Roburt

SOME INFO on the happenings behind the Emkay Records releases in 1979 ........ Tony Hart was the man behind the Hartsong Corporation that ran Spirit Records (a contemporary Christian rock label). He hooked up with Kent Washburn (who took the post of Vice President / General Manager of Spirit Records) after Kent left Motown Records. Kent was tasked with the job of developing a new sound (an R&B / rock fusion) for gospel artists signed to the label (Randy Matthews, etc.). The Hartsong Corporation had been set up in part to exploit a tax loophole. The Corporation produced and acquired masters that were then sold to investors to allow them to take advantage of tax credit rules. As long as records were pressed up and distributed, the product could be ‘sold on’ to investors who could then claim back more than they had paid as a tax write-off. Kent had some unused masters cut in St Louis in the mid 70's that were available and so these were utilized by Hartsong in this manner. As Hartsong’s own Spirit label only handled Christian product, Kent’s tracks were released on his reactivated Emkay label and a small number of each release were pressed up. These were ‘distributed’ as required under the tax laws but all that really happened was a few copies were sent to local DJ’s and industry people, some copies were passed along to the investors with the remaining (small amount of stock) going straight into a warehouse. So the public remained totally oblivious to the existence of these records. In all there were 12 releases on the Emkay label in 1979; 10 No. 45’s + 2 No. LPs. Six of the 45’s were soul outings with four being rock .............. EM1001 - LP - A LIFE IN A DAY by JUSTIN THYME -- JAZZ/FUSION EM1002 - 45 - MIDNIGHT FERRY / TAKE A BREAK FOR THE FEELING by COMMONGROUND -- COUNTRY ROCK EM1003 - LP - FREE LOVE by FREE LOVE (MARCUS KELLY & WESTMORELAND CO.) -- SOUL EM1004 - 45 - ONE WAY TICKET / DON'T BURN NO BRIDGES by THE HYPNOTICS -- SOUL EM1005 - 45 - THE LONE RANGER / NEVER MAKE YOU STAY by THE HYPNOTICS -- SOUL EM1006 - 45 - TURN ME ON / GOT TO GET AWAY by ACT III -- SOUL EM1007 - 45 - JUST KEEP ON LOVIN ME / I WANNA BE FULLY LOVED by THE LOVE SET — SOUL EM1008 - 45 - I COULD STAY ALL NIGHT / DON'T SURPRISE YOURSELF by CHARLES DRAIN - SOUL EM1009 — Kent has no idea what this was & it’s likely that no release under this number occurred. EM1010 - 45 - TAKE ME BACK / I GOT TO HAVE YOU by OTIS WILLIAMS -- SOUL EM1011 - 45 - LORD WON'T LEAVE IT ALONE / COUNT ON WINNING by COMMONGROUND -- COUNTRY ROCK EM1012 - 45 - UNDERHANDED MAN / GRAVE DIGGERS by THE STAR SPANGLED BAND -- ROCK EM1013 - 45 - NONCHALANT FIASCO / THE WAR SONG by THE STAR SPANGLED BAND -- ROCK

Yep, you're right it was "Hurt So Bad" ..... it's all coming back to me now ,,,,,,,,, I didn't use to really listen to the track, I was usually ribbing Richard about Spurs losing again as the show started. I came round for the Northern slot about 30 mins in & the jazz & deep soul spots as it approached 7pm. The studio was quite small and RS + the newsreader were in there at 6pm on the dot .... RS would spin this instro as the newsreader left & I crept into the 2nd chair in there.

I'm a sad git these days ............. having to answer my own question ........... Dr. York & his York Records was Brooklyn based (Hart St) in the 80's. Hi Voltage cut for One Way Records who were also Brooklyn based in 82/83 (Dahill Rd). Jody Records were also based in Brooklyn. In the 80's they put out stuff by the likes of Bo Rye, Alex Alexander & Eddie Hailey. There must have been other soul labels based in the borough in the 60's / 70's though.

I always thought he opened up with "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader but my memories shot these days ... .... (though I was a regular studio guest on the show back in the 80's).

... and a message 4 luck ... to bring up my 2200th post here. OK, I'll make it a real post ........... .......... the Seven Blends (who were on live @ the Peppermint Lounge in Feb 62) .....

Another ad for shows at the Peppermint Lounge ......... ... this one is from its early days (start of 1962) ........

Most NY area record labels back in the 60's used Manhattan addresses. There was the likes of De Jac that had a Long Island address and quite a few with New Jersey addresses .... ... but apart from 521 Records, which soul orientated ones operated from Brooklyn addresses ??

RE: - ................ 1960's Music largely played on UK release a few imports, increasing as the decade went on. - Early 1970's - Loads of imports on OV. Loads of new discoveries coming through from Soul Bowl, Levine, SS, and a host of others. Still some UK releases. Probably some early boots played at soul nights, Got to agree with the above but I'd add that initially Soul City shop started getting in decent supplies of OV US 45's, then the likes of F L Moore joined in, closely followed by B&S's Contempo Record Sales set up. Of course the boots such as 'Soul Sounds' out of Leicester started appearing around 69. Don't recall seeing any Emidiscs at all in the 60's (it was easier / cheaper / better to send off to the likes of Randy's Rec Shop in Gallatin to get hold of copies of the US OV version of deleted UK soul 45's). Mind you, as I 'left the scene' in the 70's and was just buying new release / non NS imports back then .... I never came across / used the term OV till much more recently.

RE > will be a volume ........... 2 too. I'd pay gud munee to see Ady in a Tu Tu.......

Well the 1st post on the thread was about how Huey P Meaux (the Crazy Cajun) put out a load of soul stuff (LP + 45's) to take advantage of this late 70's US tax scam .... and I replied that the same scheme (tax break reclaim stunt) resulted in all the Emkay label 45 releases in 1979 (Hypnotics, Charles Drain, Otis Williams, Love Set, etc). Think Robb posted as well (as I had a notification that he had commented on a post I'd made ... but can't access his post).

Got it (after is was recommended on here) but not found the time to actually read it yet.

Only been to the 'resurrected' Wheel a couple of times, both being in the last 2 years ..... back in the day (68 - 71) it was every week at 1st and then as & when I could fit it in around the girlfriend / wife's requirements. Have to say, I enjoyed myself almost as much on the final two visits as I did back in the day. The 'new' Wheel was true to the ethos of the old club .... as I am sure will be the relocated club. Don't know if I'll make it along to the new place (live too far away really & I am now approaching my 64th b'day) but really glad I made the effort in 2011 and last year.

Can't you recover the thread ?

I believe that the Irral 45 was released in 1963 and must have sold well enough in California to warrant a 2nd press + a national distribution deal with Dot (probably a few months after its Irral issue at the very end of 63 or early 64). The 45 raised Joe's profile enough for Irral to land him a record contract with VJ. Irral Berger (who ran the Irral label) wrote both “My Adorable One” & “Say (That Your Love Is True)” that Joe had released on a VJ 45 in August 1964 (his 2nd VJ outing I think). Of course, we don't know if Irral Berger actually wrote those songs or if he just took credit for them as part of the deal that resulted in Joe cutting them. "My Adorable One" was cut by a number of other artists & a few versions sold well, so Irral must have made a bit of money from it down the years.

Seems those Datone acts are getting about again this year ........... ... hope Aussie soulies all know about this gig ...........

Extract from the above article ........... In the late seventies, Meaux facing a slew of tax related issues, sought to defray his bills by releasing a then unprecedented amount of unreleased material he had recorded through the years. The tax scam album as it is today known was the shady art of recording and then releasing a record for the sole purpose of claiming it at an inflated cost of production and loss come April 15th. A method for making gargantuan tax write-offs without having actually spent said costs by a long shot. It was incredibly illegal but not the easiest manner in which to be caught for tax evasion. The LA based Emkay label 45's (Hypnotics, Charles Drain, Love Set, Otis Williams) were put out for this self same reason.

Would say that the RCA outfit would have been from the New York area (or at least have cut there). That would account for the involvement of Teacho Wilshire, Charlie Foxx & them cutting some NY Motown office songs.

Would guess that the EVD and Brenda Holloway ones are up there with the most in demand items. But I'd guess most of the early Tam/Mot UK LP's are sought after by label collectors. I used to have a copy of the 1st Mary Wells UK Mot LP. If memory serves me right, it had a Stateside release number in the run out groove (though this may have been scratched out & the T/Mot number added).

The 521 Club was located at 1134 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, on a busy road junction (the corner of Fulton & Franklin Ave). By all accounts, you could see into the club if you were standing on the platform of the adjacent Franklin Ave Metro Station (which was elevated here rather than underground — see photo of access bridge onto stn platform). Seems that it operated from the late 50's through to the mid 70's and was owned / run by a number's runner; Eugene Goldston or Golston. The likes of Eb Davis & the SoulGroovers, Lew Kirton, Jerry Lawson (of the Persuasions), the Shufflers & Paul Osher were all regulars at the place. The club had its own house band, who at one time were Sue recording act; Jimmy Oliver & Soul Twisters. Jimmy Oliver & his Soul Twisters were the club's resident band from 1961 to at least 1966. They were most probably the group referred to as the 521 Club Band on Paul Walters 45. The band obviously opened up for all the live acts who played the club (backing the main act up instrumentally after having started the show on their own). Seems they must have performed a lot of Motown numbers in their shows (judging by the songs they did covers of on their Sue LP). The club's record label put out at least a couple of 45's, these were by Little David (Smith) and Paul Walters. Recording artists who played / hung out at the club included Millie Jackson, Little Johhny Taylor, The Invitations, The Persuasions, Kenny Hamber & Sterling Harrison. Today, the building that housed the club is a Popeyes Chicken fast food restaurant (see picture; its the building under the bridge behind the white van). Fulton St starts just inland from the East River, just across from Lower Manhattan, so the club was quite handily placed. Anyone know anything more about the label or the acts they signed to record deals ??

Back to the Peppermint Lounge again ..... ... and to the Marvels / Fabulettes one more time ...... seems that in their early days (1962/63), they used to sing all the Marvelettes tunes ........ the Marvels singing the Marvelettes hits ... guess that wasn't meant to confuse people at all !!

Hope Lorraine has been interviewed & the resulting info is included in the CD booklet notes (as Ady is thorough ... if not totally organised ... I guess he will have this all sorted). If not, perhaps Lorraine can contribute to this thread & let us know what she remembers about those times in the studio & the artists involved.

Thanks for that info. So I guess AJ was in the backing band that replaced the Soul Agents (his original RicTic backing crew, 2 of whom were from back in Cleveland). With Edwin being Detroit based (I assume) in his Motown days, seems only natural that he'd recruit a new set of guys who were from Detroit (after some of the Soul Agents got homesick & went back to Clevelandtown). Do you know who the other guys in this backing band were ?? What did they do when Edwin headed off to tour Europe (as he did on a regular basis in 68/69/70) ?? .... guess they sat at home waiting for Edwin to start gigging again in the US (though it seems that AJ himself headed into local recording studios to keep working).

Two different presses on the Irral 45 as well (one also crediting Eugene Blacknells Band & one not)

RE: While playing drums for Edwin Starr during a performance at the Apollo Theatre in New York one night, When would that have been, the late 60's / early 70's ??

The Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn back in the day. It was closed (as a theatre / cinema) at the end of the 60's and then used as a church. The building then fell into misuse but still exists today in a slightly changed form (as a school). Bet it would have been a good place to see a 1960's soul package at.