Roburt

Spent another enjoyable hour in the (electronic) company of Lou this afternoon ......... I'm getting so much info from him I'd better not enter it up as numerous separate posts (I get in trouble as it is for posting too much). So I think I'll pull everything together into 1 or 2 articles and post all the stuff up that way .......... As I said earlier, we haven't actually met up in the flesh since the Prestatyn Weekender (2006?) but we chat on a regular basis. The guy is now a very distinguished looking elder statesman, judge for yourselves .....

Shotgun Express were just about the top London based R&B band (Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, etc) back in 66/67. They cut for an EMI label and EMI were linked to Tower / Uptown in the US ... so I can't see what's strange about their cuts appearing on Uptown over there. Rod Stewart joined the group from Steampacket (him, Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger). Again Steampacket were just about the top London based R&B act before they split.

Lee Andrews R I P View full article

Seeing as I'll probably be heading up into the loft to pull out some old posters, I'll see if the boxes of old soul mags are to hand as well. I'll let you know which ones I have when (if I find em) I drag them out.

Bettye, now a highly successful BLUES singer is live in Nth London this Saturday .......... SEE .............. https://www.facebook.com/NellsJazzandBlues/

Mock crying on this 1951 effort from him .... He seems to have re-cut the song for Dot in 1960 (unless the guys who put the date on the above were out by 9 years).

Tommy Brown (blues singer) R I P View full article

Wanna book the Stairsteps, just ring Universal Attractions on 212 - 582 - 7575 ............

You need to read the book 'Spinning Around -- the History of the Soul Lp (Vol.1) ... to learn which is the best Impressions LP (I'll give you a clue, in the 60's it wasn't 'The Versatile Impressions' which is noted as being their worst album outing).

Stevie Wonder hitting trouble (literally) on the road in 73 .........

Gene Harris & the 3 Sounds ............ going a bit 'Ramsey Lewis ' on "Sittin Duck" ........... The 3 Sounds on "Soul Symphony" .........

Got a load in the loft but can't recall details of the exact issues I got.

As the jazz thread is going strong at present, thought I's post up an ad for the 1970 'Sold On Soul' concert ........... .... more of a jazz line-up than soul .......... I bet Madison Sq Gardens was jumping that night ..........

Gene Harris takes Stevie on a jazzy trip ............... but it still comes out as pure soul ...........

Yet more Morrisey and Mullen ........ "Love Don't Live Here Johnny Moore" .......... .... this is more of a Rolls Royce performance than a Rose Royce one.

Early Morrisey Mullen, cut in the US with the AWB ..... 1977 ....... "Burst Fender" .......... ...... back in those days they were working with the likes of LVDross, Cissy Houston, Beverly Ingram, Arnold McCuller, David Laslee, etc .... not a bad bunch ....

Another UK offering .......... BUT this is pure jazz funk ........ with great vocals from Carol Kenyon ......... ... the guys started off (on their jazzy route) across in NY with the likes of Herbie Mann (not bad credentials) ....

Seeing as the A side song was titled "The Green Weenie" I know Frank Furter was not his real name. The Green Weenie was a sports gimmick co-created by Bob Prince , the legendary broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and Pirate trainer Danny Whelan. It was most popular during the 1966 baseball season in Pittsburgh, Pa. The 'Green Weenie' was manufactured by Tri-State Plastics, a Pittsburgh plastic thermoforming company and was a green plastic rattle in the shape of a hot dog, which when waved at opposing players, purportedly put a jinx on them. Conversely, when waved at Pirate players it allegedly bestowed good luck. The 45 escaped in October 66, so that just about ties in with the Pittsburgh baseballers inventing the thing. So, some local recording outfit obviously went in the studio to cut this one off release that was licensed by Uptown. I'm not sure this is the guys from Redbone. They were Californian based ever before all the guys teamed up in LA in 69. Anyone have an idea who this group really were (may have included guys out of Redbone but I ain't convinced) ?

We get a bit more R&B on this one ........ Odessa Harris ......... .... this escaped in mid Jan 66 & was tipped by Billboard as a likely Top 10 cut ... her earlier Uptown 45 "Colour of His Love" (#711) had escaped in August 65.

Another Eddie Ray production ..... Tommy Mosley ...... who had been around for a few years by the time this 45 escaped ...

Eddie Ray, who produced quite a few sides for Uptown (& Tower) in LA had earlier worked with the likes of H B Barnum, Mel Carter and Irma Thomas. He had quite a bit of success as a song writer too.

A slower number (but very classy) .... the Selectives & Jimmie Green .......... from October 65 ......... ........ another LA recording I assume ..........

Also released in 65 @ the end of the year (or early in 66) : Lena & the Deltanettes ............... .... this must have been a local LA recording ...........