Roburt

I've asked Swamp Dogg (Jerry Williams) to send his thoughts back to the 60's to try to pull up his recollections on the group & his work with them. ........ He says he's gonna get back to me & I'll pass along what he reports. As an opener, he tells me he has enough tracks (under his juristiction) to put out an album full of their (the Witches & a Warlock) tracks and has been considering doing this recently ...... SOUNDS MOST INTERESTING ......... Swamp was involved with the Miami based BRA label and so no doubt he had something to do with "Behind Locked Doors" appearing as a release on the label.

The live LP they made together didn't really capture the atmosphere of their live shows (or even the true sound of the songs they played). Together, they made great music. The Senate were massive fans of US soul singers and backed many of them on UK tours. I got the LP back when it was first released but have always been a bit disappointed in what it contains ......... but that's 'by the by'. I saw Garnett a few times back then live (1966/67). He toured at least twice (probably 3 times) and we caught him on the Saville Theatre show plus on club dates. My old Dony mate, Tom Sleight, even went to see him twice in 2 days (at the Nite Owl on Sat 23rd Sept 67 & at the Mojo on Sunday 24th Sept). Garnett had noticed him down front at the Nite Owl & pointed him out to the Mojo audience as being back to see him again so soon afterwards (it had been the 2nd last Mojo allniter ever on the Saturday night & I just coudln't miss that event, so only got to see Garnett on the Sunday show). I was one of the 'in crowd' at the Mojo (knowing Pete Stringfellow's brother Geoff well), so got to visit the dressing room before the show to chat with Garnett. He was a really nice guy but had no real idea about the UK soul scene or who his fans were or even how we got to know his tracks so well. ANYWAY, live he was great. "Looking For You" was just a 'throw-away' B side back then so he didn't perform it in his live show. He did however do great versions of "Its Been Such A Long Way Home" & "I'll Take Good Care Of You" + others I can't be sure of now (the LP isn't to hand to check what he sang). It was still very special back then to get to see one of our 'top idols' perform live and I'm just glad I got to witness him (in his prime) a couple of times.

Greg, I visited your Facebook site a few weeks back after clicking on the clip of the Caffey Bros 45 you posted up here -- some great tracks are up there. I've been a member of the Southern Soul Forum for 15+ years and members there have become firm friends in that time. So much so, that a few of the SS listies that are gospel fans / experts have made me CD-R's of obscure tracks down the years. I knew (some) folk over on that forum would be very interested in your site, so I posted up a message (that included a link to the site) about the page. Quite a few SSers checked it out & a few even posted replies saying how fantastic the page is. ....... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

There's an obit for Damon Harris in todays 'I' newspaper (UK). It states he joined the Tempts when they were 'in flux' and the only founder members left were Mervin Franklin, Otis Williams & DENNIS EDWARDS !!!! It also states that Otis was against Damon joining the group, though that is contradicted elsewhere. 'Damon' was born OTIS Harris and changed his stagename to Damon so as not to cause confusion within the group with OTIS Williams. MAYBE this fact might partially explain the false reports over the weekend of OTIS Williams' passing. The 'I' might have got things wrong but they do seem to have more correct info up on the Independent newspapers web page ................ https://www.independe...ns-8508643.html

No doubt Chuck's version was cut around 1970 and was viewed by the Motown studio team as 'just another throwaway track' they had him record. Chuck was 'badly served' at Motown especially as Smokey had pestered him for some time to leave Wand and sign with BG's company (mainly coz CJ & SR were great friends & Chuck always sold out his numerous shows at the 20 Grand). So to give him 2nd class material & 'old songs ' was nothing less than an insult. I'm sure Chuck could have ''killed' this song given the right condition,s as very few other singers had his vocal prowess & power.

Yes, I was right ......... I posted a Wayne Cochran gig ad up on the 'Old Miami Soul Shows' thread. ........... it's post # 125 on the thread (Page 3 of the thread's many pages)

To find the (US) ebay page .............. just select the Entertainment memorabilia section & then type in ..... Motown Northern Soul Legends: Signed Print ....... & the page will come up. It has been posted on ebay by .......... drewkj ......... so I suppose you could also use his ID as a search prompt.

There's a thread on the Soulful Detroit Forum about Funk Brother Eddie Willis needing help getting the airfare for him to go to LA for an upcoming Funk Bros 'Hollywood star' award ceremony. The thread has a link that takes you to an ebay page where a CD & signed poster are being auctioned to raise the sum necessary. I'd post the link to the SDF thread & the ebay page up but unfortunately I'm on a 'hotels'computer that doesn't allow me to copy & paste stuff like that. I'm sure some other SSourcer can post up the required links.

Yes, he was famous in the US, though mainly on the R&B circuit. He was based 'darn south' and played lots of shows in Miami (an ad for his shows is on the Óld Miami Shows' thread I think). .... but .... he also played gigs all across the US including at the Apollo in New York.

I thought Sew City was run by Matt Parsons (who had been associated with Scepter / Wand, Vee Jay, Capitol, Golden World, Motown, Atlantic & Laurie). Matt went on to have top jobs with King, Capitol & Polydor through the 70's. Mind you, Carl Proctor was also with Scepter / Wand at the same time, so perhaps they set up Sew City together. Proctor was with Farem Productions by 1970; the outfit that ran the Right-On label.

How come "Behind Locked Doors" came out on both Sew City & on Miami based BRA ???

Been mentioned before recently (on another thread).

Would think that the B&S's have some value + some of your early NME's. The others I wouldn't know but maybe to a pop fan.

Home Of The Blues July 1967 Edition 11 A window into 1967 Soul & MOD scene in England. Garnet Mimms was appearing live at The Saville Theatre, London backed by the iconic MOD band THE SENATE full 2 page Bio & review. Bio on Mable John, Pic & bio’s of Jimmy Holiday, Clyde McPhatter, Brenda Holloway, The Chiffons. Eye-catching full page ads inc: SOUL CITY shop + a 8 soul album gallery advert from EMI Records. RE: Garnet Mimms was appearing live at The Saville Theatre, London backed by the iconic MOD band THE SENATE full 2 page Bio & review. ........... I was at that show, it was held on Sunday May 7th, 1967 (Jimi Hendrix topped the bill but we walked out half way thru his performance). Would love to know what the reviewer said about the show (Garnett was great BTW).

Right, I'll book a Pickfords lorry tomorrow and get Jeremy Clarkson on board as the driver. We can only feature OVO that was played at the Mojo, Bee Gee, Attic + a few Clifton Hall MS tracks. It'll also only be open to Tykes though, both DJ wise & punters ..... deffo no 'yellow bellys allowed' on board.

Must say I knew nothing at all about this show which was staged in central Oxford less than 2 weeks ago ......... https://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/archive/2013/02/19/musicreviews+%28om_music_reviews%29/10237164.David_Gest_and_the_stars_of_Motown___The_Oxford_Union/ Mind you, it doesn't suprise me that the University didn't put the word out ...' town & gown' don't mix at all and non under-grads aren't encouraged to attend events organised by the Uni.

I believe the group is led by Carl Fisher but he's the only 60's group member left in the line-up. Carl sang lead on "My Girl Sloopy", "Love In Them There Hills" plus on most of their Neptune & 70's tracks. Ricky Owens died over 15 years back and Carl must be in his 70's now.

Keith's most recent release ......... The show will be going on the road after its stint in Philly. Its calling in at Chicago, DC & Cleveland. .... the flyer for the stage show .........

In addition to the 'Motown Story' that is about to open on Broadway (NY), there's also another Motown related stage presentation about to start. This one is being staged at the Kimmel Centre in Philly and stars the likes of (MS singer) Keith Washington. Details on the play can be viewed here ........... https://www.kimmelcenter.org/events/?id=4585 There's also an article about the show here ......... https://www.phillytrib.com/entertainmentarticles/item/7839-%E2%80%98my-brother-marvin%E2%80%99-goes-behind-the-music.html

Though he's in his 70's now, Chubby Checker keeps on performing. Here's an article published by the Philly Tribune about shows he did just a few days back in Atlantic City. https://www.phillytri...at-resorts.html Guess he doesn't include songs such as "At The Discotheque", "Cum La Be Stay", "Everythings Wrong","Hey You, Little Boo-Ga-Loo" or "You Just Don't Know" in his act -- mores the pity.

Thought a few on here might be interested in reading this Philly Tribune article (from summer 2010) on Al Goodman of the Moments + Ray, Goodman & Brown .... https://www.phillytrib.com/component/content/article/107-entertainment/entertainment/18582-soul-singer-al-goodman-remembered.html Its a real pity that no one has seen fit to put lots of old music related articles from the Philly Tribune up on the net as I guess they would contain some great info (from the 60's / 70's in particular). The newspaper itself is starting to archive old editions digitally but I don't think the public can gain access to these things yet.

Whats wrong with a road out of Scunnny in mid February (as long as its the Dony Rd of course).

Baltimore was always an important 'radio market' for record labels. If a label could get a track play listed on a Balti R&B station & then it entered the radio chart in the city, they would put a major push behind the 45 in other US cities. Just check how many breakout 45's were registering in Baltimore back in mid February 1967 ..............

Thanks for the info. As they are only available from a US site, I guess they are made / marketed there. Doesn't seem right that a UK company hasn't had the idea of making copies of this iconic British TV show available here on DVD.

Back in the 60's, lots of the top soul acts got to appear on Ready Steady Go ........ ... these included James Brown, Dee Dee Sharp, Bobby Hebb, Solomon Burke, Barbara Lewis, The Drifters, Doris Troy, Lou Johnson, Major Lance, Fontella Bass, Wilson Pickett, Roy C, Irma Thomas, Edwin Starr, Don Covay, the Adlibs, Nina Simone, Rufus Thomas, the Vibrations, Otis Redding and many of the Motown acts. I know most of the old shows were junked by Rediffusion, Dave Clarke saving a few for posterity. What clips that did remain from the show eventually escaped on video (3 in total if my memory is working). Have these been put out since on DVD ?? BTW, I used to watch the show every Friday evening when it was on & have faint recollections of Inez & Charlie Foxx appearing on one show. Can anyone here actually confirm that they were on as my memory may just be defective (it was a long time ago). I watched this clip that's up on youtube but didn't manage to spot Pete Stringfellow on it (he used to marshall all the dancers on the show & most of the time decided who from the audience would get to be in front of the cameras) ......