Ian Dewhirst

Now here's someone who has their priorities right. Steve, your attitude is much too sensible for 'Vinyl Therapy' LOL..... Quite right too: your health is your wealth at the end of the day. And there were a few black Patti & The Emblems around back in the day when it was a £2 'in every box' type record, I seem to remember......... Ian D

Hey, that's weird....? How come we have more replies than views? How is that possible? Has the view counter stuck or something.........? Oops, gotta go for a cuppa.... Ian D

Well that just serves ginger-minge right LOL! That Ron got away with bloody murder back in the day so he had it coming and he got well and truly served there LOL. That'll make the bugger realise the consequences of his actions 'cos I bet he's really tormented by that to this day! Now THAT is theraputic LOL.... Ian D

Ouch! Now that's EXACTLY the stuff of horror stories! My commiserations Ken. Never has the title of a record been more appropriate! I feel your pain. Ian D

It's theraputic Eddie! Your pain is good for the well-being of all of us LOL...... But the Larry Atkins on Romark is a bit difficult to bear. If it's any consolation at all, I had both the Ty Karims, a Virginia Blakely, a Delilah Moore (one of the Modern ones I sold to Pat) and a Chico Lamarr I sold to Tim Brown. And you're right, this isn't really helping is it? Who's bloody idea was this??????? Ian D

Aha Mr Senior, I thought you'd pop up on this! I STILL have all those nice white-promo 12"'s I used to buy off you in the 70's LOL... Amazing how having a few copies of something makes you sell 'em too cheap at the time.......and then they come back to haunt you as a painful memory years later..... EXACTLY what this thread is all about LOL........ My God. No one's gonna thank me for this are they........? Ian D

Harry's never gonna hear the last of this is he Di? And I haven't even started on him yet LOL...I thought I'd let him revel in his moment of glory but I'm coming in for the kill next week when we should have been in LA raising hell! Still a great story though and there's deffo a screenplay in it. I don't know if Dean Cavannaugh caught the story but he'd love it. So maybe we can still get that dosh out of the Weinsteins LOL.... Good. Things warming up nicely now.....! Ian D

Clandestine meetings in a damp basement? I wish I'd thought of that LOL.... OK, then Jo, I'll PAY for the stories godammit! And the way that I'll pay is by gauranteeing a theraputic session right here on SS. Yep, that's right folks, you too can get rid of those nightmares forever by pouring out your hidden, submerged memories and secret fears on this very thread. It's called 'Vinyl Therapy". A sort of A.A. for painful record experiences, which we need to log for posterity. As I said to Harry, it may be painfull to some but it's absolutely cathartic and you will ultimately emerge from the experience a more relaxed and well-rounded young woman knowing that you have shared your experiences with others. So, as Al Pacino stated several times in his role as Puerto-Rican gangster Carlito Berganzi (where he displays the duplicity and subsequent torment between his reformed spirit and the endless seduction of the street), in Brian DePalma's superbly directed "Carlito's Way"........... Here comes the PAIN........" Ian D

Yep, forgot it's tonight LOL! I went to the chemist yesterday and ended up in Hoxton last night listening to Disco-Trance LOL and today I'm feeling the PAIN, which is what this thread is all about! So any advance on Harry's Al Williams W/D? For £30? Mmm, the chemist must have been closed...... Good luck tonight mate and regards to the missus..... Ian D

This thread will get rid of that pain Harry! It'll be cathartic to re-live the experience and pour it out for the benefit of younger SSers who HAVEN'T FELT THE PAIN LOL... For instance, I'm living the pain of NOT going to L.A. to spend Harvey Weinsteins money now and that's YOUR bloody fault! I WANTED Don Cornelius to sue you LOL. We'd have made a fortune........ Hey, how was it last night? And did the pics come out OK in the Evening Post........? Ian D

Well, it's happened to all of us hasn't it? At some point most of us have had a record in our hands that is very special. Then, for one reason or another, you allow the record to leave the cosy comfort of your collection and then spend the rest of your life regretting the fact that you'd allowed it to slip through your fingers. It may have been for a number of reasons. Possibly there was another fresher record that you wanted and in order to get it, you may have had to trade that special one, thinking that you'd be able to get it again in the future. Or, in my day, it could be that one of the special ones was about to be bootlegged, so it'd be traded in a swap deal or sold to an 'oldies' collector. That's where my Eula Cooper, Four Perfections, Tomangoes, Yvonne Baker and Detroit Executives went for instance - all of them being mega-rare at the time. Or it may have been a financial imperative. I've had about 4 seperate Northern collections over the years. My first collection was sold to finance a trip to the U.S. in 1976, which co-incidentaly meant I amassed a second collection almost immediately. I eventually got back to the UK and used Collection No.2 to fund a few essential purchases - cars, clothes, women and investments in a 'live fast, die young' lifestyle which obviously failed miserably! Collection No.3 came following lots of trips to the U.S. in the 80's where I hit lucky a few times before hitting a slump at the end of the decade which Collection No.3 got me over and helped me to finance the development of a great compilation series (Mastercuts). This was when I sold a BEAUTIFUL little Modern collection to Pat Brady which would now be worth £30K by itself! Then, in the 90's I got lucky again and acquired a tasty UK collection and some lovely RARE U.S. originals which contributed to Collection No.4. But then I had to finance another venture, so bang went my my Alexander Patton, Lou Johnson, Garnet Mimms, Levi Jackson and Major Lance promos along with a ramp of U.S. goodies. Some of you on here bought 'em so I know they went to good homes! I've got battle-hardened over the years and I'm now used to maintaining a 'floating' collection all the time. I keep everything in one form or another, so I still have everything that I've ever owned or wanted right here. But, alas, Stanley Mitchell is not on a Dynamo white-promo anymore and the Professionals is a boot LOL......... However, every so often, I sometimes wake up in the dead of night covered in a film of sweat reliving the tortuous moment when I had to let a goody go! One instance that springs to mind was when I flogged the ONLY test-pressing in existence of the Si Hightower ep to Colin Dilnot in the late 70's. I KNEW it was a one-off and incredibly rare but, to be honest, it was WAAY to slow for the Northern scene at the time and wasn't one of my preferences anyway. So I let it go to a good home - to someone I knew would really appreciate the record and nurture it until it was ready, which, as it happens, is EXACTLY how things turned out. So a good decision in my opinion. And this is how I've managed to justify letting some key records go over the years LOL..... But I wonder whether Les McCutcheon, Johnathan Woodliffe and Kev Roberts have similar nightmares over THAT 1st copy of Frank Wilson? Were they happy? What circumstances made them pass on the only-known copy of the ultimate rarity? And can they sleep at night LOL.... So what records have YOU let pass through your fingers and then regretted it forever? The records don't have to be mega-rarities either. They could be records which have a strong sentimental tie for you or which remind you of a particularly good or poignant time in your life. Or they may be unique copies in some way or other. But it still tugs your heartstrings on occasion just thinking about that particular record, who you sold or swapped it with and the reasons why you sold or swapped it at the time. There's gotta be some GREAT stories here, so let's hear 'em! Ian D

Yeah Di, course we can go - we just need to antagonise Mr Cornelius again! Plus I put a none-refundable deposit down on the hookers and the Chippendales and I don't want to lose it! Maybe Harry could accuse Don Cormelius of attempted aggravated buggery or something? That'll GUARANTEE we'll get to L.A...... Some come on, get yer sunglasses out........ Ian D

Dammit Harry! That not what I wanted at all! The plan was to convert this into a WORLDWIDE CONTROVERSY so that we could then flog the film script to Harvey Weinstein and then go to L.A. and spend all his cash! Oh well, let's get back to basics again. Please use the artwork from the following logo on all future Soul Train flyers, ads, beer mats and ashtrays........ If at first you don't succeed........... Ian D

Sounds great Di! Lemme order up a private show from the Chippendales for you whilst Harry and I attend to, ahem, some important contractual type business which you wouldn't really understand........ And I take it you'll wanna do the Rodeo Drive shopping excursion on Day 2...........? Beauty/Spa/Make-Over treatment is lined-up for Day 3 and the Cosmetic Surgery consultation for Day 4 (not that you need it of course)............ How's that sound? Ian D

Yep, I like the sound of that! Plus I know the turf. We can drop in @ Soussan's for a natter and find out how to scam the film business. I've just got off the blower with Harvey & Bob @ The Weinstein Company and they love it. We're up to $2.5 million for the option on the script providing we can get Dean Cavannaugh to write it, which should be a doddle! I dunno about you Harry, but I could sure do with a couple of hundred large in my pocket plus we'll need about $50K for 'out-of-pocket' expenses if we're gonna do L.A. properly. I've booked us into the Regent Beverly Wiltshire - https://www.forbes.com/2002/03/07/0307feat_9.html Can you let me know if this is OK and I'll book the hookers...... Ian D

Which would just never happen these days would it? Probably only took 'em a couple of hours between 'em...... And to think Guns & Roses have only taken 17 years to complete the follow-up to their last album LOL! Ian D

Maybe this should also be explained to Mr Cornelius, who I'm sure doesn't appreciate the rich tapestry of local history surrounding Soul, Trains and York! I doubt if he's even been on a bloody train! He should have called the show "Soul Chauffer-Driven Limo" which would have been much more appropriate in his case! Ian D

Brilliant Harry! You can come up with your own bloody story! Ian D

LOL, it's only 'cos there was a suggestion a while back that I'd had 'cosmetic enhancement' LOL. I'd like it to be known publicly from this point forward, that the only cosmetic surgery I'm even considering is a penis reduction, OK? Best of luck Harry. I'd ask them to put their concerns in writing, then, when you get a letter from them, copy it and draft your own press release and then leak the story to Calendar and get a TV crew down there as well! I'll deal with the tabloids on that 60/40 LOL. Should be worth £20K on a slow day...... Hollywood beckons young man! Ian D

Oi you! I'll have you know that the only time my nose has ever been surgically altered was when a one-pint beeg keg connected with it @ Blackpool Mecca thankyou very much. As for the teeth, well, maybe there's been some dickering around over the years...... Lawyers and Dentists - I hate 'em LOL! Personally I love the 'David & Goliath' imagery. I'd cut a deal with Don on the basis that both you and him could get a blizzard of publicity out of this - he'll get to licence the "Soul Train" DVD's in the UK and publicise 'em and you keep the "Soul Train" nights in York and triple the audience! He's not daft. He knows the value of publicity. Ian D

Well I've always traditionally had a lot of bad luck with lawyers. I've lost every case that I've ever employed a lawyer for and paid a fortune for the privilege. Including one massive £28,500 bill for fighting for the rights to the Mastercuts name and trademark. It's not worth getting into a legal battle in the UK. The law is hazy, there are a zillion and one different types of trademark and they're all argueable for ages, which costs. Basically it's the same concept as the U.S., namely, 'he who hath the dosh, wins'. The alternative is that it could be turned into a HUGE publicity angle which would probably end up scaring 'em away, i.e. 'Rich American TV Tycoon Tries To Close Down Local Soul Night' - a sort of David & Goliath scenario for the tabloids. Harry could appear on telly as the local man with a heart of gold doing something good for the community fighting against the faceless U.S. corporation who want control of two everyday words - 'soul' and 'train'. A sort of "Local Hero" for the North. F&*k me! What a GREAT idea! Harry - I'll give you £200K for the film rights now mate! What a story! Ian D PS "Soul Locomotive"?

He's probably bang to rights as Paul says. The same guy didn't have a problem closing Soul Train records down and forming Solar records shortly after Shalamar sold a million! But he obviously owns the copyright on the name and he's also not afraid of incurring legal costs and instigating litigation that's for sure. I'd be inclined to drop 'em a line to let 'em know that they're really barking up the wrong tree on the basis that it's a bit petty to try and close down a night that's been going for 6 years and attended by SOUL FANS who put Don Cornelius where he is in the first place! But in my experience they're usually not bothered by such arguements. You also have to be careful at being too close to 'Soul Train' as they can still argue that you're 'passing off' by being too similar to their trade mark. Storm in a teacup really but presumably that's what they pay their lawyers for, pain in the ass that it is! 'The Soultraining Sessions', 'Yorksoul Train', 'Soulytrain' - there's a million ways to skin a cat Harry........ Ian D

Also it helps to know who's in the market for certain things. I just sold about 25 records for £350 which would never sell on E-Bay or anywhere else IMO. But I knew what the guy would be into so he was happy and I was happy. Likewise, that pile of old boots and UK reissues that would never excite any interest on here, might be incredibly tempting to some person or young DJ who wants to 'learn' the scene with some great recommendations. So anyone buying a couple of hundred boots and reissues @ a fiver or tenner each is OK with me..... Ian D

Lead her in with these (to soften her up a bit):- "Mother-In-Law" - Ernie K. Doe "Mama, You're Alright With Me" - The Four Tops Then into:- "Mama Said" - Little Eva Plus she already knows you're shlupping her daughter, so to get the point across:- "Mama's Baby (Ain't A Baby No More)" - The Attractions Then if she's hanging around too much start playing this a lot:- "Don't Wait Up For Me Mama" - Barbara & Brenda And when she finally moves out you can play:- "Mama's Gone" - Little Johnny Blair And celebrate LOL. Ian D

Well, sure it's camp but that wasn't the actual name was it? I seem to recall it being "This Man Of Mine" - Estell Levitt..... Ian D