Siz Sale

As a former "Soul promoter" and "3 times winner of UK DJ of the Year" i hope i can speak with a bit of authority on this subject. When i go occasionally to gigs there seems to be 3 kinds of DJs on the cuircuit. 1) Old school DJs who look at the audience and read the room confident on the Mic and you can here what they are saying prime example "Richard Searling". 2) Collectors who DJ all you can see when they are on the decks is the top of there heads when they are on the Mic as they are not confident enough with the equipment to look up, varying degrees of clarity of voice as they talk to fast in general due to nerves, public speaking is one of peoples biggest fears this may improve with time. In general do not read a room. 3) Collectors who play records have not got the confidence to speak but want people to hear there treasured tunes this creates no atmosphere and they play them in no discernible order plus no one knows what they are playing unless you know the track or "Shazam" them don't deserve paying in my opinion. The last note is off topic but gets my goat is this i still occasionally work and can earn 100s of pounds with kit that cost me £5,000. DJs who can play in 60 minutes in some cases £100,000 worth of Vinyl and earn nothing uo to the top rate i have heard is £150. Its nuts and they get paid that because people moan at paying £5 to get in to a soul night, they should be getting paid at least double and door charges should be a £10.

Stylistics new CD the song writing team features two musicians from Blackpool, Anthony King and Fiona Shaw. They actually co-wrote a massive 18 songs on the new album. To give some idea of the scale of this project, other collaborators/ featured artists include Shania Twain, Gene Simmons (Kiss), Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), Justin Hawkins (Darkness), Steve Lukather (Toto), The Elton John Band, Tom and Debbie Cridland, plus more. Congratulations to Anthony and Fiona. The video that explores the project is Falling In Love With My Girl: The Making of The Stylistics on You Tube

I worked with "Howard Hewet" of Shalimar recently and he referred to him as "Simone" French style, he wasn't very complimentary about him and knew virtually nothing about the first single "Uptown Festival" which Simon recorded to be fair he wasn't in the first line up. The b side of that track is called "Simón's Theme (Instr.)" ! musicians on that it included Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford so he had some contacts.

I wonder if the "Motown" museum might have a sniff as the worlds most expensive artefact with the story would make interesting exhibit ?

If you keep the clips under 15 seconds unless someone reports it they are very hard to pick up.

I must admit i taped one of Richard Searlings spots when he worked for me and it had all his cover ups at the time (Vicky Baines Cecil Washington ect) on it of a very high quality ,i just used to play it in the car . Tony Just let slip to "Les McCutchen"i had all Richards songs and it was a case of name your price which was substantial as they would told Tony they would just boot them under the cover up name .I flatly refused and got that guilty and paranoid i immediately fessed up and gave the tape back to "Richard" who wasn't impressed i had taped him but was grateful his crown jewels were kept out of "Simon Soussans" hands . This was Early 79 so its not a new thing.

God there is a review of my "Spot|" at the "Carousel" all dayer. Great to remember the tunes i played at the time and the the legendary DJs i was keeping company with !

"Lorraine Silver" is married to "Barry Collings" who is the manager of Liverpool's "The Real Thing" and still tours with "Angelo Starr" who is apparently related to "Edwin Starr".

I believe i was the first to play this round the North West at about the same time as i discovered Sue Lynn around 1978 and it was bought as part of the stash from Tony just records. I never covered it up and played it for 6 months and i never saw another copy or heard anyone else playing it. I bizarrely had it stolen in Widnes when we did a SNOBs all dayer and someone stayed in the toilets got on the stage while we talked to management and nicked the decks and it was my last tune and was still on the turntable , but left my Records !!! Must have heard my spot LOL.

I took the shot at 5.59 and 50 seconds so I'm sure that they wont have moved that much.

Hi Ted i had all my records stolen at a "Rhyl" all dayer in fact it was one of the catalysts for me leaving the scene. i did manage to get them back after giving a cast iron guarantee that they would not be prosecuted and it was all arranged through a third party. It broke my heart and cost me about 25% of what the box of 150 records was worth but what is the alternative to see your years of toil and collecting go down the drain. I funded it by selling 4 or 5 of my top tunes to save the rest, I still don't know to this day who was behind it but the mental turmoil between right and wrong tore me up and still does to this day. i sincerely hope you have a happy outcome but somebody knows and an offer like mine however repugnant to some might just work.

Interesting that up to yesterday there were no bids on anything in the new auction finishing on the 8th. Some cracking tunes on there as well ,a few bids have now come in. https://www.raresoulvinyl.co.uk/auctions/

The funeral for Alan Jackson will take place at 4.00pm on Tuesday the 17th of May 2022, at Dukinfield Crematorium, Hall Green Rd, Dukinfield SK16 4EP. Moving on to Ashton Masonic Hall, Jowett’s Walk, Ashton-Under-Lyne OL7 0BB from 5.00pm onwards. Please contact David Jackson or Carole Jackson by phone or Facebook Message or me on this page if you hope to attend.

It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you of the passing of Manchester’s Alan Jackson . A lifelong Soul fan and more importantly a lovely human being. Details of his Funeral arrangement’s as soon as I get them.