Frankie Crocker

Cheers. It’s no trouble at all. Like many Soul-Sourcers, I look forward to 6.00 pm on Wednesdays. Oddly enough, I have only ever won one of John Manship’s auction records but have done a few deals with him down the decades. He runs a fully transparent auction and deserves much credit for this.

A few odd results here. Saxie Russell well down on previous value. Sunny & The Sunliners well up and about time too for this good sound. Too many set-sale items to list here… Hy-Tones value a PB for this item but well worth the outlay. Chubby Checker down a bit. Maybe folks are tiring of shelling out big bucks for sounds that are widely available ?

Hope this helps…

Machine Gun album was released 1974. The Zoo was one of the tracks, massive at Wigan’s 1st annivesary.

I’m surprised to learn there’s a cluster of bars playing Northern Soul in Turkey - perhaps this is what the future looks like. The cat’s been out of the bag a while now with NS events in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden to name but a few European countries - clearly the spread of NS continues and given that it is ultra-catchy dance music, it will always have its supporters. Given the finite supply of original vinyl, CD’s and new issues, it’s hardly surprising the music is being streamed via the internet or played on DIY CD’s etc. The future looks rather watered down with the further proliferation of small venues in bars, pubs, clubs etc with the occasional larger event catering for more committed enthusiasts. To some extent, this validates the high quality of the sounds we hold dear and have enjoyed for decades. With the decline of the contemporary music business, NS can be taken advantage of to fill the void. Look out for pop-up eateries and bars playing piped NS music coming to a place near you…

Some BIG numbers there… Bob And Fred WOW…Gerri Granger HUGE…plus a few set-sales records as usual.

Comedy Gold. Actually two of a kind as I’ve got one… Probably another 50 out there too.

Thanks for posting. Hard to believe the figure for Rita and The Tiaras, good record though it is. Thought the Wooden Nickels might fetch more. John should be pleased overall with this evening’s takings.

Never seen a black Ron Holden but Jerry Fuller’s ‘Double Life’ appeared in a black issue format as evidenced on Popsike. Both Ron’s and Jerry’s offerings were storming biggies back in the day, booted due to popularity and still fondly remembered in some quarters.

This is the harder to come by issue. Value probably above £150 nowadays. The song is also on Royal-Tone and more commonly available at about £100 - £125; on this release it is titled Baby I Dig You and is on a gold label and on a red label. I can’t add anything else more factual other than to say it is a great tune, seriously overlooked probably undervalued and my advice to anyone would be to grab the yellow Ambassador issue if you have the chance.

Jades went for £4,828 as mentioned above. Bidding went beyond 6.00 pm. as is often the case on juicy items. If the winner pays immediately, the record is removed from the listing so nothing to worry about. Jades is one of the rarest New Orleans records so highly collectable if you’re a New Orleans completist. 5K is steep for this 45 but it rarely comes to market. The Para-Monts shot up in value too.

Inclined to agree. The pink issue is very hard to come by. Manship says the white demo is very scarce but Popsike shows the frequency of it marginally more numerous than the pink issue. I vaguely recall the red edition being on styrene and a pressed unofficially but don’t quote me on that. Both the white demos and pink issues of Buster and Eddie are very scarce and rarely come up for sale - more importantly, it is a top tune.

Hi Joel. Excuse the delay. Hope you’re well.

Here’s the article to distract those worried about a few Proms.

Phew...does this mean our Bentley’s and Range Rovers will be safe parked outside the Festival Hall come Prom time?

Yummy, my kind of food but I still dream of chicken sandwiches served at the balcony cafe at The Casino. Maybe the scene needs to move up a class or two, take over Stringfellows nightclub for an evening of mid-tempo sounds served to gents wearing suits and lasses wearing cocktail dresses... drinks at £10 a time should deter the car-thieving-drug-taking-riff-raff. Think Manchester Ritz or Birmingham Locarno, plush decor, good sound system, plenty of wannabe DJ’s around, surely loadsamoney to be made. As long as the music remains quality, all the rest doesn’t matter.

Loads of interesting comments above, mainly critical it must be said. Personally, I don’t see the Proms threatening the current scene or debasing the past as these events take place in a parallel universe. Yes, the Proms could result in more divs dropping into Soul Nights but I recall plenty of claims on Soul Source of the need for new blood; don’t forget that many of us were divs once upon a time when we stumbled into The Casino. I suspect that some of the Cat’s oldtimers will enjoy the event in Wolverhamton whilst the old Wheelers will derive some satisfaction at the Manchester Prom. Sadly I’m travelling and can’t make it to the London, Manchester or Sheffield events but would have gladly gone to any of them, distance no object.

UK buyers only please. Payment by bank transfer preferred but PayPal F&F or add 4% fees acceptable. Special delivery postage is £8. PM to reserve or request further information. Thanks for looking. Classics-Looking For A Love (Of My Own)-Wide World 42767: VG- some gloss but scuffed with light scratches, label damage £100 SOLD Steve Mancha-Friday Night-Groovesville 1004: VG- some gloss but scuffed with light scratches, label wear £100 SOLD Monticellos-Don’t Hold Back/I Can’t Wait Until I See My Baby’s Face-Red Cap 702: VG- some gloss but scuffed with light scratches, I Can’t Wait side has a small feelable ding that plays through fine £60 SOLD Sadly these rarities have been left unsleeved in their early days. Recently cleaned, they play with no major issues and would be fine for DJing. Marks are mostly superficial scuffs and rubs, hairlines and the odd noticeable light scratch - playback is generally clear with only minimal surface noise in quieter places. Prices quoted are roughly a third of a mint copy value.

The legitimate reissue has the 3w’s scribed in the run-out

UK buyers only please. Payment by bank transfer preferred but Paypal F&F or add 4% fees acceptable. Special delivery postage is £8. PM to reserve or request further information. Thanks for looking. Mel Hayes-Lady Are You Crazy-Boogie Man 225: VG+ SOL stamps on label WOL artist redacted on one side, other copies have similar promotional markings £125 SOLD Soul Inc-What Goes Up Must Come Down-Emblem 101: VG numerous hairlines and light marks, WOL name written £125 Sonny & Phyllis-I’ve Got Something On My Mind-Soft 1023: VG+ 5 light scratches halfway to runout £50

Salvadors is played out as in spun in public. Bobby Paris rarely heard nowadays. Both tunes are uplifting and perhaps more accessible to Prom goers. Agreed, those Top Of The Pops LP’s were truly awful - even back then it was original vinyl only for serious record collectors.

Sorry Mark, but George Blackwell has got to be one of the dreariest rarities played out, and played to death for that matter. If the next round of Proms are to generate ‘atmosphere’ as you put it, they need some tunes with oomph like Bobby Paris’ Personally, Prophets’ Fever, Salvadors etc. I think the whole Proms experience should be imagined as being in the recording studio rather than a club like the Casino - you’ve got the Mirwood Orchestra, Funk Brothers and a host of professional musicians plus talented singers delivering a recognisable versions of tunes unfamiliar to the masses.

Record on hold for you Glyn.

.UK buyers only please. Payment by bank transfer preferred or PayPal F&F or add 4% fees acceptable. Special delivery postage is £8. Please PM to reserve or request further info. Thanks for looking. Ambassadors-Too Much Of A Good Thing-Pee Vee 1000: NM label faded and off centre £375 SOLD Ikettes-What’cha Gonna Do- Phi Dan 5009 DJ: VG+ XOL few light marks, B side damaged by felt pen marks so not playable hence 50% price reduction £100 Ambers-Blue Birds-New Art 104: Ex slight label wear £150

Fear not Mark, Allnighters and Alldayers plus Soul Nights will still continue as usual. Perhaps some Prom goers might come to their senses being confronted by proper good music for the first time in their lives and head to a local soul-do to make up the number of ‘handbaggers’, adding to the new blood promoters are crying out for. The Prom initiative is a radio spinoff - the Beeb opening the ears of the listeners just a little but more. Credit to Maconie for pushing Northern Soul a bit as it has often not had the recognition deserved. I can recommend several of Maconie’s books that reflect his upbringing and talents - he’s done pretty well for a lad brought up on the edge of Wigan.