Roburt

Lots of other early mod / soul clubs of course that played our sort of music. London got in on the act from around 1963/64 with lots of allnighters in venues every week there. But loads of venues in Yorkshire & Lancs were in on the act too -- not all could host niters but they'd book the same soul acts as the niter venues. Liverpool, Nelson, Bolton, Leeds, Hull, Bradford, Huddersfield & the like all had their own good clubs. Wigan Casino even ran soul nites way before the 70's ...

Back in the late 70's & thru the 80's, much of the TK catalogue was largely ignored by many UK soul fans (too disco-y). But if you check TK label 45's now you find that many are now going for really good prices -- to NS, Modern Soul, funk, boogie & disco fans. Back then, the best place to buy packs of soul 45's was always Soul Bowl, but other places were also worth a look. Oldies Unlimited of Telford used to buy in bulk from UK, US & European record companies, distributors, warehouses. Many times, they'd buy up 1000's of UK singles and end up packaging many of them up & trading them for similar sized packages with their US & European counterparts. I guess this is how they ended up with literally thousand upon thousands of old TK 70's 45s. However they came by them, their staff would package them up & sell them off in soul packs -- 100 for £10 (plus in smaller pack numbers too). An Oldies pack was always worth a punt, though at the time a lot of the TK singles weren't too well received. But times changed and many of them are now highly collectable. I used to buy their packs (a couple of times a year at least), but as time passed you'd end up getting many of the same TK 45's as you'd received in earlier packs. I got up the courage to ring the owner up a couple of times to ask if his current 'soul packs' were now formed with newer bought 45's, rather than the same old stuff. He must have got irritated with me as one time he said .. LOOK, the girls just pick up stuff off the table in front of them till they've got 100 and then ram em into a pack to send out. If you want, come down here & I'll lock you in the chapel where all the old stock is dumped. So off I went (with a mate in tow) and we spent all day locked in, sorting thru 1000's of 45's and picking out the stuff we liked or that looked promising. He then let us out, looked at what we'd picked out & charged us a reasonable sum. I recall opening multiple boxes of 25 singles, all the same record and throwing them back or pulling a couple out to add to my pile. Lots proved to be real disappointments (we found loads of boxes of Mary Loves "Turn Me, Turn Me, Turn Me" and took a couple each). But lots proved to be decent buys and I just wish I'd asked to repeat the experience in one of his other old buildings. Is their a list anywhere (without going right thru one of the soul single valuation guides) of current TK label singles that are now collectable ? -- not just the obvious stuff but 45's from the likes of Raw Soul Express, Jimmy Bo Horne, Facts of Life, Controllers, Greg Diamond, David Hudson, Timmy Thomas, Joe Thomas, Clarence Reid, J P Robinson, etc.

Following on from the King Mojo, Nite Owl, Twisted Wheel, Up The Junction and other such venues.

Seems Mable John was working there in 1965 ... she got to know Al Bell of WUST radio. He was recruited by Stax and a few months later, he signed her to Stax.

The Show Stoppers 45 wasn't a pop hit in the US (not even a national R&B chart hit), whereas it was on the UK pop charts (March 68 & Feb 71). . Their 45 did really well on lots of US R&B radio stns but at different times (on some) due to it being from a new start-up indie label -- hence not enough sales / radio plays everywhere at the same time, so not on the national R&B chart . They came to the UK for promo & TV purposes and then to tour here. BUT, as their hit came at the time that the 'fake groups' scam was at it's height (spring / summer 68), I seem to recall a NY group touring here on one occasion as a 'fake' version of the group.

Columbus, Ohio -- July 67 ... # 31

An ad from 67 ...

Not BG's dealings in the US but his UK / European dealings in 1963 ... Reading between the lines here, when CBS took over Oriole, it seems Motown product could just as easily ended up reaching us via Decca instead of EMI ...

The group in the UK ...

1965 & he was DJing in person & doing spots on the radio .. has his home town run a celebration festival yet ?

A bit from the time Irv was @ Motown .. October 65 ...

I contacted Sidney Barnes & he says he can't even ever remember meeting Irv -- BUT HE DID SAY, his memory isn't good anymore. He said George is the guy to ask as he still has a great memory.

Robb, I don't think you were wrong about Maltese having NY connections ...

Jumping ahead in time for it's 3rd UK release ... but anyone know why Thelma Houston's "Jumping Jack Flash" got 3 separate UK 45 releases ... I never knew there was any real demand for the track amongst UK soulies.

A couple more Golden World related bits ...

Jay Boy was of course a President Records label. President had been releasing soul stuff for quite a while, having hits with soul 45's and had the rights to quite a few US label's product. I'm not sure if they had someone on staff who had knowledge of the early NS scene or if a staffer just bought copies of B&S mag and read the relevant sections. Of course Jay Boy wasn't initially set up (in 68) to release NS product. But after President signed the Invitations (fake Drifters) to a UK record deal in 1970, they immediately put out a string of NS related 45's. So, obviously someone in the company was aware of demand for UK soul club dancers from British fans.

The start of 68 ... Edwin Starr not even getting a mention as a Motown act, but new signing Chuck Jackson even gets a picture slot (though it seems he was only ever treated as a 2nd tier act by the company) .. + another mention for Irv Biegel and his own label (Maltese) from Dec 65 ....

More bits .... Golden World started their Volkano label in autumn 65 ..... . You can see which acts Motown were pushing at the end of 1966 from this ad (the Supremes had a similar sized ad all to themselves. You can tell which acts were deemed as 2nd tier as they only got a small namecheck bottom left (Edwin Starr had been signed but didn't have a release out yet, so he must be included in the AND OTHERS section ... The Golden World acts signed by Motown in autumn 66 were soon 'out on the road' on Motowntown Review packages ...

More related bits from late 65 / 66 ... Isleys were signed to Motown in December 65 "This Old Heart" must already have been written & a session with HDH organised asap as the 45 was out only 5 / 6 weeks later ... Edwin Starr's "00 Soul" was the #24 best selling R&B 45 in 65 ... BUT Motown 45's were dominating sales in 65 & 66 ... however Golden World were still putting great efforts into promoting their new releases in Dec 65 & "Back Street" was getting radio play action from the day it was released ...

Acts like Ray Charles got blacks into Miami Beach Hotel show rooms and the top Motown acts followed on in the late 60's & early 70's. Lots of other top soul acts came along too when hotel management accepted that black acts were 'good for business'.

Robb, I wasn't saying that it was true, just that it is a THEORY that has been voiced. In fact, I think it was BG's own explanation for him signing the Golden World acts & then buying Golden World itself. I know BG had a soft spot for the Beatles & their promotional efforts for Motown material. As the Beatles also cut a version of the Isleys old hit, guess that may have led him to sign the Isleys. Of course, BG could also be very ruthless. The Marvelettes & Contours were big acts at first but then got shunted into the sidings to allow other Motown acts to come to the fore. It's also said he told radio jocks they wouldn't get early copies of Motown's new 45's if they played Mary Wells singles after she left for 20th C Fox. The Spinners never really got a fair shake @ Motown after the early years. He signed J J Barnes & then side-lined him to ensure he didn't take away any of Marvin's fans. Kim Weston always seemed to be kept as a 2nd tier artist at Motown. Lots of Motown's musicians were kept out of the spotlight; Popcorn, Choker Campbell, Mike Terry & Hamilton Bohannon all leaving to progress their careers. I guess we'll never get to know the real facts.

As Duke Fakir saw it may well have been completely different to how BG saw it & it was BG who was making all the decisions..

In 1965 Berry Gordy decided the time was right to sign more acts to his labels. Playing a part in this decision was his desire to get his top acts into cabaret style clubs like the Copa in New York and into venues in Vegas and on Miami Beach. So some 'traditional' acts were signed up -- Billy Eckstine & Barbara McNair PLUS established soul acts like Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Isley Brothers, etc. He also would use the policy to eradicate some local rival labels (plundering Golden World's acts & the like). Looking at the time line for these artists it seems that Billy Eckstine was the first signing, his initial Motown 45 escaping in May 65. Barbara McNair's 1st 45 followed in November 65. No doubt they were signed 2 / 3 months before their 1st cuts made it onto a 45 in the shops. Tammi Terrell's 1st Motown 45 was also released in Nov 65. Berry was trying to get Gladys & the Isleys to sign from late 65. The Isleys weren't doing much via their Atlantic releases and so signed with Motown without much delay. Their 1st Motown 45 escaped in Jan 66. Gladys was fearful of becoming a '2nd line act' at Motown and so resisted Berry's advances for a few months. She eventually gave in and 45 via Motown came out in June 66. Edwin Starr was doing well with his Detroit based Ric Tic releases from summer 1965 thru 1966. These also did well overseas, especially in the UK. In fact Edwin left the US to undertake a UK tour in October 66. He left the US as a Ric Tic act and returned as a Motown (Soul) act. Other Golden World acts contracts were also bought out by Motown. The process BG followed in signing all these new acts has never really been explained and various theories behind say his buying out the Golden World acts contracts have been floated down the years ( BG eliminating his biggest local rivals / Golden World's owners wanting out of the record biz, etc.). The reason behind the signing of the other acts is a bit more obscure. IT SEEMS HOWEVER THAT ... lots of the acts signed were on touring package bills that included Motown acts ahead of those acts being approached to sign with Motown. Tammi Montgomery with Gladys Knight & the Pips were touring on a package with Martha & the Vandellas in March / April 65 ... not long afterwards both acts were asked to sign with Motown. No doubt Martha, her group and various Motown officials would have monitored the performances of Gladys & Tammi while involved with that tour. After being signed by Motown, both were out on similar package tours as Motown artists. In April 66, Edwin Starr was touring with the Miracles, Contours & Velvelettes. In June, Edwin was touring on a package with new Motown act Gladys Knight & Pips. Later in 66 he became a Motown act. June 66 saw Motown's Tammi T and the Contours touring in conjunction with J J Barnes & the Holidays (both GW acts). J J Barnes would also soon be a Motown act (though he never actually enjoyed any releases back then). BG was an astute businessman & so, no doubt, getting intelligence on acts he was thinking of signing would seem really sensible. He could find out if group members were fighting with each other or if one member was a diva or big head. He could also get reaction to the way they were accepted by audiences and if they were likely to bring praise to Motown if signed. Of course, I guess we'll never know the full facts behind these signings & the full SP on the mechanics behind the process.

The Chuck Jackson single was re-released due to a change of UK representation (from EMI to Pye). It was always a popular 45 with UK soul fans / mods but I don't believe that fan pressure had any role in the 2nd outing of this track.

Gene Chandler on Stateside in early June 65; then on Soul City on 5th April 68.