phatspinner

Hi I've just listed this track which is from Holland. I've put that it is unissued in US or UK. If I'm wrong please put me right. There's a Youtube clip and I think that it is quite good and obscure. Probably more mod than northern though. https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200572627717

UK to UK should only take 2 or 3 days at worst in normal conditions. At the risk of stating the obvious, have you checked with your local sorting office? I have known them sit there where a card hasn't been left. I know it shoudn't work like that but it can happen. Seller shoud have put return address on package so it should go back to him if undeliverable. He should refund you if you've checked as above, he then can claim back from post office. if you have paid by paypal and you open a dispute they will side with you so he may as well bite the bullet. If he has the proof of posting then he should have no problem claiming back. One other thing, if it can't be delivered for whatever reason and there is no return address it goes to the DLO in Belfast. It happened to me and I got it back by making telephone enquiries and eventually re-sent it to the buyer! Good luck, the postal service in UK is much maligned but is, in my experience, excellent. Andy

I have a copy of a Titus Turner record on the Black and White label from Belgium. Is this a proper release or a bootleg? It says "an original Jamie production" on the label and has a picture (though somewhat plain ) cover. The track is Never Never Nothin' ,it is a popcorn type sound but I can find no equivalent US release. thanks Andy

Rare UK only crossover track for sale. Del Davis Baby don't wake me https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200540773047&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT thanks Andy

If you missed this in recent John Manship auction when it sold for £349 here is a chance to get another copy. Great track. https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200465313646&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

"The show ran for over five years, and was the most popular show on the BBC Local iPlayer." - taken from Mary's page. So it can't be said that it wasn't popular. Don't know if Mary's continuing absence has been a factor maybe she wasn't around to defend her corner. The 3 shows I regularly listen to are this one, Steve White on Radio Sheffield and Craig Charles on Radio 6. With Craig and Mary getting the big E, I wonder whether Steve will survive. He already gets sidelined for football even though the MW band could be used. One other point: Though Mary's content was sometimes bordering on the commercial, Nick Marshall's shows were excellent. He exposed many tracks that get no airplay as a rule. ( and no, I've never met him )

Thanks for that. It's funny but when I first heard the record about 35 years ago, I never for a moment imagined him as an Italian/ American ! Wonder which came first, Hungry For Love or the vocal ? I always felt that the vocal seemed to be "forced" on to the instrumental if you know what I mean. Mind you I felt the same about To Win Your Heart and Exus Trek to name 2 others where I heard the Instrumentals before the vocals. Probably just me!

Thanks Glyn for confirming this. Hope it sells for you. I can't really make up my mind if I like it, it's the 80s production I guess, just too, you know..... Andy

I have a record by Tony Michaels on SOS records out of NYC from 1980s, it sounds like. (I was always there is the title) Would I be right in assuming that it's not the Tony Michaels who recorded for Golden World ? This one sounds probably a black artist whereas I think that the Golden World guy was white (Tony Micale ?) Although voices can change over 20 years ! Anyone know the record/ artist ?

A couple of Tamla Motown Green and White Demos ending soon. https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200424441548&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Marvin Gaye - Sheffield City Hall Detroit Spinners / Sister Sledge / Jimmy Castor / Ben E King- Manchester Gil Scott Heron - Birmingham Barbarellas Parliament / Funkadelic -Manchester Belle Vue KC and the Sunshine Band - Doncaster Outlook Fatback Band - Birmingham Barbarellas George Benson - Manchester Temptations and Junior Walker - Sheffield Fiesta Stevie Wonder / Martha and the Vandellas - Sheffield City Hall Hamilton Bohannon / Commodores / Blackbyrds - Manchester All from 70s and all stand out for different reasons... And more recently... The Funk Brothers - Montreal Jazz Festival Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham - Sheffield Boardwalk Tony Joe White Sheffield Montgomery Hall !! Andy

Somewhat out of order I know but here's Part 2 of the John Anderson interview. I was wrong with my previous comments, there's quite a lot of interesting stuff here I think. Apologies again, this time it's on brown paper ! Hope you can makeout most of it out by zooming in. Not much comment about it so far, perhaps it wasn't as interesting to others as it was to me ! Andy

Part 3 of John Anderson interview while I look for Part 2. Apologies for quality, the black on white doesn't help. Andy

Here's the interview with John Anderson from Big Daddy Magazine. The interview was in 3 parts and at he moment I can't find Part 2. Anyway here's Part 1. Can't get my scanner to work so have photographed the pages. I think that it can be read with a bit of manipulation. If people can read it OK then I'll do Part 3 at least for the moment. I seem to recall that Part 2 was more concerned with his reactivation of Grapevine which I think was the underlying reason for the interview although I could be mistaken. I can't find the year but would guess about 10 years ago ? If it doesn't work i apologise but technology is not my strongpoint

Was bought this 5 DVD set for Xmas. Wouldn't have bought it myself I think, but have really enjoyed seeing many of the original artists in the flesh so to speak. I've read all the debate previously about the musical quality, validity etc but this does not bother me, I accept it for what it is, a tribute to and record of the artists we knew as black and white photos only for so long. I also accept the new material as valid in it's own right without necessarily being what I would go out and buy. However, I don't mind admitting that I got goosepimples just thinking of the buzz that the artists must have got from knowing their records were appreciated and that there was an opportunity to capture it for posterity. Anyway I believe that much of it was filmed some time ago and many of the artists have since died. What I want to know from the experts on here is: 1. Who has passed away since ? I know of Popcorn Wylie, Earl van Dyke, Bobby Sheen, Bobby Paris, Bob Relf ?, Edwin Starr, ? 2. Are there any stories around the finding of these artists and the filming of same, I guess there's been a thread at sometime ? (Not one debating the musical merits) By the way it's only about £10 on Amazon which I feel is a steal for 5 DVDs ! Andy

Whilst agreeing with Ian's recommending the "Stiffed" book to anyone interested in the involvement of the Mob in the record Industry, it is heavy going. as an alternative, there is a shortened version in chapter 13 of the book "Atlantic and the Godfathers of Rock and Roll" by Justin Picardie and Dorothy Wade which I picked up in cut-out book store where I was served by a guy in sunglasses, I thought it was odd at the time! Andy

How fast does that sound now ??

I'd love to but it's spread over 3 issues of the magazine and I'm not sure how to do it. I'll have a go over Xmas perhaps. Snowboy conducted the interview but there's the whole story of his early buying trips in there. The ironic thing is that he consistently states that he is not a fan of Northern Soul !

Yet if you read the 3 part interview with John Anderson in Big Daddy magazine he admits that in his rush to offload stock to Bostocks, Bradford Market, to create more space for new stock, he let lots of later big sounds such as Dottie Cambridge etc slip through!

Thanks for putting these up. There's something magical about seeing these artists who were only a vision in one's mind because of their obscurity. I just love to see these rare obscurities from overseas. For instance I never knew that the 7 Souls were a mixed race group and for some reason I imagined Joey Hetherington to be a man (never having heard a track by her I hasten to say!) The Panic is On track is that a cover of Roy Hamilton ? Also, could you state country of origin ? I always wondered why some countries didn't use pictures of the artists I guess that they weren't always available to them. The Ray Pollard would certainly look better with a pic. I once went to Portugal and found some fabulous singles and eps with picture covers. I'd put some up but can't get my scanner to work at the moment. thanks anyway.

Obviously the free p&p scam has started today and any items now listed will need to have free p&p. what's the best way round this ? I've changed my postage to second class non-recorded (great when postage strike due I know !) but strike aside can I then charge my normal rate for 1st class recorded ? Should I specfy on invoice or listing that first class post will come at a cost ? And recorded is more f0r seller's benefit so I guess as a seller I will have to bear that cost and the p & p unless I can use my old rates which covered these costs. Or should I increase all my prices to incorporate ? I'm puzzed as to what to do to say the least. Most of my items are cheap buy it nows so if I'm not careful I will be selling for next to nothing ! What are others doing ?

Thanks for info on this supplier and had a look at their site, which seems to do deals involving one stiffener per mailer whereas I always use 2, one either side of record. Are their stiffeners stronger so that one can be used only ? Do you guys use one or two for say, one single. I currently use covers 33 so is the advantage of this supplier price or quality ? Andy

On the subject of cut outs and their place in the US Music Industry can I recommend the book "Stiffed - a true story of MCA, The Music business and the Mafia" by William Knoedelseder. It's 400 odd pages and quite hard going in parts but there's some fascinating detail on John La Monte's House of Sounds operation in Darby Pa from where I believe many of the first big sounds were sourced in quantity. (There's also some great detail on counterfeiting!) I got the book in the UK remaindered some years ago but there's great stuff in it about characters like Morris Levy of Roulette records and his Mafia Connections.