Soul16

See attached image from your photo. It's a long shot, but try this location for the lettering.

I’ve compared the photo to my copy of the record and both the run in and run out widths look correct. The label colour looks right too, the red text looks a little fuzzy, but that could be the photo quality I guess. It looks like an original to me. If it is a boot, a lot of effort has gone into it. When feeling for the raised lettering, relax and only apply very light pressure with your finger.

Floyd, With regard to Mr Rielly making a claim, I would have thought there’d be some small print defining what is considered an acceptable way to ship relatively valuable items via Royal Mail and from your photos, the packaging looks as if it falls way short. Unfortunately, it looks like he cut corners in order to save a few pence. I know it won’t help you at the moment, but I’d be staggered if they actually pay him out, assuming he’s been honest about the packaging. I like to think that most people are thoroughly decent and that he will feel under extreme pressure to settle this with you by paying back what he owes you. His reputation is at stake here and for less than £300, he has the opportunity to rescue it. Good luck with getting your money back 👍

Payment just been sent 👍

Stay cool mate. I wasn’t condoning the sale of illegal items, my stance on bootlegs has been documented on this forum more times than I care to remember. Feel free to take a look 👀

Been reading this thread with interest. Back in the old days, NOC stood for No Original Centre, but in some quarters it appears to have morphed into Not Original Copy. You’ve got to smile! 😊 ’Bootleg’ is the correct term, but for those that sell such items, that can make items difficult to list for sale on some platforms I guess.

I would love a copy please, email sent. Andrew.

I've treated some of my records to new sleeves, so I've got about 160 to recycle. Please see photo, good condition, but all written on as shown. These were originally purchased from Sounds Wholesale. Not sure if anyone would be interested, but if you're in the UK mainland and happy to pay £6 to cover postage and packing, first to PM me can have them. I will send PayPal F&F payment details via PM reply.

Any NS event that you pay on the door, that doesn’t also advertise itself as including other genres like Ska etc. I wouldn’t necessarily expect original vinyl only at a multi-genre event. For me, it’s just a case of trying to maintain certain standards. Again, all in my humble opinion. I’ve been involved in this debate on numerous occasions before, so I think I’ll leave it there. 😴

In brief, if I’m a paying customer at a proper Northern Soul event, I would expect to be served up original vinyl only. Originals look better, feel better, sound better and are better. All in my humble opinion of course. In the same way, if I go to a steakhouse, I expect to be served up beef and not horse meat.

What a fascinating read this thread has turned out to be. You guys are a fountain of knowledge. Great stuff 👍 .

From my experience of what I've seen, I would say that Larry is the rarest version. I'd be keen to know how come there are two versions though.

Here’s a close up...😁

Surely, if you need dancing lessons, you ain't really feeling it. Howard Guyton - I watched you slowly swim away...

Northern - Seven day lover - James Fountain Modern - Heaven in the afternoon - Lew Kirton (12” version, because I love it)

As cringeworthy as it was last week, now I’ve got used to the idea, part of me is looking forward to it tomorrow! I’m as protective of ‘the scene’ as anyone else on here, but we also have a reputation for being a friendly bunch, so I’m gonna run with that attitude. Northern Soul stopped being a secret society decades ago, but the simple beauty of the music never fades for me. It could have been worse, at least he didn’t open up by dancing to Frank Wilson and demonstrated to the masses that there are more than two Northern Soul records in existence - the other one being The Snake...

If memory serves me correctly, I read somewhere (Record Collector mag?) that the BBC auctioned off a lot of vinyl for charity on a particular day in the 1990’s. DJ Mike Read was the auctioneer and did it for ‘free’, other than being paid in a few vinyl 45s from the BBC Radio 1 / 2 library - one of which was said to be Frankie and the Classicals on Philips.

That's how it used to be back in the day for sure. It still is for the more discerning of course. Sadly, with all the dodgy bootlegs that are apparently getting played out, it seems you don't need to travel anymore to hear your favourite tunes if you don't care about the format.

I can’t deny it, I have maybe 30 or so bootlegs (stored separately from my collection of originals, in order to avoid any cross-contamination😊), they’re all from the 1970’s when that was the only way of being able to listen to the music at home, either due to lack of access to, or inability to afford certain rare originals. The world has moved on, the Internet gives access to everyone that has the means to buy originals, but not only that, you can listen via streaming services, no need to clutter your house up with fake pieces of vinyl. Clearly, the Internet has also created a marketplace for ever more bootlegs for those that feel the need to buy such things. Given that Northern Soul is now quite trendy, there is of course a large customer base for bootleg 45s. As for the dancers, I’ve no doubt that some couldn’t care less about the medium from which the music is being played - that’s not what it’s about for some - they just want to go out and enjoy themselves, which is fine for them I guess. Northern Soul is the perfect vehicle for the over 50s and 60s to go out and let their hair down (if they’re lucky enough to have any). For now, I prefer to stay in and wash mine.

I may be mistaken, but we do seem to have this debate on the run up to Christmas every year on Soul Source! 😊 For me, it's very simple. There is no pleasure or pride in owning/playing a fake or bootleg. However, holding an original piece of rare vinyl in your hand (regardless of monetary value) is a great feeling. Northern Soul is so much more than having 'a good night on a full dancefloor'. It may seem a bit sad, but one of my favourite moments was when Ted Massey allowed me the privilege of handling his copy of George Pepp after he played it at the Station Hotel in Dudley in 1998. I've never forgotten it!

Boy, do I miss the 1980s and 1990s when the playing of originals at soul nights was assumed and the acronym OVO wasn't even a consideration for printing on your event flyer.

Agreed, the liner notes are great, as you would expect from Ace. I’ve been playing the CD in the car this week, nice stuff. 👍

Reviving an old thread I know, but at last, it looks like there's a really nice Ace compilation due next month. Even though I haven't bought a CD for years, this is a definite purchase for me 👍 https://acerecords.co.uk/yesterday-has-gone-the-songs-of-teddy-randazzo

I don't use Facebook, but to be honest I absolutely love the first two and still like the third one for nostalgic reasons. Makes a change from Al and Frank Wilson's outings being 'absolute favourites' on FB I guess...

There's definitely a blue vinyl one from the 1970's out there. I've got one on a jukebox.