Driveller

There's always plenty of interest and appreciative comment about this 1980s London club, so I thought I'd point people towards this clip broadcast on 0-1 For London in 1989 covering two sides of the London Rare Soul scene. Some shaky video quality which I can only blame myself for, but I'm pretty sure this footage has never been up on the web before, so I hope you still think it's worth a look. Obviously, modern fans, there's something for you too! Enjoy! Nick

I had one in the 90s which had some kind of discolouration on the label and was decent but not mint. I know it's been suggested from time to time that there is a large-ish stock of uncirculated copies (and maybe there are - or more likely were), but this one had definitely been out and about.

I think that sounds like the magic bullet I was looking for, Mick. Thanks for that, and thanks to all who have helped narrow this down.

Sorry, Tony, neither in at the moment, I'm afraid, but if I pick either of those up I'll let you know. Cheers, Nick

Hi Tony, yes it's on all of them and it's part of the recording. I've always read it as a keyboard. Cheers, Nick

Not showing as cleared in the bank yet but expect it will tomorrow, so if I post tomorrow will likely coincide with clearance anyway. All the best, Nick

Hi Tim, Thanks for this, always wanted to pinpoint the origins of this one. Two things to say - 1) does this mean it was definitely never played at Wigan - accounts are all saying 'early 80's' etc, just around the boundary between Wigan and post-Wigan but nobody's stated firmly - was this in time to scrape in at the end of Wigan or just after? and 2) I always enjoyed being the beneficiary of your 'shit' box - I'm sure I wasn't alone! Cheers, Nick

Hi Tony, Thanks - cheque received yesterday, put in today, will pack record up ready to post as soon as cleared - Many thanks, Nick

Tony, PMd you - Nick

All US originals. Paypal (F&F or add 4%, your choice) or bank transfer. Everything sent Special Delivery, please add £7 for postage in UK or £10 overseas. 7-day full refund for misdescription only – no part-refunds. Vinyl graded according to Soul Source site definitions, please see scans for label condition. SANDRA STEPHENS: Do You Really Love Me (DARAN demo) VG++- £370. Very clean copy with promo stamp. One or two minor marks only, very slight ‘rippling’ on the surface of the vinyl along a portion of the edge which I suspect is just from the manufacture and has no impact at all on the sound – check how it plays on the video, taken from this copy. Beautiful player. SPARKELS: Try Love (one More Time) (OLD TOWN) VG+ £330 ‘ring-rub’ on label, nice player, check how it plays on the video, taken from this copy. LINDA GRINER: Goodbye Cruel Love (MOTOWN white demo) VG+ £185 industry sticker on label, good ‘service’ copy, check how it plays on the video, taken from this copy Soundclips are recorded on a Project Essential 2 turntable with Ortofon OM5e elliptical cartridge, and no noise reduction has been applied.

US original. Paypal (F&F or add 4%, your choice) or bank transfer. Everything sent Special Delivery, please add £7 for postage in UK or £10 overseas. 7-day full refund for misdescription only – no part-refunds. Vinyl graded according to Soul Source site definitions, please see scans for label condition. GUITAR RAY: You’re Going To Wreck My Life (SHAGG) M- some pressing bubbles NAP £800

US originals. Paypal (F&F or add 4%, your choice) or bank transfer. Everything sent Special Delivery, please add £7 for postage in UK or £10 overseas. 7-day full refund for misdescription only – no part-refunds. Vinyl graded according to Soul Source site definitions, please see scans for label condition. DUSTY WILSON: It’s Going To Be A Tragedy (MUTT) M- £700 VICTOR KNIGHT: Chinatown (RON-CRIS) VG++ £180 light label dustiness.

This one's intentional, from someone who knows what they're saying - made me laugh at any rate! Very dry... https://www.ebay.com/itm/AL-WILSON-unknown-northern-soul-45-The-Snake-Ready-For-Tomorrow-Soul-City/392000868992?hash=item5b45129280:g:Z8cAAOSwCQxawrEX Definitely a 'comedy sale' of the day, or at least listing!

All US originals. Paypal (F&F or add 4%, your choice) or bank transfer. Everything sent Special Delivery, please add £7 for postage in UK or £10 overseas. 7-day full refund for misdescription only – no part-refunds. PM me to order. Vinyl graded according to Soul Source site definitions, please see scans for label condition. BUD HARPER: Wherever You Were (PEACOCK demo) M- £250 SPIEDELS: Dream Girl (PROVIDENCE white demo) M- £400 ARABIANS: (Please) Take A Chance On Me (LE MANS white demo) M- few very light pressing bubbles NAP £320 DOUG BANKS: I Just Kept On Dancing (ARGO) M- dh one very minor pressing dimple NAP £250 SUGAR & THE SPICES: Have Faith In Me (SWAN white demo) M- XXol, date stamp on label. £350 TED TAYLOR: Somebody’s Always Trying (OKEH) VG++ some light label rubbing. £260

Apt point, Dave - I think there may be some mileage in the assertion that 'Northern Soul' is not a genre; it's an activity.

SOUL GIANT alldayer, London 29th October 2017 – Nick and Dawn Brown (double-decking). Massive thanks to the Soul Giant peeps for inviting Dawn and me down to spin some discs at their October get-together. Before I get to the records can I just say I cannot recommend this club enough. It’s the perfect set-up for a cool Sunday do: a neat little package of just-right dancefloor, separate bar area for chatting and relaxing, old-style wood-panelled décor and completely open minded DJ team and punters. Dawn and I had a great day listening and dancing to all the other tunes, chatting and catching up with the other punters and playing a few of our own bits. We were lucky enough to have a roomful of dancers who took to the music with a genuinely positive and welcoming attitude, so many thanks to all who turned up and made it a top day. Totally loved it and urge you all to get down there as soon as you get a chance. Anyway, this is what we played: Afternoon N: TURBINES - Cold Hearted Lover (Studio disc) N: KENNY SMITH – One More Day (Floe Roe) D: WILLIE COOPER /WEBS – You Don’t Love Nobody (Whiz) D: TEMPESTS – I Don’t Want To Lose Her (Smash LP) N: NOBLE /UPTIGHTS – Don’t Worry About It (Action) N: BARBARA ACKLIN – I’m Not Mad Any More (Special Agent) D: PHONETICS – Don’t Let Love Get You Down (Trudel) D: YVONNE CARROLL – Please Don’t Go (VJ) N: SPANDELLS – Say No Girl (Dimension) N: CANDY/KISSES – Let Love Win (Scepter) D: SONNY ACE – Little Girl (Cobra) D: BETTY TURNER – The Winds Kept Laughing (Crescent) N: HARRIET LAVERNE/LOVENOTES – Can’t Get Along Any More (Brenne) N: LEE McKINNEY/MAGNETICS – Every Day (C/U) D: SPARKELS – Try Love (Old Town) D: EDDIE HILL – Nothing Sweeter (MS) N: COLE/GRANDURES – I Need You (Chi Sound) N: BARRETT STRONG – Misery (Tamla) D: TEARDROPS – Every Step I Take (MAX) D: MATTHEW BARNETT – If Your Love Is Real (PUFF) N: LES WATSON/PANTHERS - Occasionally I Cry (Pompeii) N: PIC & BILL – What Does It Take (Charay) D: SINCERES – Girl I Love You (Pzazz) D: CAROL & GERRI – On You Heartache Looks Good (MGM) N: ED BRUCE I’m Gonna Have A Party (Wand) N: AL McARTHER – His True Love For You (Two Guitars) D: JOHNNY GILLIAM – Room Full Of Tears (Cancer) Evening D: TIMI YURO – It’ll Never Be Over For Me (UK LIBERTY) D: BUNNY SIGLER - Follow Your Heart (Parkway) N: JACKIE EDWARDS w/Joyce Bond – I Feel So Bad (French Vogue EP) N: APOCRYPHALS – (I Know) I’m Losing You (Mad) N: MARGARET MANDOLPH – Something Beautiful (Planetary) D: TOMMY RIDGLEY – My Love Grows Stronger (International City) D: CAROL & GERRI – How Can I Ever Find The Way (MGM) N: JESSIE JAMES – Are You Gonna Leave Me (Shirley) N: KAE WILLIAMS – Our Love Is Dying (Uniissued) D: DOLLS – The Reason Why (Toy) D: HB BARNUM – It Hurts Too Much To Cry (RCA Victor) N: UTOPIAS – Girls Are Against Me (La Salle) N: AL SCOTT – What Happened To Yesterday (Genuine) D: TEMPESTS – Someday (Smash LP) D: RAY POLLARD – This Time (Shrine) N: ASCOTS – Another Day (Mir A Don) N: BOBBY KLINE – Say Something Nice To Me (MB) D: LEWIS CLARK/EXPLORERS – I Need Your Loving So Bad (Tigertown) D: KENNY SHEPARD – What Difference Does It Make (MAXX) N: SAM DEES – Lonely For You Baby (SSS Intl) N: LEE McKINNEY/MAGNETICS – I’ll Keep On Holding On (Sable) D: JERRY WILLIAMS – If You Ask Me (Calla) D: COMMANDS – No Time For You (Backbeat) Many thanks, Nick & Dawn

OK, probably the most vivid picture of George Lemons' background and the esteem in which he and his family is held by the citizens of Detroit is probably here: https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?10332-Notorious-1987-Inkster-cop-killer-dies-in-prison-Finally-Some-Good-News and the link within the comments to the Soulful Detroit forum gives you a picture of his standing in the Detroit recording community. Of most interest is his involvement with Tera Shirma studios. I say 'involvement' - the thread may be somewhat eye-opening when you read it. These details go some way to explaining how a record which lots of people see as having noticeable quality shortcomings came to be made, and probably how it then didn't sell, too, as the buying public probably saw the same shortcomings as some of the people in this thread see. There's only so far acting heavy will get you. Personally, I quite liked the record, and could forgive its vocal wobbles (let's face it, lots of Rare Soul records share that characteristic with GL), but reading this put me right off it and now I don't want one. Slightly creepily, the events that put him away happened right when we were playing his record - gives me a bit of a shiver to think that. I'm also guessing the 'artist detectives' are pretty glad they never managed to track this one down - don't think you'd want to meet up with him somewhere off the beaten track with lots of $$$ cash in your pocket for the 150 copies of his single he's told you he has. No mafia connections, just small-time but persistent and very nasty until the big one. All the best, Nick

Preview was a kind of vanity publishing set-up. If you sent them a song you'd written (lyrics only) they'd record it and put it out for a fee. As with many vanity publishing outfits, they weren't too fussed about their end of the bargain and just used the same few backing tracks for everything, which is why so many things sound like LTLS. I always keep a bit of an eye out in case another one crops up, but often there's no sound file on the evilbay listing or it's one of the other standard tunes. It would be interesting to find out just how many times the track got used and what the titles were. You'll sometimes see the 'genre' for a Pre-Vue item listed as 'song poems', which I think is what Preview called the service they offered. Interestingly, we compare the new ones we find to LTLS, but actually that's only because it's the one we stumbled across first. We might equally well be sitting here today talking about a new version of "If You Don't Like It..." or "Gloria", called "Like The Lord said"... All the best, Nick

Curses - knew I'd forgotten one! I'll remember all the others just after I hit send! Cheers, Nick

Hankies at the ready for these stunners: Pic & Bill This Is It Charay Pic & Bill All I Want Is You Charay Van Lee’s Cruisers Boy Don’t Care Vantone Walter Rhodes Message To My Woman Violet Wesley Paige Better Days Are Coming Rojac Big Maybelle Basically anything, but particularly Please Don’t Pass Me By (Rojac) and Heaven Will Welcome You Dr King” (Rojac) Reuben Bell/Casanovas It’s Not That Easy (Murco) Helene Smith A Woman Will Do Wrong Deep City Helene Smith True Love Don’t Grow On Trees Deep City (plus loads of other Helene Smiths on Deep City) Shirley Edwards It’s Your Love Shrine You can check most of them out online Happy listening, Nick If you do nothing else today, you have to listen to the Reuben Bell. Freakin' sublime.

Payment by: Paypal (friends & family or add 4%, your choice) or direct bank transfer (within UK) or cheque (UK sterling) or cash (UK Sterling sent REGISTERED/Special Delivery ONLY!!!) Postal stuff: First Class Recorded in UK: £3 Special Delivery in UK: £7 Registered airmail outside the UK: £12. 7 days return for refund if not as described. BLENDELLS: You Need Love/Did You Mean – DONTEE VG wol £950 A record that looks like it was once owned by a real person, who played it lots, didn’t always put it back in the sleeve, and kindly popped their name on the label so we could all struggle to work out what they were called one day – but who did the world a very great favour by buying, preserving and passing on one mother of a monumental twin-pack of soul dynamite, when practically no other person in the world did, because this record is one of the rarest Soul treasures out there. ‘Used’, certainly, with surface wear and some background crackles, but the music on this one’s tuff enough to shrug it off without a backwards glance. Especially when the room is full, the night is hot and the dancers are ready for something with that little bit extra… “You Need Love” is a walloping Northern pounder that shouldn’t need any introduction – “Did You Mean” is really, really, REALLY fantastic mid-tempo from the 60s end of Crossover, all rumbling rhythms and vocals to make your jaw drop. A pretty handy copy of an exceptionally rare record, and one you could be waiting a while to see come around again, in any condition. MEL VENA ALLEN: The Bigger Your Heart (VG++) (SALVADOR) £60 Nice copy of this dark and moody Stafford dancer – isolated marks only. KENNY CARTER: I’ve Got To Find Her (EX) (RCA VICTOR W/D) £40 Minor wol – cataloguing no in biro. Near-perfect copy. JOAN PROCTOR: Just My Pride (EX) (SCENICJ) £130 Dramatic big-city mid-tempo – wol (2 ‘a’s in marker) MIGHTY JOE YOUNG: Suffering Soul WEBCOR (EX) £40 Tough, gutsy Chicago hard soul dancer! VERNON GARRETT: Angel Doll VENTURE (EX coh) £50 HOLIDAYS: This Is love/The Love We Share ROB RON (VG) £35

Payment by: Paypal (friends & family or add 4%, your choice) or direct bank transfer (within UK) or cheque (UK sterling) or cash (UK Sterling sent REGISTERED/Special Delivery ONLY!!!) Postal stuff: First Class Recorded in UK: £3 Special Delivery in UK: £7 Registered airmail outside the UK: £12. 7 days return for refund if not as described. SOUNDMASTERS: Lonely Lonely JULET VG+ £400 Nice player, few crackles mainly in the intro then music comes through loud & clear. RADIANTS: Voice Your Choice CHESS VG++ £25 DON & JUAN: All That’s Missing Is You MALA dj VG++ £200 Really nice copy. GARRETT SAUNDERS: A Day Or Two SEROCK VG+ XXol £150 LEE ANDREWS/HEARTS: Quiet As It’s Kept – RCA VICTOR wd EX £40 Very slight yellowing on one portion of label SY RISBY etc: Hope We Have/Ain’t Love Wonderful – 6th AVENUE VG+ wol flip £170 (slt edge warp nap) Superb versions of Artistics & Fantastic 4 – as good or better than the originals imo BUCKNER BROS: A Change Is Gonna Come SANLA VG++ £40 Fantastic dancer (not Sam Cooke song btw). RUBY ROWE: We Love each Other RESIST VG+ £60 EX apart from one small scuff and one scratch feelable with thumbnail, both hidden by the punchy and very forceful recording. LYDIA PENSE: I’ll Forgive You Then Forget You INVADER VG+ tol £90 Large sticker removal mark on label, surface scuffs but nice player, fantastic record! IDA SANDS: You Came Along to Rescue Me CHIEF EX £70 MR TEARS (PARIS): Don’t Lead Me On – 4J VG+ £35 dull ‘bloom over some of the vinyl, nap.

Payment by: Paypal (friends & family or add 4%, your choice) or direct bank transfer (within UK) or cheque (UK sterling) or cash (UK Sterling sent REGISTERED/Special Delivery ONLY!!!) Postal stuff: First Class Recorded in UK: £3 Special Delivery in UK: £7 Registered airmail outside the UK: £12. 7 days return for refund if not as described. Not online until this evening, will answer any queries as soon as I’m able to get back on. PRINCE BUSTER: Shakin’ Up Orange Street/Black Girl FAB UK VG+ chip on edge nap £40 PRINCE BUSTER: Prince Of Peace/Don’t Throw Stones BLUE BEAT UK VG++ noc sm tol £90 PETER TOUCH/WAILERS: Shame and Scandal/The Jerk ISLAND UK VG+ dirty label, wol £80 CABLES: Be a Man/Baby Why STUDIO 1 UK VG lt wol £30 (flip VG-) 100 CLUB 10th ANNIVERSARY SINGLE – WALLY COX: This Man Wants You – KENT 6T 5 EX £50 TIMOTHY WILSON: Hey Girl Do You Love Me – VEEP w/d EX £300 (slt storage warp nap) ANITA HUMES/ESSEX: What Did I Do? ROULETTE VG+ dh £50 (ring wear on lbl) Fantastic 100 Club sound. TED TAYLOR: Somebody’s Always Trying OKEH VG £200 CAROLYN CRAWFORD: Forget About Me MOTOWN VG++ £90 Sticker removal mark on label, nice clean player, fantastic record! CREATIONS: Footsteps/A Dream ZODIAC EX £120 The rare label design, absolutely pristine copy of a record that’s usually only seen trashed, whichever design it’s on.

It was definitely The Counts. At the time it was a 'none-off', because all that was known of it was the master tapes of "You're My Only Love" (full with inst and vocal) and the band track only for "Peaches Baby", with no vocal. The band track suggested that "Peaches" was likely to be a cracker, so obviously there was a lot of interest in finding out what the full deal with vocal sounded like. Andy managed to track down a member of the band who amazingly either had one or was able to locate one from his family/friends and got him to send it over. After a few weeks it still hadn't turned up, so Andy rang him and asked him if everything was still going to plan, and the group member said 'it was a bit scratched up so I kind of felt it wasn't good enough to send you, so I threw it in the bin". Andy 'explained' that it would still be nice to hear it and could he have a try at finding another one, please. Nobody was holding out very much hope of that; one copy, impossible, a second copy - forget about it! BUT, the band member achieved the impossible and turned up a second copy within a few weeks - and this is the one that arrived in a cardboard-free jiffy bag in approximately 8 pieces. I still remember Andy ringing me up and rattling it down the phone to me...absolute horror.

Payment by: Paypal (friends & family or add 4%, your choice) or direct bank transfer (within UK) or cheque (UK sterling) or cash (UK Sterling sent REGISTERED/Special Delivery ONLY!!!) Postal stuff: First Class Recorded in UK: £3 Special Delivery in UK: £7 Registered airmail outside the UK: £12. 7 days return for refund if not as described. Offline until this evening - I'll answer any queries as soon as I get back on. CAROLYN CRAWFORD: Forget About Me MOTOWN VG++ £90 Sticker removal mark on label, nice clean player, fantastic record! JUSTINE WASHINGTON: I Can’t Wait until I See My Baby SUE VG++ £35 Clean copy – single scratch line crosses label and extends faintly onto playing surface nap 100 CLUB 9th ANNIVERSARY SINGLE – PEGGY WOODS: Love Is Gonna Get You – KENT 6T 4 EX £50 100 CLUB 10th ANNIVERSARY SINGLE – WALLY COX: This Man Wants You – KENT 6T 5 EX £50 (£90 the pair on the 100 club singles) LINDA JONES: You Hit Me like TNT – BLUE CAT w/d VG++ wol £70 Radio station ID on label in biro. Odd one here – radio station call sign scratched into the vinyl in the run-off space: one corner of a ‘W’ only just overlaps onto the last groove or two of the fadeout, doesn’t click. The station doubtless didn’t get round to playing it much, so otherwise it’s a pretty clean copy – bargain price on account of the call sign. SHIRELLES – Look Away –Scepter w/d EX £60 Fantastic sound from the 100 Club in 1985 – not an easy one to pick up, this one’s spotless. DARRELL BANKS: I’m The One Who Loves You VOLT VG+ £70 Nice copy, generally clean vinyl with just a few scratch lines to keep it off VG++. ACCENTS: New girl M-PAC EX £20 Super-clean, looks like undistributed stock GEORGE JACKSON: That Lonely Night CAMEO EX £20 Few very light pressing bubbles nap. CLIFF NOBLES: love Is All Right PHIL LA OF SOUL VG+ £15 Swirly scuffs (juke box scuffing?) on flip.