Ian Dewhirst

Way Hey! You're welcome Nige. 'Twas moi that played it surprise, surprise! Absolutely sounds killer over a big system......... Ian D

The media has never portayed all the sides of Northern Soul properly in my opinion and the Paul O'Grady Show was no exception. There's always been many sides to the scene but it always tends to be the more obvious caricatures which get the media's attention. The Northern Soul scene I was on back in the early 70's was certainly a hell of a lot cooler than I've ever seen portayed by any of the media in the last 35 years. I don't think I ever seen a single TV slot which has ever caught the scene properly - certainly not the parts I witnessed back then. The media certainly never seemed to concentrate on some of the more fashionable sides of the scene or some of the more interesting stories behind the characters or music of the time. Just like any other scene, there were many sides to the Nothern scene of the early 70's - a big melting pot of different people from well-educated intellectuals to drug-frazzled freaks. I always felt that it would be nice if all sides of the story could be covered. If it's any consolation, I felt EXACTLY the same when "Footsee" was performed on Top Of The Pops in January 1975 and I had to spend the next few years trying to explain to people that Northern Soul wasn't about records like bloody "Footsee" and people doing somersaults every two minutes LOL. I just had the self same conversation with my 14 year old daughter and ended-up having to pull some photos and books out to show her what we really looked like! Annoying but what can you do? Also, Paul O'Grady's show is really a bit of light entertainment 'fluff' for the family teatime viewers, so don't take it too seriously. I certainly didn't. Ian D

Mmm. Interesting. I'll check it out........... Ian D

Blimey. Mail box full this morning. Thanks everyone! Will PM everyone seperately and get the mail-out operation in hand today! We're rockin' now........! Ian D

Blimey 30 gone already in an hour and a half! Keep those PM's coming! Ian D

The Gary The Master Blaster Limited-Edition 7" is now available with a special price for Soul Sourcers! Check the sales thread! Boy, does it sound just GREAT!!!!! Ian D

Great tune plus the other side is pure 100mph Northern Soul IMO! I sold a few of my last copies on here a while back which all went really quickly but I bumped into my ex business partner last week and he's got a few tucked away so if anyone wants this brilliant double-sider then just PM me. Only a few @ £15.00 apiece so holler if ya want one......... Here are the clips (my own label so should be OK here):- "Continental Square Dance" - Joe Bataan "Johnny" -Joe Bataan As good a double-sider as I've ever heard! Ian D

Well we finally our hands on the first pressings of the magnificent "Cafe Regio's" by Gary The Master Blaster. This after rejecting two seperate sets of T.P.'s until we got the perfect 7" in our hands at last! This has never been on vinyl before and is backed with an alternative instrumental take by the Master Blaster Band. The story has been well documented elsewhere on Soul Source but essentially this was an updated version of Isaac Hayes' "Cafe Regio's" (the 'B' side of "Shaft" no less) which was recorded in 1998 and then overlaid with an original 1970 radio rap from Gary The Master Blaster - the legendary radio D.J. from Miami radio station WCKO who established a huge local audience as a result of his organic early radio 'raps' which were typical of the personality DJ's on U.S. black music stations in the early 1970's. We think this is a unique record which sounds like a breath of fresh air when played loud and is almost like a Detroit uptempo version of the original Ike Hayes tune with such a Soulful DJ on top of it. A real one-off recording! Gary The Master Blaster "Cafe Regio's" https://www.zshare.net/audio/183698315b8bc59d/ Over 700 downloads in the last 4 weeks alone. We've pressed exactly 1000 copies and will be going to wholesale and export this week. We think this record will appeal to different scenes and will go quickly - at least that's the plan so our fingers are crossed! There's already significant orders coming in from some unexpected places so well worth grabbing in our opinion! Expect some radio plays over the next few weeks too - it sounds brilliant on radio and just tremendous over a club system! We're raring to go go go.......... Since this track came about completely via Soul Source we're offering a special price to all Soul Source members of £7.99 (Retail Price is £9.99)! Please PM me if you want one. Wholesale enquiries are also welcome - just PM me for details. Best, Ian D

That wouldn't surprise me at all LOL. I can remember you being at the Central with 10p and a Mars bar on a Friday night, then seeing you everywhere throughout the weekend - Va-Va's, Mecca, Casino etc and you'd still manage to come back with records on the Sunday! Ian D

Well no excuse now Matt! I actually played it in the pub in Prestatyn and it sounded just brilliant....... Can anyone put a clip up? Ian D

I last saw him @ Midem in the South of France about 18 months ago and he was just fine then. He gave me a CD of his latest stuff but unfortunately it didn't rock my boat much - lots of badly recorded quasi Reggae type stuff which seemed a million miles away from his better stuff! Ian D

"It's All Been Said Before" - Bobby Hutton Should be a monster. It's the track directly after "Lend A Hand" on the album and it's just magnificent! Ian D

OK, I'll answer myself then LOL..... After going apoplectic at the manufacturer and threatening legal action, things started moving FAST! Just the way I like it. New metalwork for the 'B' side was done yesterday and will be checked @ 8.00am today. If the mastering engineer thinks it's OK, he will then call me and play me the 'B' side down a mobile phone. If it sounds OK over the mobile phone, I'll take his word for it and commence a pressing run of 200 copies. I will then arrive in Luton @ approximately 11.00am, check 'em personally and if all is hunky-dory, collect 200 copies and carry on up to Prestatyn. That's Prestatyn, OK? Not L.A. or New York. If I make it to the FREEZING chalet tomorrow night with a successful 7" pressing I'll be well happy! Hey, this is the glamourous world of Soul-Intention records. Welcome to the music biz 2008. Pretty good ay Pete? Ian D

Well, to anyone who thinks that being a record company tycoon is easy, I'd love 'em to see the level of stress I've been through this morning. The courier arrived @ 8.00am with the second set of TP's on Gary The Master Blaster (the first set which came through last week were frankly unlistenable). So I played the 'A' side which was perfect and then the 'B' side.........which jumped! On all 10 TP's!!! Ho hum. What does it take to get a 7" record manufactured properly in 2008? Ian D

I heard he just swapped it for Reykjavik! Ian D

OK, at long last I found a copy courtesy of Mark (nffc)! C.P. Spencer "This Man Loves You" https://www.zshare.net/audio/20163886314dd969/ Ian D

Download counts:- Gary The Master Blaster "Cafe Reggios" https://www.zshare.net/audio/183698315b8bc59d/ 668 downloads Freda Payne "Memories And Souvenirs" https://www.zshare.net/audio/19147069ac3e7081/ 54 downloads Brenda Holloway "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" https://www.zshare.net/audio/1988564700753962/ 221 downloads Gary The Master Blaster 2nd set of TP's now done - I'll get 'em in the morning! Ian D

You'd have been in heaven on Saturday night Pete. I played a gig with Jerry Dammers (of the Specials fame) and he played a stonking set of reggae 7"'s.......... Ian D

Well, it was one of THOSE weekends! Action-packed from Friday through to Sunday afternoon which made for a challenging show LOL. Amazingly it went without any obvious hitches this week. So all good! Maybe I should stay up for 36 hours and come in hung-over more often! Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst, on Sunday 5th October 2008 on www.starpointradio.com. To download the show simply hit the link below! Or for this and all archived shows please pay a visit to www.sixmillionsteps.com where you can download the last 4 weeks worth of all Six Million Steps produced shows. That's 16 hours of free music over the last 4 weeks alone! Plus, loads of new fully downloadable KILLER mixes in a variety of styles! So let's go with this week's show:- 1st Hour Mascara feat Luther Vandross - See You In L.A. Trilark - Love Never Looked Better Rodeo Jones - Natural World Michael Watson - Holding On Inner City - Whatcha Gonna Do With My Loving Hiroshima - One Wish (Instrumental) Diva Gray - Call, I Got What You Want Dolette McDonald - (Xtra) Special T.T.F. - Surprise, Surprise Andre Lee - Something About Your Love 2nd Hour George Clinton - Please Don't Run From Me Peaches & Herb - I Need Your Love So Desperately Earl Jackson - Soul Self Satisfaction Gary The Master Blaster - Caf Regio's Earl White Jr - Very Special Girl Stanley Williams - Count The Days Brenda Holloway - Home Is Where The Hatred Is Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This Marvin Gaye - I Want You J. Harris - My Baby Martine Girault - Revival Bran Van 3000 - Call Me (I'll Be Around) One Way - Don't Think About It Luther Vandross - See Me https://www.sixmillionsteps.com/6MS-2008-10-05-Starpoint.mp3 Best, Ian D

It wouldn't be unusual in my experience for U.S. artists to be totally ignorant of their foreign releases - especially in the 60's. Most of the indie label deals would probably have been made with the labels via middlemen who knew the foreign market better and the majors would do what they wanted if they thought they'd sell a few. I mean, even in 2008 I don't think artists would necessarily have a clue about what's being released in Venezuala or Equador for example and, truth be known, they're probably being worked in more lucrative territories and don't have much time to think about these things. So, business wise, I always tend to take the label owners a bit more seriously then the artists 'cos artists wouldn't necessarily know. They're too busy being artists! Ian D

Yep, me too! So much so that I'll playing it tomorrow on the show...... Mascara, Trilark, Romeo Jones, Michael Watson, Inner City, Hiroshima, Diva Gray, Dolette McDonald, T.T.F., Andre Lee, George Clinton, Peaches & Herb, Earl Jackson, Gary The Master Blaster, Cecil Lyde, Earl White Jr, Stanley Williams, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye, J. Harris, Marvin Gaye, Martine Girault, Bran Van 3000, One Way & Luther Vandross The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst, Every Sunday LIVE between 2.00-4.00 pm only on www.starpointradio.com. It'll sound great on the radio! Ian D

OK, the show's compiled early this week 'cos it looks like everyone's out tonight at various do's. So what better way to come around the next day then by listening to 2 hours of superior Soul music and listening to me battling my own hangover! Will see a bunch of the old Central crowd tonight down @ Abacus in the city for Lesley's birthday bash and leaving do, so expect a messy show LOL....... But I'm well-prepped with something for all tastes........ Mascara, Trilark, Romeo Jones, Michael Watson, Inner City, Hiroshima, Diva Gray, Dolette McDonald, T.T.F., Andre Lee, George Clinton, Peaches & Herb, Earl Jackson, Gary The Master Blaster, Cecil Lyde, Earl White Jr, Stanley Williams, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye, J. Harris, Marvin Gaye, Martine Girault, Bran Van 3000, One Way & Luther Vandross Tune-in and keep the party running from the comfort of your own home! The Original Mastercuts Show with Ian Dewhirst, Every Sunday LIVE between 2.00-4.00 pm only on www.starpointradio.com. Have fun all! Ian D

That's a lot of recordings. You have been a busy little bee haventcha? Ian D

LOL, are you reading this Neil (SoulAdequate) or Mark (nffc)? If so could ya PM me again if poss? I'm trying not leave too many stones unturned, as there are obviously a lot of stones in there like Gary The Master Blaster, Freda Payne, David Ruffin, Brenda Holloway etc, etc. How many bloody tunes have you recorded Ian? Do you have a total count.........? It's an exhaustive job but someone's gotta do it! Ian D

105 downloads in 12 hours! Someone out there likes it! Ian D