Amsterdam Russ

No worries - I didn’t think you were implying anything. And agreed, online auctions aren’t 100% transparent. But then neither are those held in auction rooms and both telephone and sealed bids are allowed. Anonymity is an important factor. If I were bidding on a record auction, whether eBay, JM or anywhere else, I wouldn’t want the world knowing it was me, and thus what I’d bought and what I paid!

Chris Clark and Connie Clark are not the same person. https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?27699-quot-My-Sugar-Baby-quot-Who-Is-Connie-Clark

Why? Just cos it's the same tune reworked? Connie Clark sings dreadfully off key. No wonder it flopped. Great to dance to in an echoing hall a decade or more after it was recorded, but dirgy to listen to otherwise.

Lost in the wilderness - a brilliant and intensely deep track that picked up some traction on the funkier side of the scene half a dozen years ago or there abouts from the likes of 'Wayne Fatshoolaces', Steve Johnson (and to a lesser degree, myself - although you would have to have been early doors in Amsterdam to have heard it). Must say, I absolutely love it. JM auctioned a copy a few years back, not for 'Lost' but for the other side, and I think it fetched around the mid-200 quid. Of course, copies are available on Discogs for quite a bit less than that. I've seen the YT clips, and yes, there is a touch of Richard Prior there! Can't help you with the CD tracks, however, which was really what you were asking. Sorry...

You mean like this one (John E. Paul - I wanna know)? Back to Bruce Springsteen according to the website Kworb.net, which provides data on tunes being streamed and the like, ol' Brucey has just entered the global iTunes chart at #44. I'm sure it'll climb higher. https://kworb.net/ww/ It's also at #20 in the YouTube trending chart (which is probably down to all you guys having sneaky listens). https://kworb.net/youtube/trending.html

I played it to my 'other half' and without hesitation she said Bruce Springsteen. She did think, though, that it lacked the enthusiastic gusto of FW's original. Have to say, I think the arrangement has quite an authentic feel to it - unlike most modern-day classic Motown covers that have the drums way too high in the mix. On that basis, it might make for an interesting instrumental.

The song is way beyond the Northern Soul scene and has been for many a year. It's mainstream Motown pop and nothing more. As far as that song is concerned, it's no different to any artist doing a version of 'Dancing in the Street' or similar.

At least JM has some checks in place to make sure bidders and their sources of payment are genuine, and people are required to register before they can start bidding. On his site it states: Source: https://www.raresoulman.co.uk/auctionregistration/registration/

Yes, Berry Gordy's probably kicking himself, saying: "What was I thinking? I should have released that record!" Where Bruce Springsteen is concerned, well, pop singer sings pop song. That's about the long and the short of it.

My pleasure.

A link to the show would help, so here it is (I hope). Can't say I know the track myself:

Sad, very sad - but inevitable.

You might not think so, but it's a good enough photo for me. But with the Blue Jays playing, maybe it depends on the point of view. Sorry - couldn't resist.

No, the forward slash is used to clearly indicate two separate entities. What it says is “Tamla AND Motown”. Not “Tamla Motown” as a single entity.

I do wish people would provide links to their sources when quoting verbatim from websites and other places. It really is most helpful as it offers both a means for others to discover where the material comes from and can help with further investigation. It’s also common courtesy. 👍 With that in mind, here’s the link to the above quote: https://www.thehorsehospital.com/archives/past/the-chamber-of-pop-culture-past/the-tamla-motown-appreciation-society-bexleyheath

Excellent series, and there are indeed 10 episodes in season 4. Link to those via IMDB below: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4236770/episodes?season=4

I saw the news of Her Majesty’s passing about half an hour ago and must admit to having shed some tears. Although not directly of course, but Queen Elizabeth II was a part of probably every single day of my 57 years of life on this planet. She was perpetually on the news and in the papers - opening this, visiting that - doing her God-sworn duty and serving her people tirelessly til the end. I’m neither profoundly monarchist nor profoundly anti monarchy. Her Majesty gave a life-time of devoted service - quite literally - and the world is a much sadder place with her demise. God save the Queen.

Just to add something more, next year - 2022 - marks the centenary of the birth of Johnnie Mae Matthews. No better time for a radio-docu and/or a full-blown biopic!

That would be fantastic. She’s long overdue some mainstream recognition.

If you're looking for other ideas/stories to pitch, you could do worse than dig in to the life of singer, songwriter, producer and record label owner, Johnnie Mae Matthews. I've always thought that her life story would make for an excellent biopic - strong and ambitious Afro-American woman trying to make great strides in the male-dominated music world in 1950s/1960s Detroit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Mae_Matthews And I'm sure there are members on here who have contact with family members/friends - and indeed, I'm sure some on here would have met the great lady herself.

A few pics from last night's firework display in Aalsmeer. It takes place every year on the first Saturday of September (lockdowns excluded of course!) and is one of the three largest displays in the Netherlands. The fireworks are launched from a barge anchored about 50 metres from shore. It's well worth seeing if you happen to be in the Netherlands at that time of the year. The quality of my pics isn't brilliant as they were taken with my iPhone.

More info on the show here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bkr3

Yes, and to the best of my knowledge was put out before the pic sleeve 45 from the box set. On that basis it is therefore the ‘first release’. But others might disagree, and I stand to be corrected.

A family member posted about Johnny McCall's demise on my YT vid of "I need you". Upon replying to the family member with "Sad news. RIP", the response was: "Naw he was a mf..."

Amsterdam IJzijde (waterfront) the other night...