Ian Dewhirst

No one under 35 years bothers buying music anymore - that's the problem right there. But why would they? They get everything for free and swap complete libraries between themselves on bluetooth or stream everything on Spotify. They listen to everything on crap i-pod/mobile/computer speakers so they're not actually bothered about quality. They're all about instant access and instant gratification. My 16 year old daughter wouldn't dream of spending valuable money on a 'free' commodity like music when she can spend it on more sensible things like clothes, make-up and going out etc, etc. There's a huge difference between the youth of today and the youth of the 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's. These days they don't need to seek out music 'cos it's free and only ever one click away whenever they want it! Ian D

He speaks the truth Beeks. UK sales are absolutely abysmal right now - the worst they've ever been in history in fact. That's why so many record companies/labels/pressing plants/record shops and related businesses have gone down the pan in the last few years - surely you must have noticed? Exports and Foreign sales are holding up quite nicely though, so things are obviously not as bad in other territories. If artists/record companies can't cover their costs in their own domestic territories then they won't be able to afford to put their music out full stop unless they have a reasonable international fan base. I work for a large record company and every single release has to be justified and backed up with a successful profit template otherwise it doesn't get released. I wouldn't have released ANYTHING in the last 12 months if it wasn't for the export markets. The UK market can't support itself at the moment 'cos sales have dropped off a cliff over the last couple of years especially. Maybe the digital economy bill will make a difference if it stops illegal downloading and focuses people on buying music again but if you have any magical fixes then let us know 'cos we're all ears....... Ian D

Imagine paying a grand for something to chill-out to though......... Ian D

Well, I guess that answers the question posed earlier in the thread then. Ian D

Pep used to lug his regular boxes around everywhere. They were always full of impossibly rare records, all on white demos if I remember correctly. And there was a less than zero chance that he'd ever flog 'em. He wanted people to drool and drool we did LOL...... So I too used to look through his box but I never thought for one moment that his Volcanoes "Rules Of Love" or Little Joe Romans "Lonesome" would be available anytime soon. I just liked looking at 'em. And I believe ya when you say that you're as honest as the day is long Dave. Any guy that goes by the dual monikers of 'Dthedrug' and 'Dave The Dipper' is obviously worth keeping an eye on! But whatever you do, don't trust that Ady Croasdel. He's from London y'know............ Ian D

That's the inherent fear of someone else's superior knowledge. Every record dealer's curse. I'm actually glad I never got too paranoid about that aspect. I like to share music so no big deal if my records go to someone who can make better use of 'em. Some records are better off with a new owner rather than festering on my shelves for 30-40 years. So records need to move on sometimes. Plus it's lovely to see records that passed through your hands eventually find an audience. I've lost count of the amount of times I've taken an interest in a record and it suddenly becomes harder to own BECAUSE I've taken an interest. So that's why I had to develop a more nonchalant, easy going, none enthusiastic stance to buying rare records over the years. And then, when a few deals went my way, people accused me of being a two-faced confidence trickster. You can't win either way...... What I don't get is when I've revisited a shop and the owner immediately says something like, "Well, this time it's gonna cost ya, 'cos you ripped me off last time". Rubbish. I liberated clearly priced records that he wanted to sell at the time at the price he put on 'em and was happy to sell 'em at. Just because I was lucky enough to to find his shop at my time and expense and buy some of his stock at the price he wanted, how's that ripping someone off? Superior knowledge must be major irritant to dealers. It's hard to keep on top of everything and new scenes develop all the time so I guess there's a natural paranoia on an ongoing basis. It was exactly the same in the 70's with second-hand record shops and market stalls, where a healthy atmosphere of mutual suspicion would be routine between dealers and customers. All part of the rich tapestry etc, etc......... Ian D

Get with the programme Soulman. Didja read the thread? Exists on original 45 and extremeley rare hence the thread. This copy's just come up so it'll be interesting to see where the price ends up (sorry any bidders from S.S. by the way). There was some speculation earlier in the thread as to it's value, so this is an interesting auction. Also just re-issued by Jazzman. I wouldn't class it as funky at all - it's straight blue-eyed Modern Soul to me. Ian D

Mmm. An original has just popped up on the bay - it'll be interesting to see what it goes for...... https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320531301320&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123 Ian D

Well, it was irresistible force versus an immoveable object but I seem to remember £40 being the benchmark. And no Kev, you'd have laughed me out of the Casino for £11........... Ian D

You were young and innocent back then. Besides, it's not like it was easy to get records out of you anyway! Ian D

It's the luck of the draw Steve. I had a magnificent hit there in a local shop in the 80's simply because a Chicago RnB DJ had recently relocated to Nashville and dumped his spares in a local Nashville store. I think I pretty much bought 'em all, so a lucky hit. I did better in Nashville then anywhere else on that occasion. So scan 'em all mate. There's probably only a handful of shops now and you can get round 'em all in a day and half....... Ian D

Hey, most of us have had records which we love but which are difficult to gauge sometimes. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen something interesting in a sales box and made an enquiry only for the owner to suddenly get fidgety and it goes from a 'sales item' to a 'I'm not sure if I wanna sell this just yet' type option. It's par for the course. Snowy used to lug his highly sought-after copy of the Invitations around and also the first copy of The Steinways in his 'sales box', but would he have ever sold 'em? No way Jose. He was dangling a carrot. There's something tantalising about holding a record, taking note of the label, reluctantly handing it back to the owner and then fantasizing all week about how good that would be in your box. That's the beginning of a high which only peaks when you own the record yourself. 36 years ago Kev Roberts lugged The Tomangoes around in his box for a week or two, so it was technically available but just slightly out of reach due to Kev's reluctance to sell it. But the mental torture of visualising that record in my own hands made me determined to get it at at any cost, so we managed to cut a deal for which I am eternally grateful. Just wish I'd kept it! So there's some records that are so rare or so impossible to find or so brilliant, that when you have one in your sales box, you're gonna be a little bit protective about it. I've done deals which were based on me promising to seriously play the record 'otherwise they may as well keep it in their box'. I'm with Ady on this one. If some guy called Dthedrug started taking an undue amount of interest in that one-off Casinos record on Ember in my box I'd be worried too........... Ian D

'Old Mecca' "Crying Over You" - Duke Browner "Psychedelic Soul' - Saxie Russell "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" - Bob Relf 'New Mecca Stompers' "Landslide" - Tony Clarke "Being Without You" - Maurice Williams "Philly Dog Around The World" - Jimmy Raye 'New Mecca Contemporary' "It Really Hurts Me Girl" - The Carstairs "She'll Come Running Back" - Mel Britt "Seven Day Lover" - James Fountain Ian D

That guy's been frustrating buyers for the last 30 years. I've been arguing with him for that long anyway. The conversation usually went something like this: Me: "I don't suppose there's any chance of looking through the stuff in the back room and behind the counter is there". Guy: "Well, how it works here, is you tell me what you want and I'll see if I've got it". Me: "Well, unfortunately I collect stuff that I don't already know, so I don't know what I want until I see it." Guy: "Well, I guess you're out of luck then". Me: "OK. That's a shame though 'cos I've got $10,000 burning a hole in my pocket......" Guy: "Well, what do you want then"? Me: "I don't know until I see it" Etc, etc, etc, etc......... Had the same conversation with him in '77, '87, '97 and '07. Last time I went in he offered me the lot for $250,000 and I said "it's a bit late now...." Ian D

It happened a lot of times to me in the mid 70's. One notable time was a shop in a real dodgy part of Watts that everytime I drew up in the car they'd automatically lock the door and put the closed sign up. It happened twice in a row and I figured it was because I was white. I finally wised up the third time I went and parked around the back and then ran into the shop before they had time to see me coming. I ran in and said "It's OK guys, I'm English and I just wanna buy some records". After a tense minute or so, they reluctantly let me start digging. Inspired choice as that's where I found two copies of Charles Russell on Psyche and tons of other small L.A. label things. It turned out that the shop was a cover for a dope-dealing operation and ANY white guy would have set off alarm bells. I was lucky. When I was going through Texas in the 80's, I hit a shop in San Bernadino (I think) and the guy asked me what I was looking for and I said, "Oh all sorts of stuff really" and as soon as he heard my accent he said, "Get out of my shop. I f*ckin' hate you English guys ripping us off". I said, "Well are the records for sale or not"? And he said, "Not to you Motherf*cker". I got the hint....... It also happened to me in Jamaica in '76 in Montego Bay when I wanted to buy a heap of Dub albums. No one would serve me because I was white and eventually the taxi driver came in and said "We need to leave NOW"! So I got him to buy the albums and we split..... I think there were quite a few times actually now that I think about it. If I think of any more I thwack 'em down later........ Ian D

Yep, that Nocturne Bar was rockin'! I can remember hearing the Human Beinz "Nobody But You" booming out of there and thinking what's all this about then.......? Ian D

Whap! Straight back to the reality of an English Summer this week following what was the gig of the century for me and Paul Schofield last week @ the Nightmares On Wax Beach Party in Ibiza which was absolutely magical and won't be forgotten in a hurry - a big shout out to friends old and new who were out there. And yes, we're gonna be back a few times over the Summer don't worry! Also a big shout out to all down @ Swansong in Chertsey last week - I trust Al kept you all entertained! He's buggered off to Paris to recover but will be back next week....... Anyway, this week we have another musical odyssey through the last few decades with a brace of exclusives as per usual but with the common denominator of SOUL! The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst LIVE between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 9th May 2010 UK time on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring:- The Sigma Sound Orchestra * Bebu Silvetti * Light Of The World feat Cylena Cymone * DJ Spen & Robert Owens * Ron Hall & The Motherfunkaz * Lalo Schifrin * Chaka Khan * Armed Gang * Sister Sledge * The Afro Cuban Band * Etta James * The Temprees * Little Beaver * The Futures * Lilian Hale * Heywood Cash * Tata Vega * Donald Wilson * Randy Crawford * Pete Belasco * Barry White * Anthony Hamilton * Earth, Wind & Fire See you @ 2.00pm! Ciao. Ian D

Not me either Billy. I partied right through from Thursday night til Sunday night before descending into a hopeless catatonic mess on bank holiday Monday. Still, not bad ay? I'm beginning to get back to normal now which should kick me off for another weekend LOL...... The point that I was trying to get across is that we do take an awful lot of things for granted over here and maybe familiarity breeds contempt to a degree. When you hit a country which doesn't have as much musical choice as we do, the enthusiasm from the audience is infectious and that generally makes for a lively night. Ian D

Yep. About time you got put in your place young lady! Ian D

I believe ya! I was abroad myself last weekend and the atmosphere at the place I was at was phenomenal......... Ian D

That's one of the problems with the UK in general. We're generally far too cynical and battle-weary to have fun any more after a lifetime of going to clubs and listening to years and years of music. That's why I suspect the scene is much more vibrant abroad and probably skewers to a younger, more enthusiastic audience generally. It's certainly a massively refreshing change for me whenever I go abroad to an event. Elsewhere they seem more enthused and less willing to find fault with everything. Maybe they haven't been spoilt like us ay? Ian D

Played a gig @ a beach party in Ibiza on Friday night (George from Nightmares On Wax's 40th Birthday Party) and it was the greatest gig I've done in 40 years. Seeing a bar and a beach full of people dancing to the FuTuRo re-edit of Marvin's "What's Going On" @ 10.00pm on a beautiful warm night in Ibiza with a brilliant crowd who were totally up for it takes some beating in my book..............it's all downhill from here LOL.... Ian D

Never. There's always been slow to mid-tempos through every decade whether the Wheel, Torch, Casino, Cleethorpes, Stafford, 100 Club etc, etc. The scene's never been about purely 100mph banging 60's to my knowledge........... Ian D

OK a very nasally presentation this week folks so many apologies - the show must go on LOL. Al will be playing LIVE next week from the Swansong All-Dayer in Chertsey so make sure you tune in! Unfortunately I'll either be on a beach or up at the Hell's Angels compound in Ibiza but hopefully I'll make it back for the 9th May! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 25th April 2010 on everyone's favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com. Featuring:- 1st Hour Angela Johnson - Better - Mickey More Classic Mix Nicc Johnson ft Lt Brown - Love For Now - Johnny Montana & Craig Stewart Remix Alex Finkin & Reverend P ft Jocelyn Mathieu - Jazzy Mix Davidson Ospina - People Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues - Drilla Re-Edit Heaven N' Hell - Whatcha Gonna Do - Tom Moulton Remix The Emotions - Love Vibes - Todd Terje Re-Edit Stevie Wonder - Love Light In Flight - Harri Re-Edit 2nd Hour First Choice - Armed And Extremely Dangerous The Trammps - Trusting Heart Genie Brown - Can't Stop Talking Ronnie Walker - You're The One Freddie Paris - One More Hill To Climb Jo Armstead - Got My Taste (Of The Honey) Sonny Turner - Now That You're Gone Faith Evans - Sunny Days Tina Turner ft Barry White - In Your Wildest Dreams Eddie Sea ft Aaron Sledge - India Edwin Starr - There You Go Finishing Touch - Don't Put Me Down - Tom Moulton Remix Amerie ft Fabolous - More Than Love Amar Khalil - Born Again https://www.sixmillionsteps.com/6MS-...5-Starpoint.mp3 Enjoy! Ciao. Ian D

Seconded. Nothing to beat that 1st year of sheer euphoria for me. Mind you, it's obviously a subjective question really isn't it? In '73 I was 18, full of beans with unlimited energy and would routinely start the weekend on a Thursday night and end the weekend @ 1.00am Monday morning with very little sleep throughout (and, believe it or not, no drugs either). Also musically it was utterly brilliant with great new tunes every week and a wealth of stuff to hear......... Ian D