Colouredman

.

Kieth.....where do I start?......he’s a legend, he’s one of us, a Stokie from ‘Soul On Trent’. He’s a man who’s been there pretty much from the beginning and he’s still at it now. I’m proud to say I’ve known him since I was a young teenager still at school, when I walked into ‘ ‘Bews’( a toy shop with a record bar upstairs)one sunny June Saturday with some ‘birthday money’ to buy some records. I went thru the toy shop and up the stairs and there he was behind the counter with Colin. I didn’t know either of them, but I knew of them. I ordered 3 records; ‘Sweet Soul Music’ ‘6 x 6’ and ‘Free for all’. The latter was my first proper Northern Record, and a ‘must have’ coz it was huge in Stoke. Kieth grunted at me, took my money, gave me the records and that was it. A few years later, we travelled to Wigan together pretty much every week, for a few years, in his Cortina which I drove. It was during those drives together that I came to understand what a quiet, humble, incredibly modest man he is, with fantastic stories to tell about the ‘early days’. He used to relate these to me on journeys to Wigan, Hinckley, Rotherham, Leicester ‘Oddfellows’ niters etc. He gave me my first ‘proper’ dj spot at a Tiffs Alldayer in the late 70’s, and straight after it sold me a Jock Mitchell WD for £2. Me Kieth and Butch and a bunch of other Stokies, used to go swimming together at Newcastle baths on a Thursday early evening. We used to take great pleasure in all of us jumpin on Kieth and tryin to push him under, but to no avail. He’d just rise up and shake four or five of us off, like we were nothing but flies on a buffalo’s back lol; he was one strong guy. Keith’s had some very very rare records through his hands, but not that you’d always know it, coz he doesn’t shout about it. But I recall him having ‘Lady in Green’ for which he paid £150, and not one, but 2 copies of the Empires ‘You’re on top girl’, amongst many others. In terms of record- association with Kieth though, it has to be ‘Queen of fools’ and ‘Skiing in the snow’. Both were Stoke anthems at one time. He told me a few days ago he’d been involved in this scene for 55 years; that takes some doin. So hats off to the big man from my home town, HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY for Wednesday, and maximum respect always Kieth * Re. the photos below: not sure why JB (Johnny Beggs) is lickin the top of Keith’s headlol. I’m sure there’s a perfectly rational explanation; I just don’t know what it is lol. Maybe it’s a Torch thing, or some kind of secret Stoke initiation ceremony, or maybe something John and Kieth wish to share with us lol. I wondered if, after all these years, John had found a way to get on Keith’s good side to get records cheap lol. Whatever; hopefully John or Kieth will explain

FOR SALE: Prince and Princess. Stick together. Bell Demo. NM £200. Free Special Delivery Postage.

FOR SALE: All Near Mint unless otherwise stated: The Other Ones. The two of us. Knoll. Huge record for Richard at Wigan. £400. The Puffs. I only cry once a day. Dore Ex £300 Tommy Mosley. For her love. Uptown. £150. Stafford monster. Ann Byers. Here I am. Academy. £200 Ann Byers. Dead end. Academy. £100 Chris Cerf. Sweet music. Amy Demo. £200 The Soul Bandits. Be good. Groove. £150 Dee Erwin. I only get this feeling / Wrong direction. Redd Coach WD £175. First label. The Tonnettes. I gotta know. Dynamic. WD / Red vinyl. £150 SOLD The Styles. Baby you’re alive. Modern Demo. £75 Volcanos. Storm warning Arctic WD. £50 SOLD Alex Brown. What would you do. Ex. Tangerine WD £75 Harold Hutton. Lucky boy. Checker WD £80 Gene Chandler. I’m just a fool for you. U.K. Stateside Demo. £75.

A mammoth and very thought provoking undertaking from my man, and a super useful additional perspective to the existing and typical ‘Top 500 / Value-based compilations. A list like this will always be subjective, always be fluid coz demand fluctuates over time, and always be open to suggested omissions and inclusions, but I think it pretty much nails it. Every time I thought of something I thought should be on there I went thru the list again and would generally find it, so for me, give or take, the list is as close as you could get. I think the thing to appreciate is that if you asked 100 key collectors to compile this list, each list would be different, but perhaps not hugely; I think this would represent the core of most collectors lists, so for me it absolutely hits the spot. So, nice one Butch, and good on ya for takin the time, and having the patience, energy and enthusiasm to do it; I take my hat off to you; rather you than me lol. This list shows you clearly didn’t have enough D.I.Y, gardening, repairing, filing, sorting to do during lockdown, lol. Can’t fault ya; Lockdown time well spent; well done.

Professionals. That’s why I love you. Alternative take. Record Shack.WD. £20 Betty Semper. A love I believe in. Record Shack WD. £20. Recorded/Signed For Postage. £3.

All UK and all NM unless stated. Mary Wells. Can’t you see yre losing me. Atlantic Demo. Ex. £150. Tina Britt. The real thing. London Demo. Ex. £150 Gene Chandler. I can take care of myself. Action. £100 Gene Chandler. I’m just a fool for you. Stateside Demo. Looks VG+ But plays NM. £80. Don Thomas. Come on train. Super rare U.K. Demo in Promo sleeve. £100 Linda Jones. I just can’t live my life. W. Bros. £80 Steve Karmen. Breakaway. UA Demo. £75 Paul Humphrey. Cochise. ABC Demo. £25 Harold Melvin. Get out. Route. Rare Demo. £50 Fantastic Johnny C. Don’t depend on me. Island Demo. This has always been a very rare U.K. Demo. £75. Jimmy Soul Clark. Sweet darling. Inferno Test pressing/Demo. £50 James Fountain. Seven day lover. Cream Test pressing/Demo £50 Drifters. You got to pay your dues. Atlantic Test Pressing/Demo. Sons of Moses. Soul symphony. MCA. Demo. £25 Eddie Spencer. If this is love. Power Exchange. £50 Brenda Lee Jones. Yre the love of my life. U.K. Demo.£30. Jerryo. Karate boogaloo. London 1st issue Demo. £60. Heartbroken Memories Instrumental. £25. Free Special Delivery postage on orders over £100. Otherwise SD is £7, and Recorded is £3.

FOR SALE: All are lovely NM copies: FOR SALE: All are lovely NM copies: Towanda Barnes. You don’t mean it. A&M WD. £250 Lorraine Chandler. What can I do / Tell me you’re mine. Giant. £200 Monroe Taylor. Proud guy. Chesapeake. £100. Free Special Delivery Postage on all.

A lovely guy; one of the scenes true characters. Top man, and a Soul Man; always liked his company.......will be very sadly missed. R.I.P big guy.

Hi have you got fixed up with this yet? If not i have a lovely NM/M copy (light blue Marton label) Tim

FOR SALE: James Taylor. Love with hope. Mint Minus DEMO. Very rare DEMO. £500. Monroe Taylor. Proud Guy. Chesapeake. Mint minus. £100. Free Special Delivery Postage.

Yes mate. Include £2 for post. My PayPal is: colouredman@hotmail.com (gift)

Rare Soul related memorabilia for sale: Chuck Bridges. Dont you make me cry. Scoop. A4 size (Approx). Scoop Promotional poster. £15 Bobby Hutton. Loving you, Needing you... ABC Records Promotional insert. £5 Cleethorpes 1994 Programme (Barbara Lewis, Lou Courtney, Betty Lavette) £5 Archie Bell. Theres gonna be a showdown. Sheet Music. £10 Sue Thompson. Paper Tiger. Sheet Music. £5 Verdelle Smith. In my room. Sheet Music. £8

FOR SALE: Unique and very rare memorabilia/record pairing: Wigan anthem and one of the ‘3 before 8’.... ‘ IM ON MY WAY’ UK Demo and Sheet Music for same.What’s the odds on finding these two together now, 45 years after its U.K release? In fact it was released 45 years ago to the date yesterday! lol. Great for framing together. Sheet Music is as you see it; fantastic condition. The record is Ex/ M- £75 for the pair.

FOR SALE: Unique and very rare memorabilia/record pairing: Wigan anthem and one of the ‘3 before 8’.... ‘ IM ON MY WAY’ UK Demo and Sheet Music for same.What’s the odds on finding these two together now, 45 years after its U.K release? In fact it was released 45 years ago to the date 3 dats back! lol. Great for framing together. Sheet Music is as you see it; fantastic condition. The record is M- £75. for the pair.