Chris L

1st £100 ($220) for a mint twin shields Christine Cooper - sold it for a lot more 'bout 9 weeks later. 1st most expensive record was .................£8 for a demo copy 'Hurt on the other side' on Capitol at 2nd night of the Torch. Don't laugh, that were a weeks wages that were............. Chris L

Harry Starr was the 1st husband of Elouise Pennington (nee Eller Weas Little) of the Spellbinders...................not a lot of people know that.................. Er right I'll get me goat....................... Chris L

That's the beauty of the Northern Soul scene, hearing things for the 1st time. Don't know many soul fans who are not open to new sounds, proviso being that a) They are actually soul sounds They make you wanna dance or stick your tongue down someone throat c) The DJ's tells whom it is. Chris L

Been lucky enough to meet and chat to many a Northern Soul star. Sexiest without a doubt was (is) Leola Jiles of the Apollas, well fit, got pissed with her and her brother. Top professional and great fun. Most wanted to stangle were the Three Degrees - bunch of stuck up tarts who still think that being Prices Charles fav group is like worth something. If you meet Ralph Tee ask about them in Amsterdam Most "I'm about to die cos I do drugs" was Bobby Sheen, smashing bloke when normal, absolute weirdo on crack (suppose everybody is) he showed us his Capitol record recording timetable, boy what a piece of history that is. I met and spent time with all the Spellbinders, Chris Bartley & The Ad-Libs, the most wonderful people you'll ever meet. They can't stop singing, no matter where they are, I want to marry them all. Sid Barnes, Brenton Wood, Fred Smith, The Tempos all very nice people, the sort you're like to have an all weekend bar-b-que (ne cookout) with. Perhaps the most impressive by far is Arthur Wright, whilst not exactly a singing star, although he does perform, is awesome........his tales of Okeh, Motown, Jerry Cooks, Sequins, Little Richard, etc keep you sitting on the edge of your talcumed dancefloor. Very humble bloke, soft spoken, snazzy guitar player. In fact when I look back most are pretty decent kinda people, maybe because they never attained superstardom............that's how we like 'em. Chris L

I have one, I got it from Andy Rix, just need to find it, it's on an old diskette, get back off list, I'm away for a few days but will post otherwies. Chris

I'll be blowed (hopefully by the Swedish Bikini Team), Bob Potter alive and well https://www.lakesidecomplex.com/associates/bob.cfm Great, he's got the Stylistics booked, must go see them, clean up me Ford Capri, stick on the droopy moustache, roll neck sweater..................... Actually the 1st record I ever went and bought was "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music" Jay & Techniques - I heard it one sunday evening on the Mike Raven show, bought it as a new release.

Tony Don't know if you remember this, we took you down to the Chelsea Village in Bournemoth, he used to DJ there before he got "famous", he used to play "Out On The Floor" he's generally credited in having the 1st copy of this. I daren't say how long ago that was, guess 'bout 71-ish. Chris L

It was a bloke called Bob Potter, he was the DJ at Woking's infamous Atalanta. As he was setting up his system (it was a church hall) he'd play a reel to reel tape with : Behind a painted smile - Isley Brothers Right track - Billy Butler People - the Tymes Help me - the Spellbinders Look what you've done to my heart - Shirley & the Shirelles plus a bunch more, last heard of in the mid 70T's running a chicken-in-a -basket discotheque venue called The Lakeside, somewhere near Windsor methinks. Chris L He was an old guy in the late 60T's must be 90+ nowadays (if he's still alive)

Don't know the name of the tune, but it starts with the US Marine anthem as the intro !!! I have it on some CD someone gave me......................... Tennn...........hunnnnnnnnnnn Chris

send to : chris.lalor@hotmail.com Many thanks Chris L

Deffo agree, remember well hanging round my then girlfriends house listening to her collection of these albums. 16 at the time (girlfriend 14 - but don't tell her mum :-) for sure this influenced a lot of us. I still have 2 x 4 Tops singles and the Spellbinders on Direction I "borrowed" from another girlfriend when I was 15, never quite got round to giving them back (anybody know Jan kemp from Guildford?:-( ) Timeless quality, full of that zest for life we were looking for.................... Chris L

She dated Don Mitchell, there's a 'photo on the web of him, afro 'en all in tendy 70T's light brown suit, biege shirt and knitted tie............S U P E R !!! Chris L ps he married Judy Page BTW pps I once saw a record she had recorded in Chicago in the 70T's can't remember the name though.

Maybe we should put together a data sheet with the most current "sellers". Say some 50 records and track them on a quarterly basis to see their price progress. bet you'd be surprised. BTW in the early eighties you COULD pick up a Hit & Run for a tenner my mate did from a dealer in Herts. On a personal note I'm pleased those 70T's re-issues are selling for sensible money, they're great for 'returnees'. Wonder what will happen when the silent majority of NS fans near their sixties and have to decide on raising cash or hanging on to vinyl. There may be brave words now, not sure the missus will wanna that though................................ Chris L

Having sold most of my records early last year, I returned to see how prices are now compared to then. When I view both sellers lists and Ebay I come up with the conclusion that there is a definite softening of the market. Most re-issues that went to for the £20 mark 12/18 months ago struggle to make a fiver, that's good news for the poor folk. Also some mid-priced records (Invitations on Stateside, etc) don't reach those dizzy heights of a year ago. Shifty had a Shawn Robinson, mint for £150, I've sold them for £250+ in the past (BTW she dated that black bloke who was in Ironsides - the one that pushed him around in his wheelchair). Doris Troy on Cameo Parkway, £80 !! seen them go for £160 in the past. Hit & Run coming your way soon for thirty quid??..............don't rule it out. Chris L

His car was on Ebay about 2 years I seem to remember, I once sang on stage with him "If I Had A Hammer"................cool dude............................. Chris L

Oh yeah.............what about Sounds Of Lane..........Tracks..............

You might well be right, thing is, I was never "myself" when I was at the Torch. The music got me so high I wouldn't notice anything. I have somewhere a photo taken about '73/74-ish with Mick Smith & Ian Levine plus a few girls. Mick Smith loks like a Mexican cattlerustler with his drooping moustache and Ian looks like Elvis Preseley, I swear they do. I'll see if I can learn to post 'em. Chris L

Winnie Well in fact it came from.............better sit down this is extremey dramatic dramatic. ..............The Ivy Shop in Compass road, Richmond. This was THE place to shop, they bought boxes full of US clothes in, the Bowling Shirt orginated from there. This place was so cool you came out with icicles stuck between your teeth. Er.............answer the question ? Can't be sure, an Ivy Shop it was, a BS I doubt, we'd gotten past BS's by then. Chris L

I started my NS life late '71, as a Londoner going up Norf I was struck how scruffy and fashionless they were. Take a look at that Torch CD with Alan Day and Martyn Ellis, tank tops and bare bellies. I never saw a Harrington clad lad when I went to a NS venue, until now that is. Funny enough I wear button down collars, a sort of Sta-Prest trousers and plain caps to the office (US company, very conservative). Chris L

I get these for Ebay & Paypal, I never reply, always send them to their respective complaints dept. Chris L

I guess there's only about 10 people anywhere paying this kind of money for records. Needs their heads examined, no piece of vinyl (deffo not styrene) is worth that. Stay the the music I say. Chris L