Stateside

I always likes those lines by Junior Walker - Put on your wig woman, we're going out to Shake and Fingerpop, which I presume was a dance where they used imitate popping a baloon with your finger. Kev

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - In my lonely room. The way it comes in after the gentle guitar intro is just awesome Kev

Oh and these are my prized possessions. Got photos to go with them too for provenance. Kev

Had a great week in Port De Soller in Mallorca last week although it was too bleedin' hot! My daughters on our balcony at sunset all dolled up & ready to go out. Taken on my phone, as I won't take my DSLR anywhere near sand. Kev

Joe Hunter & Jack Ashford Not particularly rare, because there were several people on the night getting their photos taken and stuff signed. Means a lot to me though. Got a photo somewhere too Kev

How about these Double Exposure - Ten percent Fantastic Johnny C - Don't depend on me Gwen Owens - You better watch out Vernon Burch - I'll be your sunshine & Frame of mind Stanley Woodruff - What took you so long Tower of Power - This time it's real Whirlwind - Don't let him get the best of you Nanette Workman - Lady Marmalade Boby Franklin - The Ladies Choice Bo Kirkland & Ruth Davis - You're gonna get next to me Bobby Womack - I don't know Danny Reed - What makes her a woman Kev

One of my favourite albums and covers. Deserved of a place on the wall Kev

Talking of label art. There's a bar in Kinsale, Ireland that has the walls and ceiling decorated with album covers, all genres. I can't remember the name of it even though I was there in April just gone. When you've had five pints and start staring up at the ceiling trying to name them all, the room starts spinning. Great idea though Kev

Yes Valdez in the country, what a great track. George Benson's version led me to Donny Hathaway's, which I already had, but had never played on the flip of Magdelena. Kev

Frank Popp Ensemble -Breakaway Just seen it mentioned above. Dughh

I know. Spelt "Tiwanda" for some strange reason on the Gloria Barnes album. Kev

Walking alongside a wheat field yesterday the wind made the wheat almost hypnotic Kev

It has "I gotta get away" on the flip, off the Gloria Barnes Uptown album. Always thought it was a boot. The Ohio Players are credited as doing some of the backing on her Uptown album, so I presume the Johnny Brantley connection had her singing on their album too. Kev

It looks like the vinyl that has melted due to the heat generated by the friction of the drill. A bit like the burr on metal after drilling. Kev

As a regular at the Mardi Gras in Liverpool in 1971 there was no segregation policy towards Afro/Carribean or any ethnic minorities that I can recall. In fact, in 1971 the clientel of the Mardi was made up of predominately Liverpool born Afro/Carribean males and Liverpool born white females. On many occasions, as a small group of white males we were in the minority. We once got threatened in the toilets and told to leave. On one occasion we were spat on, although we don't know by who, because we didn't see it until we got outside, as it was on our backs. Was there a problem before 1971, or even after, I don't know. But in general there wasn't a problem, I just think they were isolated incidents, otherwise we wouldn't have gone back week after week. Billy Butler was the DJ and played some great soul music, which is why we were there.

Babe Ruth - Elusive Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods - Girl don't make me wait

Thanks. Pretty straightforward really, although it appears not everyone adopted the practice of drilling holes in unsold/dicounted 45's. As we know, people have found many unplayed mint records without drill holes. Kev

What was the drill hole for in some 45's ? I thought maybe it was for:- A) Keeping them all together with a wire when transporting them B) It was when they were exported C) Some kind of tax/duty thing D) Once they were no longer distributed by the main distributer Some have drill holes and some don't. Why?

Vernon Burch -Frame of mind (inst version) in Report to the Commissioner aka Operation Undercover with a young Richard Gere as Billy Kev

Is there a vocal for this anyone? If there is, it surely can't be that bad.

Interesting fact about Gill Scott Heron's dad being the first black player to play for Celtic! Kev

Gladys Knight, Curtis Mayfield and GillScott Heron

I Picked her up in a local bar We kissed and hugged in the back seat of my car I quit before things, things got out of hand Didn't wanna hurt my girl who loved and trusted her man If I'm lying, someone cut off my hand If I'm lying, strike me down as a man I hardly touched, touched that evil girl To lose my bride to be will surely end my world It's blackmail, that's all, that's all it is

Unlucky or what? I was raised an only child My folks died when I was four They were trapped in a fire Way up on the fourteenth floor So my loving Granny raised me Till' I reached the age of ten But the good Lord took her too and left my dog just (Jeff?) my only friend Oh baby Seems like the odds are against me Nothing works out right for me I've lost everything I've ever loved and Honey Now I'm losing you So all my love I gave to Jeff Cos he was all I had right then But the wheels of an automobile Brought his life to a tragic end etc etc David Ruffin - I've lost everything I've ever loved Kev

Nope! Kev