Amsterdam Russ

The Age recording reached #20 in the Billboard R&B chart and #126 in the pop chart in 1963.

I wouldn't call 100+ missing packages bad luck, I'd call it an absolute nightmare. Still, got to agree that better communication with customers would have helped soothe them. At the same time It might even have helped alleviate some of the pressure a little. Got to feel for the guy regardless.

Terry Cole posted the following on the Colemine Facebook page earlier today: Happily for you, you won't have to deal with them again. <added> Guess it'd make sense to link to the Colemine FB page… here: https://www.facebook.com/Colemine45

It's quite incredible to contemplate how sometimes music touches the hearts and lives of so many people, not just at the time the music was created, but across generations, decades and continents. Billy, you're a man whose music has done exactly that. Sending you best wishes and positive thoughts from the Netherlands.

Great shot. Had no idea that Northern Soul hand/arm gestures had become so widespread.

I hear exactly what you're saying about the Jimmy Webb feel to the lyrics. That said, with the lack of sophistication they sound more Webb-wannabee than Webb himself. Rather than this being Chris Clark (?!), maybe whoever was in charge of the pen and the destiny of the recording at the time thought that this song demo might be worth sending in her direction.

Sky News has put parts of both songs side by side so that you can see the similarities - or not. https://news.sky.com/video/1442791/listen-blurred-lines-give-it-up Have to admit I'm struggling to hear any real sense of copying at all. It sounds like $7.3m worth of stupidity to me.

One thing I can say for sure, I've never tried to clean a record with a car windscreen washer!

Of course it does. If the quality of the paper used for the label is poor, avoid getting it wet. I make a judgement call every time and haven't ruined anything yet.

Read lots of positive comments about the stuff, but never used it. Not felt the need, but perhaps worth a go if I can find it or an equivalent here in the Netherlands.

Only if you're using too much washing up liquid and then not rinsing enough.

Likewise, a keen user of wood glue when a soapy sponge and water isn't effective.

The word you're looking for is "lint"

Prolonged water contact is a no-no, of course, but I quite happily rinse 45s - label and all - under the tap with no ill effect. Sometimes I'll even immerse them in a sink full of water, again with no damage. Vinyl or styrene, they're tough things 45s.

Get a clean washing up sponge and some washing up liquid. Run the tap so the water coming out is tepid. Add generous drops of washing up liquid to sponge. Soak sponge with tepid water so it's full of washing up foam. Wipe sponge (not the scourer side!) vigorously around both playing surfaces. Turn on tap so the tepid water runs cold. Put record under tap and wash off all the soapy bubbles. Pat down with kitchen roll on both sides & put somewhere it can dry. I place 45s on a wooden kitchen spoon which is secured in a horizontal position. It's perfect for air drying discs. Repeat as needed. If that doesn't improve a 45, you might want to think about the glue treatment.

Funfair adventures - final part!

Funfair adventures - part 2...

Lovely sunny day here in the Netherlands. To celebrate, we went to the funfair and we saw… (part 1)

A recent balcony visitor. This was on a particularly wintery day this year, as you can tell by the collared dove's plumped up plumage.

How dare record companies reissue obscure music from their back catalogue? How dare they bring music that's known only to a minority to the attention of a wider audience? How dare they share the legacy of the mainly long-forgotten artists and groups involved and help make their music accessible to everyone? How dare they? I mean really? We all know that singers and groups fought hard to achieve real obscurity, to never be known for their work, for their music to be unknown except to a few. And they most certainly did not want to gain recognition, respect or royalties. I mean, that's why they went into the recording studios, right? What are record companies playing at? They should stop it immediately. Reissues are killing music!

Never seen one myself. "You don't know nothing…" was the A side. Ragovoy was effectively running Loma out of New York at that time and this, of course, is one of his trademark monster productions. The long version is 3:56 while the edit is 3:11.

The rarer stock copy? What? There isn't a promo of "Mean it baby". The white label of Loma 2068 features a long and short version of "You don't know nothing about love". Get your facts right!

That's £651.00 too much in my book.

Post 334… No matter who posted it first here, it's an incredible, once in a lifetime shot!

Thanks for the explanation. All that remains to be said is... …brilliant timing!