Listen: Get To Steppin’ / Jackie Day JackieDaySteppin.mp3
Like the rest of the world, I know very little about Jackie Day. She had a single on UK Sue, was married to Big Jay McNeilly, and ‘Get To Steppin’ was, prior to this promo only 7″ release, never issued on a 45. It’s featured on the Ace 6TS 100 CLUB ANNIVERSARY SINGLES compilation cd – and in true form, Kent Records have made the DJ only single available in a plain white, as opposed to full colour company sleeve, just like in the 60′s.
Listen: Getting Might Crowded / Betty Everett BettyEverettGetting.mp3
A nice one to have on Vee Jay, but even nicer on UK Fontana. A Northern Soul classic, a Mod favorite, lot’s of descriptions have been pinned on this baby. Part of a healthy chart run in ’65 – she had five BILLBOARD Top 100′s. Pretty much all of her Vee Jay output is worth having. Good songs, most of them have been covered too. This one’s a perfect snapshot of the time period’s all nighter club ambience. Best left alone, kinda like ‘Be My Baby’.
Listen: Gin House Blues / The Amen Corner AmenGin.mp3
Listen: The World Of Broken Hearts / The Amen Corner AmenWorld.mp3
Listen: High In The Sky / The Amen Corner AmenHigh.mp3
It’s interesting that despite today’s technology, and all the immediacy of it, things in 1967 were happening pretty fast too. ‘Gin House Blues’, released on July 21 (according to the above hand written test pressing) actually charted 6 days later on July 26, peaking at #12. Almost as unlikely a mainstream hit, it’s followup, ‘The World Of Broken Hearts’ spent six weeks in the UK Top 50, reaching #24. Singer Andy Fairweather Low’s strangled delivery didn’t initially appear to have mass appeal, but subsequent singles, like the near US hit ‘High In The Sky’ proved otherwise. Indeed, The Amen Corner took Roy Wood’s (should-have-been-a-single for his band The Move) ‘Hello Suzie’, to a UK #1 in ’69, the band having left Deram for Immediate by then. Their album only (except in Holland) version of The Soul Survivors’ hit, ‘Expressway To Your Heart’, apparently became a much played track in the Northern Soul clubs.
For the record, let me share some factual information: all promotional A labels from UK Decca and it’s subsidiaries (Deram, London, etc), up until mid-’69, were shipped in white sleeves. As tempted as you may be to put a company stock bag on them – it’s just not correct. Hence, any of the records I post in white sleeves are there for authenticity. The UK promo of ‘The World Of Broken Hearts’ pictured above is the ’69 reissue, by then being shipped in the Deram company sleeve. Oh, in the US, Deram promo singles shipped in Deram sleeves by the label’s second release (The Move ‘Night Of Fear’). Only the very first US Deram promo 7″ (Beverley ‘Happy New Year’) came in a plain brown sleeve. What can I say, I am completely obsessed with having my records in their correct covers.
Listen: Cry To Me / Betty Harris BettyHarrisCryToMe.mp3
Listen: I’ll Be A Liar / Betty Harris BettyHarrisIllBeALiar.mp3
Bert Berns’ classic ‘Cry To Me’ had the luxury of being recorded by some truly seminal acts: Solomon Burke (who cut the classic original RnB chart entry), The Rolling Stones and The Pretty Things (see previous post). Often criminally overlooked when sighting legendary versions, Betty Harris not only belts out a rip roar performance for this A side, but actually out does herself on the flip ‘I’ll Be A Liar’. Also written by Burns, and as with it’s top side, produced by Leiber & Stoller, I’d bet this is the hotter of the two. The sparsity of the arrangement leaves plenty of space for her to shred the lead – pretty much scaring off any female competition. I don’t know of another version.
Betty went on from Jubilee to the Sansu label, recording ten singles there with Allen Toussaint. Although most of her work is collectable to both Deep Soul and Northern fans, my money’s on this essential double sider as the Betty Harris desert island choice.
Listen: What’cha Gonna Do / The Ikettes Ikettes.mp3
May 24, 2009: one year since the launch of and first ever post on SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME.
What better way to celebrate the occasion than:
1) Improve the blog by creating expansion abilities to include new features over the next few months. And to achieve that, we’re moving to our own .com (bookmark this new address please):
2) Re-post that original entry from May 24, 2008. The Ikettes / What’cha Gonna Do (music above/text below)
3) Take a week off. Never one to sit still, I’m going to Europe with Matt & Kim – and also acquiring one sick ass 45 collection in London – lots of amazing new records to write about as a result. My dear friend, and ska/reggae expert/addict Duane Sherwood will be filling in for the next week or so. Watch for his first post tomorrow!!!!
ORIGINAL POST FROM MAY 24, 2008:
The Ikettes only Phi-Dan release came out in early ’66. This was around the time of Phil Spector’s involvement with Ike & Tina, not just producing, but also including them on his Big TNT Show, filmed in November of ’65. The lineup on this record, courtesy of the fantastic booklet from Ace Records recent Ikettes anthology, CAN’T SIT DOWN….’COS IT FEELS SO GOOD, was PP Arnold on lead vocals, with Tina, Brenda Holloway and her sister Patrice on backgrounds. I’m launching this blog with The Ikettes simply because it’s a record I’m currently nuts about. Actually, right now, I’m in a serious Ikettes phase, fueled by the aforementioned CD. I was in London last week with Matt & Kim, and staying with Roger Armstrong, a great friend who founded and owns Ace. It was one of the discs he gave me, and I just poured over the booklet on the entire flight back home to New York. The CD is a must. And also try finding this single (the CD only draws from their releases on Modern Records). As you can hear, it’ll be worth the search. I picked it up off eBay a few months back having had no idea it existed. $65 later, it’s one of those great moments when you realize there’s always something else that needs to be added to the collection.
Listen: Sweet Sherry / JJ Barnes
Sweet
There’s a fantastic double cd anthology, THE IN CROWD – THE STORY OF NORTHERN SOUL that instantly moved my interest and knowledge in the genre forward exponentially. I became insatiable and was somewhat content to find that many of the classics I already had in my collection. But it didn’t stop my quest for all the others. The cd was issued with an accompanying book, equally great. It’s pretty funny to read the quotes by various DJ’s and journalists centric to Northern, all militant about having the final say, or getting the ultimate credit, on a record. Still, it’s great music and loads of fun to collect.
JJ Barnes had a few moderately successful singles in the 60′s.
But it’s ‘Sweet Sherry’, originally an LP track from RARE STAMPS that, without being released as a single, became a big deal in the Northern Soul clubs of England and subsequently, bootlegged. Or maybe kind-of-officially released after the fact, it’s findable as a 7″, I think.
Listen: When The Tanks Roll Over Poland Again / Automatics Automatics.mp3
Who is the best living rock producer? Steve Lillywhite.
There are many, and I’m probably writing this without really thinking it through. Whatever. Steve has made so many great records for decades. The list is staggering: XTC, The Psychedelic Furs, Joan Armatrading, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Ultravox, fuck it – loads.
U2 – even if the band isn’t, to my tastes, great – the recordings are wonderful. For all the sonic wonder he has added to U2 alone, he still had to start somewhere.
Enter The Automatics. Certainly not his first, but definitely an early production. He’s come a long way. Or did he arrive fully formed?
This certainly captured the sound of London ’78. Those shouty vocals, bratty guitar grinds and the beautiful clunk of a noisy rhythm section all rolled up into a loveable mess. Either its great or it isn’t, and this is. If you add to that recipe an anthemic song, well, you end up with ‘When The Tanks Roll Over Poland’ by The Automatics, for one.
Listen: Reach Out Your Hand / The Brotherhood Of Man BrotherhoodReach.mp3
No question about it, THE ESSENTIAL NORTHERN SOUL PRICE GUIDE is one of the best books ever. It’s my idea of what to read by the fireplace on a snowy winter afternoon. But I really do have one complaint. This single is not included. Clearly authors Martin Koppel, a particularly nice fellow who ran Toronto’s Kop’s Collectabiles for ages nd Tim Brown know what they’re talking about. I know Martin is English, as I’ve bought many a single from him through the years, and I guess Tim is too. So understandably, sometimes the Brits have their heads in spaces other than their own backyard, yet all is forgiven. Basically, this fits really nicely into any mix of Northern I’ve ever done. Plus it’s on Deram. I like anything on Deram, even the schmaltziest stuff, which The Brotherhood Of Man would dependably deliver on a regular basis. Keith Mansfield was involved in this one, he did some great stuff for The Love Affair too.
If you’re in New York, go now to Bleeker Street Records. There’s a ton of 7″ warehouse fresh finds in the basement 3 for $1.00. Mike Goldsmith alerted me to them. Been twice, between the two of us, we’ve lightened their load by a few hundred. Returned today and picked up three more copies of this, and plenty are left. Have fun.
Listen: Agent Double-O-Soul / Edwin Starr EdwinStarrDouble.mp3
An original talcum powder classic and way before ‘War’.
Listen: The Muffin Man / World Of Oz
The Muffin Man / World Of Oz
Seems the labels had a stable of in-house producers back in the 60′s. And many times they’d be given the new signings to whip into shape, and record in those infamous four or six hour windows. I’m guessing these producers were either on staff, or had production deals, similar to today’s consultancies. People like Denny Cordell and Mike Hurst come to mind, as does Wayne Bickerton.
I first noticed his name on Decca and Deram releases. A very favorite was ‘The Muffin Man’ by World Of Oz. It got a lot of Top 40 play in the US for a few weeks during summer ’68. Years later, in the Notting Hill Record & Tape Exchange, I stumbled on a copy with this very rare UK sleeve pictured above. My heart just about stopped. I’d no idea it existed as it’s not mentioned in any of the price guides and I’d never seen another. ‘The Muffin Man’ was part of their rather lavish album, lavish for the time that is, apparently requiring a huge budget. I was lucky enough to meet Wayne about four years ago on a New York trip, and meant to ask that budget detail. I had many questions, and he was fantastic about filling in so many blanks, but that one slipped my mind. Always an admirer of his work, it was a fascinating hour or two.
Listen: Baby You’ve Got It / Clyde McPhatter
Baby You've Got It / Clyde McPhatter
Although an original member of The Drifters, Clyde McPhatter oddly moved to England, and even odder, signed to Deram. Come on, The Drifters were the definition of Harlem Doo Wop and such. Why did this guy pick up and go to London? Was he a closet Anglophile? Luckily, Wayne Bickerton was put in charge and produced his Northern Soul hit ‘Baby You’ve Got It’. Applying his trademark orchestration, the song became Clyde McPhatter’s strongest single ever.
Listen: Sugar Baby Love / The Rubettes
Sugar Baby Love / The Rubettes
Occasionally I hear The Rubettes ‘Sugar Baby Love’ and it jumps out every time. A perfect combination of glam and maybe doo wop meets Four Seasons or something. Not only did he produce it, but co-wrote the song as well.
Listen: The Duck / Jackie Lee 19 The Duck.mp3
This is one of those records you heard a bunch for about 4 months, then never again – ever, until Northern Soul thankfully came along. It was probably a token RnB single, that somehow crossed into pop despite being on the small LA label, Mirwood. Not sure how those things happened back then but they did. Anyways it was danceable, which probably helped. He was one half of Bob & Earl (see an earlier post on them) – Earl to be exact – under an assumed name: Jackie Lee, but only for this brief solo run.
Listen: Baby I Need You / Marsha Gee
Baby
I know very little about Marsha Gee. Actually, I know nothing about her. I got this record from a radio station PD in ’79. The said station, WSAY, had an extensive record library that was simply off limits to everyone but employees from the ’60′s onwards.
When the original owner decided to sell and leave the staff high and dry, that music director decided to take care of a few of the nice promotion people he had dealt with over the years. Luckily I was one and he brought round two huge burlap bags full of 7″ singles to my place one spring day.
It was a selection never to forget. And this record by Marsha Gee was one of them. I always loved it, little did I know it was Northern Soul waiting to be. To be honest, I truly always had a hunch it was valuable and now, if and when it goes up for sale, the ticket clocks in around $300. But as Duane has told me many times, that doesn’t mean any money in the bank for me. You see, I can’t part with a thing, making all this stuff basically worthles until I croak of course, which I have no plans on doing for another hundred years.
