Thinksmart

The Yum Yums disagree.....

Hi Roger - I do look to see if it is your cover on every soul release I get. A habit I've had since the old days of the KTF group. Unfortunately there has been over-saturation of the same tracks on NS compilations and the whole area is now a bit discredited with endless out of copyright pre-1962 R&B (and pop) being issued as NS and confusing listeners who become wary. It's not just NS, the same is happening in Mod, Jazz, Blues and others - but NS has more crossover. I note that some of the credible compilers aren't doing them now - Richard Searling for example did magnificant 1970s Modern Soul compilations series. I've probably kept 25% of the CDs I bought and every year I move some more onwards. I don't keep them in the brittle plastic cases anymore, which reduces the room they take considerably. I'm keen though to support the work of those putting in the effort - Ralph Tee, David Nathan, Outta Sight, Ady and all at Ace/Kent/BGP/Westbound etc - there's loads more but you get my point. I'll be there to the end of CDs. I realise they may not have the rights to the masters now but Kent should certainly do a hurrah of reissuing their LPs, with the same covers as CDs. It may be too late now, but it was such an obvious idea that was only barely done at all.

I don't play the CDs other than to create a lossless copy, I keep many quality ones as a master or resell those I don't need which helps cover the costs of keeping it going. CDs probably will be obsolete at some point as you say, but we will miss their convenience when they are gone. Nobody is or will issue FLAC/MP3 decently collated sets, so CD may be the last mass hardware medium possibly. Vinyl is good but no good for compiling lots of music and even worse to store. Increasingly it seems some albums and tracks will never get any kind of reissue or remaster and be lost to anything other than the original vinyl. Not just obscure artists but ones like Jerry Butler who has not had a fair amount of his catalogue reissued. I have a Pioneer XDP100 music player that has 2x200GB cards in it to play music on the go taken from the CDs, plus a Google Cloud with 50,000 there to stream (the Pioneer also streams, it's an amazing bit of kit). I still value the CD though, receiving it, reading the notes, ripping it myself at the right quality level I want. When CDs do go, the long term implications for many decent reissue labels will be foremost in their minds I'm sure.

After earlier threads saying there were less soul CDs being issued - there are loads right now from Kent, Soul.com, BBR and dozens of others. The new Outta Sight Soul on the Real Side set just arrived and is good.

Those Motown singles sets were deleted quickly and will become a future Soul CD grail I think.

Yes I have pre-ordered and they'll match the lowest price on first day of sale - so usually end up at right price. I haven't seen any independent stores list it yet. Thanks Mark

Hi everyone Released 7th July - Complete Loma Singles, part 1 and 2 on double CD. All Loma Singles to be released in 4 volumes. There was a double CD singles anthology years ago but this has far more and all from the master tapes (bar one song). https://shop.realgonemusic.com/collections/upcoming/products/the-complete-loma-singles-vol-1-2-cd-set

Thanks for the reply. It's the usual version that has Modern Soul spins. I can hear it online at YouTube and I know there are apps to scrape tracks off YouTube but the quality isn't there. I'd like a proper offline track to listen to when out and about.

Hi everyone, this has only been released on an out of print limited run 7" that came with a download of the song. Is there a way to buy a legal download of it? Thanks.

Loving this CD on regular play!

That is a great article, thank you. The album is classic Hi style Memphis Soul that is authentic 1970's Southern Soul music.

Excellent. CD of new album arrived yesterday. Listening today while reading the article. Thanks.

Chalky - my point about giving records to them is that we will be so old we have no use for them, our kids probably won't be that interested other than to sell them (in many but not all cases) and I assume many of us would like the next generation to continue the scene. I guess it doesn't really matter, age will make the decisions for us.

Awful???

I wonder how NS vinyl is going to reach the next generation. They will never be able to afford it. The financial commitments to young adults now are huge to have a future quality of life. At a certain point and I am serious about this, we are simply going to have to give it to them to keep it going. Cue gasps I am sure, but as people age, pass away and move beyond vinyl being an active part of their lives, it will either be passed down family, sold off anyway or left behind. Wheel go-ers are at a minimum into their sixties now as are many DJs. This becomes an active consideration from this point on and I welcome perspectives. At a certain point of age the money will become irrelevant that can be recouped on vinyl, it will just be more money the state can access for social care. It will be the continuation that is most vital at that stage. Thoughts?

A great book and bargain at that price.

Regarding Freddie North's music on this compilation, they have issued a dedicated CD to him this month too which is also great.

Listening to it now, very enjoyable music indeed.

New album by The Limboos is out in that early 1970s soulful Rhythm and Blues soul (think Sam Cooke, Bobby Bland, Etta James, The Impressions or such as James Hunter and Boz Scaggs recent album)

Hi everyone, a great new CD of Spyder Turner's 1970's recordings in the Modern Soul / Soulful Disco & sometimes Funk style. https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/is-it-love-youre-after-the-whitfield-records-years-1978-1980/ Thanks Mark

Great write up and excellent CD. I have just put my order in. Soul Junction is becoming a label like Kent that everything they release needs to be purchased. Wonderful work.

As promised here with this comment is a picture of the over spill room next to Rob's Records, seen from Hurts Yard but I an not sure if anyone has ever been inside, including Rob since putting in all the records. It's a kind of permanent art installation.

This is a brilliant release that has a broad spread of Northern, Deep, Modern and Southern soul. Don't miss this one.

Highly recommended. I learned a lot and enjoyed the read.

Hi all, just to let everyone know I have just received a preorder of the complete Major Lance on Okeh double CD. It is issued by Epic records through Cherry Red in UK, so a proper release from the masters to extend the selections Kent issued on CD a decade or so ago. Sure to be popular here I envisage! Details at: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/aint-no-soul-in-these-old-shoes-the-complete-okeh-recordings-1963-67/