Mal C

Hi folks, all 4 RIKER records releases below, these are the issues. These are all mint, Ive played them, once, maybe twice... These are already starting to appear on several Record dealers sites for £75 / £100 which to my mind is well over the mark. I'm happy to let these go for £30 each, or if you want all 4 I'll do em at £110, you pay post. A - 'COZ I'M READY LENNY & THE ILLUSTRATORS I’ll bring your tea up on a tray, we’ll go uptown on Saturday... It’s the one you've waiting for! The soul drenched beat ballad that almost melted the internet. B - I'M THE MARRYIN' KIND TOMMY & THE ELTS A storming Chicago style dancer with crazy Latin horns. The perfect tempo for 1973. What would Wigan would have made of this one? A - COMING TO GETCHA! BETTY J. WILLIAMS Can you handle my loving? Can you handle me tonight...? Betty sure means business on this Detroit inspired banger that’s already packing dance floors B - WHY’D IT TAKE SO LONG? NEON-LITES Why’d it take so long, till the night that we met? Suddenly, it’s 65 and clip-clopping group harmony heartbreaker would surely have got the Wheel in a spin… A - (YOU MADE ME) A BETTER MAN THE MIGHTY INTANGIBLES With tight group harmonies, storming percussion, and that trademark Riker burping bari sax, it’s another Chicago-inspired dancer from the aptly named Mighty Intangibles B - STANDIN’ RIGHT HERE LILLIE MAE MORETON You’re the one, we’re the couple… Lillie Mae might be the youngest singer on the Riker roster, but her voice is seasoned and soulful on this infectious little groover. A - (WE WERE) LOVERS BEFORE LARRY VAYE Right away you had me on the hook, caught up in your silhouette… Larry’s liquid baritone sails over lush orchestration and a rolling mid-tempo big-city beat. It all adds up to one irresistible mid-sixties banger. B - THE LOVE THAT YOU GIVE TO ME DAWSON ROAD Can’t put a number on it, ’cos it’s way bigger than infinity… A massive brass-led intro calls you to the dancefloor before Dawson Road serve up delicious harmonies on this sunny mid-tempo mover. Best Malc

There are a few of those Astor test presses on bette swan about. Festival group tests are the most common in my experience, Atlantic, Ampar, Coral, Festival, Parlophone, Columbia, 20 Century, etc But no EMI Tamla Motown! Not one… That said TM was put out on Ledon, London, HMV, W&G, before EMI got them on Stateside and then TM.

Here is what a proper EMI Australia Test Press should look like, both of these are the Columbia Label. 'The Groove' were an Aussie group, I think from Melbourne, I also have identical label test presses for The Virgil Brothers - Temptation 'Bout To Get Me, who were again a Melbourne act.

That pic of the Stateside issue is fake. There is however as you say a White Label of Bob Kuban's "The Cheater", and it's a bootleg. Ive never seen a 45 test press of the Velvelettes "Needle in A Haystack", do you have a scan?

Thats a very good point, that didnt occur to me.. Ive asked tons of Aussie dealers and collectors for years about this, not one has ever! seen a TM EMI test press, so I'd have to assume what your suggested is correct. nice one

Thats an intersting point, as I can find no trace of sixties (TMO Series) Australian 'EMI / Motown' Test Presses either. I have EMI Tests for other labels, Columbia etc... but never seen or heard of an EMI TM Australian test, somebody must have em!!

Pm'd you Paul

Very sad news, he was a midlands ledged...!

Chalky's 'Gut' and a certain member who may become senile before he stops posting... Love it...

Australian 'Festival' Atlantic Test press

Hi folks , timeline question on Charles Davis who was part of the Dukays / Artistics, and went onto record as Nolan Chance. Did he use that name only after he left Okeh, or did his Constellation records fall between VJ and Okeh?

Nice track that it, he has a great voice doesn’t he

Hi folks, real mix of wants, I can get some of thois lot else where, but thoiught Id see what folks on here have... George Wydell - Funny Feeling / Tangerine (Replacement copy, must be a looker play and label) J.R. Bailey - Just Me'n You / MAM LP Carolyn Crawford - If You Move, You Lose / PIR Johnny Adams- It's You Baby, It's You / Soul 4 Real Johnny Adams - You're A Bad Habit Baby / SSS International Julie Driscoll - I Know You Love Me Not / Parlophone Demo Lynn White - I Don't Know Why / LDL 12 inch Goldie Feat feat. Jhelisa - Inner City Life (re-jazz Version) Any good Julie Driscoll / Brian Auger stuff, LP's UK 45, must be demos, like my demos :-) Bill - Space Lady / DNR (Replacement copy, must be a looker play and label) Connie Stevens - I Don't Know / Bell Recording, acetate only, i dont know, but if it got a vinyl release, I want one... ANY good Aussie released Soul, Northern, R&B, Jazz, Surf / Garage 45's or LP's.. Factory test demos always wanted... Inner City - Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin' (Def Mix) 12 inch Charles B Featuring Adonis - Lack Of Love / Desire 12 inch Cheers Malc

This turned up on YT 3 weeks back. Few other acetates on there the poster says are unreleased. No idea who David Solar is, anybody heard of him? Pat Caldwell aka Rockie Brown (Penntown), was as far as I can tell, primarily a writer, her name turns up in a few Philly productions, and there is a song called 'Go Away', which is by Pat Caldwell, and sounds exactly like 'Rockie Brown' to my ears, was included on 'Philly Soul, Vol. 2: More Phil Gaber & Impact Sound Productions 1962-1974' Chap who posted this up, states there are a few other recordings out there use this backing track, we have two, anybody know the others? Good stuff

Thats a great post and picture Rick, just noticed there is no 'You Baby' on there, seems they didnt do that one...