Mickey Finn

Hi Steve, long time no communicate - just a word to say thanks as always for an excellent show, I don't know how you are able to stay on top of all the music but it's good that you do... Starting with the 22 July show, highlights from the newies include that wonderful DTurner track. I did some digging and it seems he's had it out on YouTube for 4 years (!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGdMU-LfYLQ Can't understand the delay but if it's now an official release maybe he can start earning some from it... Ananda Project have always been consistently good on the house front for me, and the Sharon Rae North tune is definitely a cut above. Of the oldies, I'm just bowled over by the Clarence Coulter track. The Hew Holidays tune makes me even more pleased I bagged the Soul Junction cd, and that Billy Harner track to close is fantastic. Seems he released a pile of singles that could usefully be compiled some day ... Cheers, Michael

https://colin-brown.podomatic.com/entry/2016-08-07T02_16_31-07_00 The Early Show: Showcase of Mellow Soul 07:00 - 09:00 UK time, every Sunday www.stompradio.com Christine Adams "Mr Soul Brother" (1969) Symba "Hey now" (1980) Jimmy Garland "You made a promise" (1966) The Chi-Lites "I turn away" (1976) Nat Hall with the Mellow 3 "A brokenhearted clown" Billy Stewart "We'll always be together" (1970) Lloyd Hendricks "Your cold heart" (1968) Norman Veal "Then you can tell me goodbye" (1972) Arthur & Mary "Let's get together" (1967) The Diamonettes "Don't be surprised" (1970) The Four Tops "Don't tell me that it's over" (1985) Inell Young "Part of the game" The Vanguards "Girl go away (it's wrong to love two)" (1970) Millie Jackson "Why are you sorry" (1978) Count Willie with LRL and the Dukes "I've gotta tell you" (1975) Cash McCall "I need your love" (1974) Shirley Brown "I don't play that" (1984) Rudolph Taylor "Doorsteps to sorrow" (1967) The Five Royales "Don't turn your back" (1965) Lenis Guess "I'm gonna start running" (1965) Billy Bass "I need your love so bad" (1968) Barbara Mason "Shackin' up" (1975) Sonny Craver "I wanna thank you" (1971) Bobby Jameson "Reconsider baby" (1966) Miles Watson "You are my everything" (1982) The Emotions "Don't ask my neighbors" (1977) Spiritual-Lites "Trials and tribulations" Eric and the Vikings "Where do you go (baby)" (1973) Johnnie Taylor "I love to make love when it's raining" (1978) Pat Lundy "One woman" (1969)

We've visited ABC already, and there is one gaping hole in the ABC catalogue that has yet to be discussed - the 8 albums released by the Four Tops. Only one of these to my knowledge ever got a cd release ("Live and in concert") but for some reason it was a butchered version of the original vinyl release. We can come back to these later because there is one Motown release that has been dear to my heart for the many years since I picked it up in a bargain bin. It was released in 1983 as part of Motown's 25th anniversary celebrations, organised a year early but whatever... The Temptations and Junior Walker were also brought back and reunited with key producers of their 60s golden years. The Four Tops were reunited with Holland-Dozier-Holland, back together for the first time after an acrimonious split 10 years earlier. HDH were given all of side 1 and side 2 featured productions from Berry Gordy himself (with Gil Askey), Willie Hutch, and Marilyn McLeod & Mel Bolton. Overall the album hardly ranks as a classic - the duet with Aretha was ok but nothing special, and the dancefloor action with the Temptations seems to be an acquired taste (I've got it, but it's lonely out here). No, the real stuff happens with HDH, and while the opening track is bouncy enough but nothing special, the next two tracks do it for me: in reverse order, the uptempo "Sail on" which has Levi Stubbs at his best singing over a steadily rising drama of strings and piano chords about a relationship in difficulty but worth saving. And before that, a fantastic ballad that doesn't seem to have caught the imagination of many, but which gives Levi space to let rip over a spacious production with orchestral backing adding to the drama of the song. Brilliant stuff, although in his recently published and thoroughly worth acquiring book, "Spinning Around", John Lias goes instead for the remake of "The masquerade is over". Not our only disagreement!

Moving forward to 1978 and over to Cotillion Records, here is a relatively unsung hero of soul music whose recorded output was less than it should have been. It was thanks to Tony Monson playing a track from this album on his radio show that I took notice of this singer. Then it didn't take long to realise that he had a popular track on the 80s boogie scene, "Searching for your love" and ... well not a lot else. He seemed to visit a recording studio only every few years, beginning in the late 60s as a precocious teenager, recording "Yo-yo" on A&M in 1968 as R.B Hudman. Another release a year later was followed by years of nothing and then his most prolific period during the mid-70s, when he cut various tracks with the cream of Memphis musicians and ultimately put together "Closer to you", plus a few non-album singles. Perhaps the best known of all is "This could be the night", which is a popular modern tune. A reissue of the album together with the singles and anything else that might still be lurking in the vaults from this time would be well deserved recognition for this under-appreciated singer. After "Searching for your love" there was one more single, "I could paint a picture", released around 1987, and featured on the Goldmine "Independent Soul" compilation of rare 80s tracks. R.B. Hudmon died in 1995 at the age of 41.

Well done, Greg. Definitely on my wants list, and thanks in particular in advance for the two Enlightment tracks. Together with the inclusion of another in the "Private Wax volume 2" comp from earlier this year, it won't be long before the whole album has been re-released!

And staying with ABC, and 1973, here's a classic Philly production that would benefit greatly from a nice remaster - Charles Mann's "Say you love me too", featuring the cream of the MFSB musicians and produced by Dave Crawford. It's amazing just how much music these musicians were able to record across so many different labels. But what of Charles Mann? Like Bobby Hutton, an additional single of non-album tracks appeared in 1974 ("Got to let you know" b/w "Loving you is changing me") and then ... well I don't claim expertise here so any further info gratefully received, but it was 1981 before he surfaced with a single "Sho' nuff no funny stuff love" on LA Records, executive produced by Dave Crawford, who seems to have been the label's owner. So, like Bobby Hutton, a reissued album plus the 1974 single plus whatever else might be sitting on the shelves ... we don't ask for much.

Hi Mark, good to see you aboard. Thanks for the tip

Staying with ABC ... it is hard to believe that Bobby Hutton's "Piece of the action" album from 1973 hasn't ever been reissued. Given the popularity of especially "Lend a hand" it would not be difficult to generate interest. Together with the sides released as single only the following year (and anything else still in the can? we can only wish) there would be a superb package, and in all its remastered glory. It was great to see him perform at Blackpool this year, and with all the interest generated by that event alone it would be a shame to let it go to waste - assuming that there are no legal obstacles too large to get around, that is.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jul/27/netflix-motown-smokey-robinson-beat-bugs

Thanks Alan - small recompense for the amount of goodies you regularly dig out. Thanks also to David for the Ralph Young tip - wasn't familiar with that album at all. One label that seems to have an endless supply of reissuable soul music is ABC. Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes went there after leaving Teddy P behind at PIR, replacing him with David Ebo, who never got the credit he deserved imho. Part of the reason for this was Melvin's clear decision not to repeat the "mistake" of allowing another singer to overshadow the official headliner - understandable but unfortunate. The ABC contract clearly gave Melvin more artistic control over the group's output, and on both ABC albums there are songs written or co-written by Melvin, who also took over production duties. "Reaching for the World" (1976) was not so long ago released on cd by Dutch outfit Vinyl Masterpiece, which has a tendency to rely on vinyl rips rather than original masters. Ideally it could have been put on a two-for-one with its follow up, "Now is the time" (1977), which, although not as strong as its predecessor, still has a few cracking tunes. This album also has the oddly titled dancer "Baby, you got my nose open", which is one of the few songs where Ebo is allowed to let rip. That is also a pity, because the lyrics alone condemn the track to curiosity status. (Another song that uses a similar line, "you surely opened up my nose, you kept it so that it can't close", is "I need it" by Johnny Guitar Watson, who is the kind of artist who can get away with it.) Fortunately we have other opportunities to enjoy Ebo's voice, including on the title track, some socially conscious soul written by Melvin and featuring both singers on lead. Melvin's crooning is showcased on "Feels like magic", perhaps the standout track of the album, although the Melvin-authored title track, which allows each group member to take the lead, surely comes close. Hopefully the masters will be recovered and a more thorough job done of reissuing this, together with "Reaching for the world" - there's more than enough great soul music on these albums to justify the effort.

Staying with Van McCoy, this time we move forward a few years to the period when he was becoming famous for his disco symphony orchestra and hustle. As Tony Rounce says in his liner notes to the Kent comp "The Sweetest Feeling: A Van McCoy Songbook 1962-1973", the reason for including the 1976 Melba Moore tune "Lean on me" is that it is such a fantastic piece of soul music, showing just how tuned in to real soul McCoy remained whilst enjoying all the disco fame and fortune. During this period he oversaw the release of three albums by the Choice Four, whose output seems to have been neglected or largely forgotten, and is therefore due a major revival imho. What you've got is group harmony soul, trademark McCoy production and songwriting, with a mid-70s production sensibility. That'll do me. The group was signed to RCA Records, which seems to have combined a great soul music roster (e.g., Greg Perry, Tavares, Zulema) with poorly focused marketing department. Fortunately, however, there has been a steady flow of RCA reissues, suggesting that whatever licensing issues which are tying up certain other labels' material do not apply. So let's have a re-issue of "The Finger Pointers" (1974), "The Choice 4" (1975), and "On Top of Clear" (1976), perhaps altogether as a special issue, or separately, whatever ... let's get this music out there again.

Hi Alan, thanks for these - Vick Lavender is always interesting and even if not always hitting the spot he's got a high hit rate (for me at least). Would be interested to know who's on the organ on the third track. The Andy Edit tune is definitely a summer tune - have they left it too late release-wise?

Very nice indeed, Alan, big thumbs up from me

Thanks for this, John. I wasn't familiar with Harmon Bethea's work before but I'm with you on Ralph Graham's 1974 album: The output of Sussex definitely deserves a close scrutiny, even after so much has already been reissued. The recent growing appreciation of Van McCoy's contribution to our music is most welcome and there is already quite a lot of reissued material out there, from albums by the Presidents and Brenda & the Tabulations to the Kent releases, including what at the time was billed as the first of 2 compilations. Looking forward to volume 2! Apart from the Presidents, Sussex released other artists produced by McCoy, including Sharon Ridley's 1971 album "Stay a while with me". Mostly co-written and co-produced with Joe Cobb, this is another fine example of classy songwriting, big production and distinctive, soulful vocals. It would be another 7 years before we heard again from Ms Ridley, and once again on a Clarence Avant-owned label, Tabu. "Full Moon", featuring the wonderful "Changin'", was recently reissued as part of Demon Music Group's Tabu reissue series. But her first album's title track is a great showcase for her talent and reason enough to deserve a proper reissue:

In years gone by on EMS there were lists compiled of albums deserving reissue, and many of these have since been reissued on labels like Expansion, Soulmusic.com, Big Break, Soul Brother, Harmless, Robinsongs, BGO, and others. Also as with Harmless, Expansion and the Ace stable, among others, albums can be compiled bringing together tracks previously unissued in digital form. Perhaps forums like these can attract the attention of people who can pull the strings necessary to bring about a result, and even if not I would certainly appreciate being given a heads up re soul music of any era and genre that I might have missed but which deserves a proper hearing in all its remastered glory. To kick things off I nominate something that's been bugging me for years, crying out for a crisp reissue, OC Smith's 1982 LP "Love Changes", originally released on LA independent South Bay before being picked up by Motown, which, by all accounts, buried it. According to Discogs the only other LP or artist to be associated with South Bay was Marlena Shaw, who released her album "Let me in your life" in the same year. "Love changes" was produced by long-time Johnny Bristol associate H.B. Barnum and stands as one of O.C.'s strongest collections, steering clear of the MOR that he was prone to record. The quality of the production and musicianship suggests that decent money was spent, despite it being on an indie label, and for me this track is the icing on a very rich cake:

Aaah, just like old times With repeated plays this could be a reasonable-sized hit, but the intro could do with a trim, as it seems to start, and then start again and it's almost 2 minutes before you hear the singer. Hardly unique in that respect but the build-up needs to be more effective to succeed, and in this case I think there would be stronger immediate impact with a short intro and the instrumental break placed after the first verse.

Great initiative Alan I miss the discussion and tips re new releases across all the genres you mention as well as reminders of ones that got away.

I would love Tom Moulton to do something with this, which fades out far too soon: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FJlWssigjYM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Solar Radio seems to have an ambitious agenda that will eventually put greater pressure on its more trad jocks if it continues down the current path. Expanding across DAB will enhance ad revenues but will also increase dependency on these, which may mean further commercialisation and less room for specialist shows that can't attract the sponsorship. Richard and others have been good at keeping the sponsors so far, but it can't be so easy. And to those on here who are supporting these shows in this way, Thank You. As for Richard's Solar shows, for me they have been an educational mix of tunes and stories of the scene that, coming to the scene relatively late in life, I've enjoyed immensely. So if I am in any way representative of the audience Richard is trying to attract, then "mission accomplished". It's not quite as deep as some other shows past or even present but its coverage is still wide and accessible - meaning easy to find rather than "dumbed down". For people wanting to go deeper then it's probably frustrating but especially if you are chasing after new sounds within a genre that is by definition limited in quantity then probably the only solution is to be open to more recent sounds or different styles. And soul music is certainly big enough for that.

The reviews on Amazon.com are very positive. Seems the author knows his stuff and knows how to write. I have a hunch he was running a site dedicated to Phyllis already back in the mid-90s - the design of the book looks familiar.

Let us know how you get on.

Great initiative, hope it succeeds. I don't know any publishers who would handle a title like this, but it might be worth asking David Nathan what he thinks - could even be time for Soulmusic.com to get into print publishing.

Jazz pianist Gene Harris (of The Three Sounds) recorded his "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" album for Blue Note at the Detroit studios in June 1973

Good luck to everyone for this - will definitely be supporting you