Ian Dewhirst

I sold two of 'em earlier this year for £25 each....... Ian D

I just didn't equate you with liking a Jack Ashford album for some reason - probably on the basis it could be construed as being too Northern for a lover of contemporary Modern Soul. Also it's not a particularly great album hence the surprise. That track is a standout though..... Ian D

Yep, there's a few tracks like this that weren't quite right at the time but sound oh so good now. I always quite liked Ronnie McNeir's "Now She's Gone" off his Prodigal album but it was a step too far at the time. Come to think of it, I haven't dug that out for a while either LOL..... I think there's gold in some of those albums. It's difficult to believe that I've had the bloody album for 35 years and only just latched on to this track. Love it and what a vocal performance from Jack! Everything I wanna hear on a record!

Wow, LOL. You're the last person I expected to leap in here Rog! I bought the album from Spin-Inn when it came out but can't remember listening to this track especially. Until now. Sounds absolutely breath-taking hearing it with fresh ears. Phew, I didn't imagine it then......it really is that good LOL.... Ian D

Jack Ashford's "Hotel Sheet" album recently crept into an S.S. thread so I thought I'd go back to it and have another listen. I wanted to hear "This Ain't Just Another Dance Song" again 'cos it's got the same backing track as "Paybacks's A Drag" by the Smith Brothers. Sadly it still doesn't quite cut it - unfortunately it still sounds a bit too contrived........ But there's another track on the album called "I'll Fly To Your Open Arms" which is nothing short of brilliant. Wow. What a record!!! Pure Detroit brilliance and Jack's in fantastic vocal form. One of the best records I've heard this year. Anyone else heard this? Ian D

Coming up LIVE @ 2.00-4.00pm this Sunday afternoon, come along and join the friendliest crowd on t'internet for another episode of the Original Mastercuts Show on www.starpointradio.com – presenting a seasonal special this week with the original duo of Ian D and Alan Champ doin' it LIVE! As per usual we'll be sweeping through the last 4 decades of glorious Soul Music for a 2 hour session packed to the seams with some of the greatest music ever released whilst being presented by two jocular hosts talking crap to a buzzing 'lil crowd of regulars on a COLD Sunday afternoon! Yep, I can't think of a nicer way to freeze our balls off.... It'll be a gas and a lovely session so please try and join us! So coming up tomorrow......... The Isley Brothers * The Originals * The Isley Brothers * Aaron Neville * Ferry Ultra feat Gwen McRae * Al Green * The Sylvers * Dee Dee Sharp Gamble * The Trammps * Leonard Lidell * Three Ounces Of Love * Marcus Love * Universal Mind * Dionne Warwick * Neo Experience * Marva Hicks * Jack Ashford * Joshie Jo Armstead * Turn Of The Century * The Lovelites * Holland & Dozier * The Chi-Lites * Mica Paris * Main Ingredient * Soulpersona feat Marvin Gaye See you @ 2.00pm! Ian D

He who shall not be named again! Absolutely phenomenal when first played. We couldn't stop singing it on the way back from the Mecca the first time he played it. One of the greatest IMO..... Ian D

Nope. Neither did the 'A' side either. This one popped up much much later (via the Mod scene maybe?). I can remember it being played on the radio when it was originally released. It wouldn't have been suitable back in the day to be honest as it was too easily available and there was a kind-of reverse snobbery about recent UK releases compared with the rarer U.S. and U.K. stuff. Always was a great record though...... Ian D

And ended up with me! That first copy was like the holy grail. Ian D

Didn't he find Johnny Hendley "My Baby Came From Out Of Nowhere" as well? Ian D

This is 100% what Soul Source should be about. Sharing knowledge and building awareness. Reg Bartlette's credentials are impeccable. Soul Source is the No.1 Northern Soul resource on the net and I'm sure Reg will soak up whatever knowledge can be thrown his way. I would urge anyone knowledgeable within this area to contribute. I don't know and have never met Reg, but I really applaud his efforts! If only I had that level of focus.......... Best, Ian D

From Detroit Northern Soul to Railway Memorabilia???? I wonder if he kept anything? Some folks are just plain strange. Once a collector always a collector....... Ian D

Correctomundo Dante. Well spotted. The last time S.S. appeared in person around Northern Soulers he almost got lynched and I ended up with a glass in my face! 'Persona Non Grata' was the most elegant way of putting it LOL... Ian D

Yep, Bob Foster was the Detroit man! I used to see the Welsh crew @ the Mecca or Casino most weeks and they'd always be going on about his legendary collection. 'Twas rumoured he had the first Tamiko Jones too........ Ian D

It was. First place I heard it anyway.........although as mentioned previously, there were plenty of pure Detroit collectors who may well have had it before the DJ's got copies. I can't remember his name (Bob ?) but there was a Detroit collector in Wales who had a lot of unknown stuff at the time but would never sell! Ian D

Much more than a night out Simon. It absolutely changed my life and I feel blessed to have been lucky enough to have lived through such a fantastic era. I often describe Northern Soul as being the eighth wonder of the world 'cos that's what it was to me. It got me on a plane to the states in '76, a million-selling record and pretty much a career doing what I love to do ever since. So no. Not a night out at all mate. More like 10,000 nights out! Merry Christmas! Ian D

I think the Velvets was played at the Torch first wasn't it? Dunno who got there first - it spread pretty quickly and there were a few copies around. "Easy Baby" was Richard Searling all the way. A big Va-Va's tune! Ian D

I think you're taking it all a little too righteously Posstot. Finding obscure Soul records was the foundation of the scene and it's always been a fundamental part of Northern Soul. Without those DJ's and collectors who started the scene we wouldn't be reading this forum now. I don't see that thread as point-scoring and I don't know what you mean by "under the desk, IN HAND shall we say". Under the desk? In hand? Sounds like a schoolboy perversion to me. I didn't know who discovered Jerry Williams but I do now and I LOVE stories like that and so do most of the forum judging by the popularity of the thread. Also it's really interesting to me to know where records were found, whether in the U.K., U.S. or elsewhere. I don't give a shit who found what really - I just like the stories. Discovering records is a pretty subjective thing anyway. Two of the most prolific 'discovers' of Northern Soul are persona non grata on here anyway so it didn't do them much good did it? All in all it's nice to have a positive thread for a change IMO. There was so much negativity going on at one stage that it was getting painful. We should celebrate this great music and salute those who keep digging up stuff. Most of the artists I've had the pleasure of meeting over the years have been knocked out and very grateful to the Northern scene. After all, it was the only scene in the world that appreciated their music and went to the trouble of finding it 'cos everyone else managed to miss it didn't they? Loosen up mate. It's Christmas and a time of goodwill to all men........ Ian D

You're absolutely right Dave. There were pretty big differences around the country. The schlepp from, say, Leeds to Yate was a long, long haul in those days but whenever some of us made the trip the playlists and DJ's were obviously different to 200 miles away in Leeds. I liked the regional variations. There was always a good chance to pick up records which you hadn't seen elsewhere. I got my Carstairs in Hanley, Lou Pride in Louth and Al De Lory in Peterborough - all a result of actually being at the places at the time. Plus there were those local breakout records - Ila Vann "You Make Me This Way" was established in Nottingham before it took off elsewhere. You could only hear Little Joe Romans if you caught Pep gigging so that usually meant the Midlands....... Ian D

I assumed that she might be related to Johnny and Capitol picked it up because of that but I've never researched her. Maybe someone on here knows more............? Ian D

First copy I saw was Kev's @ a Whitchurch All-Dayer I think...... Ian D

There ya go mate! History in the making. Wonder if Pete Smith was there that night? Ian D

Wow. What a story Richard. Brilliant find and one of the greatest records ever made. What year was this? Must've been around '71 or thereabouts? Too slow LOL? What were they thinking of.........? Ian D

Great, great stories Dave. Especially since I spent most of the Stafford era dicking around in London and as a result I missed out on the whole bloody scene! I only ever got the stories second or third hand when I bumped into Pat, Guy or some of the other regulars. I actually set off to Stafford on two or three occasions but always got de-railed along the way LOL, so this is great. What we really need is one of those Pete Frame "Family Tree" type of diagrams tracing the path of certain records, like he does with members of Rock groups. Here's an example:- https://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://www.diozine.com/Tree.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.diozine.com/Tree.htm&usg=__NxJvOIdXorIeqJwWhW293kmiwEo=&h=2468&w=2400&sz=1677&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=Tw2j0-PatS-7KM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=146&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpete%2Bframe%2Bfamily%2Btree%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1W1HPEB_en-GB%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1 Something like that would have been really handy on the Frank Wilson copies! It'd also be a great tool for people to verify the history and path of some of these records. For instance, the first copy of Lenny Curtis that I found on Bradford Market for 10p now resides in Ginger's box but I'd love to know where it went in between......... Dynamite thread though innit? Merry Christmas to you and Malayka! Ian D