their audience. They would buy sheet music or the record and learn from them. Many of the songs were by black US artists but they knew them from the UK cover versions, no returning Liverpudlian sailors involved. Sometimes they'd cover a proper US soul track if it got in the UK charts. Such as Knock on Wood, In The Midnight Hour and Sweet Soul Music. This is a photo of them on stage. I never saw them live as I was too young.

My brother and his mates formed a group, Pete and The Mohawks, around 1963 to 1966. They never had a record out but performed at lots of places around the north west, even opening for Freddie and The Dreamers at Llandudno. This is their playlist from a local gig and a photo of a practice session in 1963. I used to watch them practice which could explain a lot.

Sad to hear this. Pete was a great guy who always had time to chat to youngsters. Contributed to many events and used to post on here regularly. RIP.

secondhandsongs.com lists versions of songs. It has a list for Hello Stranger but doesn't include some mentioned above. I think they rely on people updating their listings for them. Cover versions of Hello Stranger written by Barbara Lewis | SecondHandSongs

First one I got was The Poets -She Blew a Good Thing on Old Soul Records from Spin Inn in Manchester. Over the moon to get this but no idea it was a boot and didn't care. Anyone know anything about Old Soul Records. They looked like US pressings unlike Soul Sounds. There were others on the label: Mickey Lee Lane -Hey Sah-Lo-Ney Jackie Lee -Temptation Walk/Shotgun and the Duck Bobby Freeman - S-W-I-M Bobby Freeman and Poets for sale on Discogs but not the other two.

There were large quantities of legit copies of Come On Train around so yours may have been OK. Discogs lists an unofficial 2nd press but even those could have been a re press by the record label.

This was done by Global Records for some strange reason. No demand for this at the time except as a collectors item on original. Other strange boots done by Global include Marsh Brody- Right Combination and Rose Batiste- That's What He Told Me. A bit more obvious were Duke Browner and Ed Crook. All on look a like labels but thin recycled plastic with terrible sound quality. I think John LaMonte's House of Sounds in Philly may have had something to do with these.

For a few years in my 30s I donated blood plasma at a place in Manchester. I'm not sure if a low blood iron level would matter, I don't remember any testing for this. Donating plasma earned you bonus points for the totals so an easy way to bump up you figures. Who can donate plasma - NHS Blood Donation Looks like I can't do this now but others might be able.

Not just me then. About ten years ago the pre donation iron level test failed a few times. They did the second test which on one occasion was so low that I was told to get a GP blood test. This came back OK and the GP said the donation test is unreliable. Five years ago failed two consecutive tests but asked if I could donate anyway. This was not possible as I may have keeled over although it didn't mean the blood was not useable. If this is the same for lots of over 60s that could be why there's a shortage. Just managed the last badge though. Time for the youngsters to step up.

Tales of his early days in Morocco was fascinating and how he heard soul records and then DJ'd was revealing. After a brief mention of his time in the UK he then skipped a few years to concentrate on his recordings. As with Paul, I'd like to hear more about his exploits finding so many rare records to send over here. Kev tried to get him to talk about this but we got more about Shalamar etc. Hopefully in part two we'll hear more.

No mention yet of the best ever Darrell Banks- Open The Door To Your Heart / Our Love Is In The Pocket Couple of others Jimmy Beaumont- You Got Too Much Going For You/ I Never Loved Her Anyway James Barnett- Keep On Talking/ Take A Good Look

Motown soundtrack to the film - Nothing But a Man- Don't know much about the film. Abbey Lincoln was a jazz singer, having albums issued in the late 50s early 60s. Trailer for the film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjgshFzHJE