Listen: Excerpts From ‘What’s So Great About UK Records’
Excerpts From 'What's So Great About UK Records'

Thursday May 12, 2011. Mike Goldsmith is driving toward his parking garage on W 57th Street, and spots the daily church sidewalk sale’s tables, just between 9th and 10th Ave, are filled with boxes of records. First rule: abort all other plans and check out records at just this type of miracle, which he does. What does he find? Hundreds of UK Records and UK Records related items, including master tapes, acetates and more. So my phone rings around 9:30am, with a quick order to get over there fast. Fifteen minutes later I’m double timing out of the Columbus Circle subway stop and hoofing it towards the sale.

Turns out this stash represented what was left behind by Jonathan King, who kept a NY apartment just one doorway down from the church’s location. His relatives cleaned out much of what they thought he might want, and the rest was going to charity. Luckily, I had a connection to the great man, and he emailed to confirm and explain. So there you go.

Even these left overs included an array of jaw droppers. The first of which I’ve posted above. Good thing I had no idea this teaser 7″ sampler existed prior, or I’d have been searching hard for years.

I must say, for a guy with such an ear for pop, I admit baffle when it comes to JK’s faith in Ricky Wilde’s vocal capabilities. Maybe he was angling toward sister Kim. That would make sense. Poor Tina Harvey, well she’s not far behind. Offset that with 10cc and Roy C, and all is forgiven, easily forgotten to be exact.

Another UK Records find in tomorrow’s post.

Listen: Shotgun Wedding / Roy C RoycShotgun.mp3

You’d think this was originally recorded down Jamaica way, given the record’s audio quality seemingly captures not only the sound associated with the lilting rhythms of early ska recordings, in that rock steady and blue beat style, but the very time period as well. Like Roy C himself, the recording is New York based.

A UK #6 in ’66 on Island, yet despite a dated sound even for ’72, it still re-entered and peaked at #8 in England when reissued on Jonathan King’s Decca distributed UK label. A bit of a timeless audio document, it’s addicting in the same way ‘Harlem Shuffle’ by Bob & Earl, another New York recording, still is today. The power of a great record seldom dies.