Ian Dewhirst

Yep. Ian D

Maybe in a roundabout way but certainly at a much higher level than PC Plod. I'm sure Gerry Marshall had the council covered and was obviously an influential guy with probably the biggest venue in Wigan, so I'm sure Gerry would have had his supporters on the local council squared away. However, Wigan Casino was FANTASTIC for Wigan as history has now proved. It's a credit that it was allowed to happen and develop the way it did so the powers of the era should be appreciated in my view. They were responsible for allowing a genuine regional youth culture to flourish and they allowed the scene to breathe at a very important time in the evolotion of it's developement. Wigan Casino was simply another cast-iron example of the North protecting it's own culture and for that reason alone they should be applauded. Gerry was right. Ian D

Actually I just remembered that I bought my copy when Levine sold up his first collection circa '79. Pat Brady was with me and he got "Strange Change" - Herb Ward at the same time. Ian D

Bad news for those who prefer physical formats though. You're now hard-pressed to even find a new record store in the U.S. these days. Ian D

I don't think I ever actually heard it played out but I can remember both Alfreda Brockington and "Chained & Bound" being listed in some Blues & Soul ads for Northern clubs at the time circa '73-'75 and it was on a few lists. It used to be in a few collectors boxes back then but never really went beyond that. Ian D

Actually Jamie/Guyden is still going and now owned by the son of the founder, Frank Lipsius. I recently bumped into him and his wife in London and he's a lovely guy. All those Phil LA represses are legit by the way - he still does 7" singles - he gave me a copy of The Springers and an archive listing that's got tons of stuff I didn't know in there. It makes me think that there's still some killers to be found in that catalogue but we'll probably have to dig 'em up first! That Alfreda Brockington has been around as long as I can remember but it never broke big as far as I know. Great record! Ian D

Copy that Paul. This would have been a double-sided monster if anyone had found it back then I'm sure! Ian D

Seconded. Variety is the spice of life anyway. What other scene in the world would even play records from the likes of Wombat to Wally Cox to Wally Coco? Well I've now listened to it a few more times and I still think it's got an infectious thunderous groove and tons of atmosphere. It's just a great ghetto jam in the same tradition as "RnB Time", "Psychedlic Soul", "Do The Pearl Girl", "Ton Of Dynamite" etc, etc. A GREAT Nighter record to whack on when the place is popping surely? Ian D

Finally after 35 years I get to hear the song again and it's every bit as good as I remembered. Years and years of recreational abuse didn't diminish the memory of this one! What a f*ckin' TUNE! Even though the clip is quite muffled you should get the general idea. Proper Northern Soul full of hooks and a pure belter. I'd play it in a second..... Many thanks to Johnny for putting the clip up. Here it is folks.....enjoy! Ralphi D We Let Go Of a Beautiful Thing 20th Century Look at me replying to myself LOL........ Ian D

Brown Turbo Bri? New one on me mate. I had one of the original scarlet ones but brown........? Ian D

It was one of those random 1.00am lists dragged deep from the recesses of my mind Pete. I popped those two in simply because they were nearer Wally Coco in terms of sound. I LOVE Frankie Crocker by the way............ Ian D

Killer Johnny! Many thanks mate. The fact that I remembered the record after some 35 years even though I've never actually owned it in any form speaks volumes. Ever since I remembered it as a result of this thread I haven't been able to stop singing it. It's already an anthem in my head LOL...... Ian D

But where do we draw the line? "Conditon Red" - The Baltimore & Ohio Marching Band "Black Is Back" - Lord Sitar "Thunder" - Lord Thunder "Afternoon Of The Rhino" - The Mike Post Coalition "Broadway Cissy" - Roscoe & Friends "My Heart's Desire" - Gary Lewis & The Playboys "Black Power" - James Coit "Summer In The Parks" - East Coast Connection "Interplay" - Derek & Ray "Ton Of Dynamite" - Frankie 'Loveman' Crocker All monsters in their day ay? What can you do? Ian D

Now tell me that's just your emotional side Bearsy............. Ian D

Yep, true Joan. However I'm trying to get to the nub of what makes one person like a tune and another one hate it. In many ways this is the essence of the scene isn't it? One man/woman's meat is another man/woman's poison etc, etc? There's probably a subject for a decent thread here along the lines of, "records that were huge but which I personally hated". I reckon this Wally Coco record is one that'll go huge with loads of different audiences. I only heard it for the first time a couple of days ago when the guy who designs the Backbeats sleeves (designer extraordinaire Jaffa) put me onto it. It's actually on a CD compilation which I'll be picking up tomorrow. I can imagine this tune reaching a lot of different audiences and that's why I like it. Wally Coco is no Darrell Banks for sure, but for an audience in 2011 I'm pretty sure this would work just about anywhere. Damn. I'm almost tempted to check out a Paul Sadot gig if they'll allow me in......... Ian D

Damn. I spent an hour last week going through your e-bay stock highlighting a load of tasty stuff thinking I may snag a couple of beauties from a naive American dealer! Another myth shattered unfortunately! Brilliant stuff you've got across a number of genres there mate! I almost broke my cardinal rule not to buy any more vinyl on the basis that I don't really need any more records but somehow I over-rode the impulse thankfully. With the kind of stuff you have on there already it's only a matter of time before you'll run into something that no one knows. Very interesting stuff you're digging up and good to know you're on here. Happy New Year! Ian D PS Is there any way you can do me that Ralphie D record on 20th Century cheap? It's right up your street and you've probably got TONS of 'em......

And when you guys finally meet up @ Lifeline in February, the very least you should both do, is observe a mutual 30 seconds of silence in tribute to the much-undersung Wally Coco who finally instigated the meet-up. Little did he know ay........ C'mon Joan. Give Wally a break. He had no idea what he was up against when he recorded that track in a toilet in Carolina. For a $100 recording it's still moving dancefloors some 30 years later so the record obviously has something. There's some records which you may not necessarily like but which you KNOW will pack a floor. Crowd pleasers. There's loads of 'em. For instance I found "Send Him Back" - the Pointer Sisters which I hated from day one. A headache record for me 'cos the vocals are too shrill and annoying. The record gives me migraine to be honest. But still a monster nonetheless. And who was I to argue with the dancefloor? Similar thing with this Wally Coco record. It's a 100% stonking floorfiller without a doubt but I wouldn't cite it as a personal fave by any means. However, with a DJ hat on, surely it must be irresistible if you've got a hot club packed to the brim with hyped-up people who wanna dance @ 4.00am? Rockin' record on that level don'tcha think! Ian D

Can't ANYONE post that Ralphie D "Beautiful Thing" track on Refosoul please? I can't find it on Manship's site so can't even re-hear a snippit but I really wanted to hear the whole record again anyway. The intro alone was enough to blow me away but I've got a hankering to hear the whole record now. I seem to remember it was dead short - around 2 minutes or thereabouts. Maybe someone can confirm? Cheers in advance to anyone who can put me out of my misery LOL..... Ian D

Mmm, I don't think it would have sounded out of place in the mid 70's when stuff like Black Nasty, Today's People, King Errison, James Bynum, Frankie Crocker, Skull Snaps and stuff like that was played........... Ian D

Wow. Serious shows. If there were guys like this throughout the U.S. I bet a ton of stuff would turn up! Ian D

Absolutely killer riff and beat on it. Does anyone know what year it was issued? Ian D

Only just heard this but what a belter! Noticed one on Manship's auction too. How long has this been known and what's the story? This would have worked like a dream in the Mecca/Cleethorpes era........ Ian D

Yep, just testing! Ian D

Wow. Pretty good but I'm a sucker for those early Ronnie Dyson Philly recordings. Also "These Eyes" was pretty Soulful for a 'Rock' group, so the song has a decent pedigree. Also I notice this track is in the Invitations Soulful Kinda Music discography, so if these guys weren't the real Invitations then who were they? Ian D

Great list Hunnymon and well done with the technology! But you might need to bounce out "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" - Detroit Spinners 'cos that was a Detroit recording when they were still on Motown. In fact, Motown reissued it off the back of their early Philly successes. Ian D