Republished with the kind permission of Dave Godin
''Dear Dave: Can you honestly tell me the reason you're involved with Pye's "Right On!'' label? If it's to let the artist get the money, then why not the record company too? Why not let them become famous? Is it because you want the glory of making people believe you discovered the artist? Then there's the question of why is it any Soul record released has not made it into the Top 20? Is it because no one really is interested in Soul? Think about it. Also, who is it that says these records are in demand? Why not have a survey at an all nighter? I would be happy to see you and let the people who make Soul what it is give us the answer and that is the audience. Soul is the music many of us enjoy, that is why we are a class of our own. Why are many of the big DJ's, including you, still playing records at venues? Why not all get together and go on radio? Would you be happier then, to have them become pop records? Soul to me is music to dance to, music from the heart, music you never find in pop records, and as for you, the only reason you do this is for the money as you know. If not then why don't you give your commission to the artist or to the DJ's who take the trouble of finding these records and you take the credit. I believe in cover-ups merely to put people like you out of business, because when we find these sounds all of a sudden they're turned into pop records. If people want our music let them come to Soul clubs because take the Northern Soulers away and people are happy with The Bay City Rollers or some thing. If you want to help Soul then let the true record companies know so they have a chance with the artist. Aren't you taking some of the glory from them? How many cover-ups have you got and how many of your secret hidden sounds are stored in your box? The reason I sign myself soulfully is because I don't lead people up the garden path by telling them to support Soul, it's your music, and then ripping them off by making their music pop music or making silly badges and letting every div wear them when they never went to a venue in their lives.''
When I read the above letter, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and although one's first impulse is to merely dismiss it or ignore it, on reflection it is full of so many of the various mistaken notions that float around the heads of an infinitesimally small minority of Northern ''Soul" fans that I thought I'd use it to straighten out any similar vestiges of muddled thinking that might linger in anyone's mind about the Soul music scene. I admit that letters like this make me angry because firstly they are so arrogant, and secondly because they presume that in some mysterious way just by listening to a record the listener is mysteriously transformed into becoming a contributor of its excellence! "The people who make Soul what it is". Really, does the writer of this letter seriously believe that he has in any way contributed to the development of Soul music? Does he honestly believe that when the vast majority of Soul records are made the performers who make them even give a second thought about how their recording is going to fare outside of the USA? First, let's get this fact straight. The amount of money that a hit record can make in the USA compared to what it can make in Britain is vast. Compared to USA revenues, the UK market is peanuts. I don't know of course if the guy who wrote this letter has ever DJ'd, but I'll bet if he has he's never bothered to log his records so that his PRS fees can be sent to the American copyright holder. But let's look into this matter more deeply. The revenue that records earn comes from sales, radio spins, juke box plays and disco performances. So far as the UK is concerned forget the latter. Black America has been leeched off for the last ten years, providing unpaid entertainment for the UK disco scene because many Northern (and other) DJ's are so vain of their reputations that they want to keep their sounds "secret'' or ''exclusive'', so it is people like the writer of this letter, who delude themselves that they are "the people who make Soul what it is", who are in fact the worst sort of exploiters of Soul music because they expect to get it for free. Just as plantation owners expected to have black labour for free, so the UK disco scene expects black America to provide music for free. Do not delude yourself that in buying a record you've paid your full dues. Records are not sold with free public performance rights thrown in as a bonus, and this extra revenue can only be earn if records and the names of music publishers etc., are logged. All Soul people should remember ''If you don't log, you steal". In addition to this, this writer seems to think that black America also issues records as a missionary self-sacrifice in order to bring aesthetic sense to far-off heathens. I have repeatedly said on many occasions that every record ever made is made with the hope that it will become a substantial seller. Although hits tend to get all the lime light, what about all the misses? Has this guy any concept of what it costs to actually hire a studio and make a record? Does he think that his 65p or whatever entitles him to full owner ship of all the creative talent that went into the making of a side? If he buys only ''A'' copies or drilled imports then not one penny of his sale will find its way back to the original people on the record. I am not a DJ (although he seems to think I am), but what in heaven's name is inherently wrong with a record be coming a popular hit? So long as Soul isn't compromised, I can see nothing but good coming from such a process because in the long term it ensures that everybody benefits not least of all the "divs" as he pompously calls them. But can you imagine an attitude of mind more selfish, mean and arrogant than that which demands that Soul remain esoteric, unknown and specialised just because the idea of it becoming more widely known upsets the writer of this letter! Not only do I think this attitude of mind wrong, but ultimately I think it is evil, because it demands that those who provide the pleasures are kept in a state of humbled obscurity simply because it is thus all the better for this pathetic wanker to enjoy his Soul sides! From such evil thinking revolutionary battles get waged! Red-neck segregationists think along much the same lines and say in effect to black Americans "we'll screw your women and sing your songs, but that's as far as we'll let you get!" Well, over the last few years black America has come to realise that money is power; that the black dollar can be an effective form of boycott or support; and by using this awareness they can make their own views felt and heard. Then we come to the matter of money - a matter which Puritan Britain brain washes us all in infancy to regard as something slightly distasteful and not to be yearned for! Just ask anyone whose got plenty what they think of that notion!! Of course one has to earn a living and thus ensure (amongst other things) that one doesn't become a liability to others, but to use emotive terms like ''you're only in it for the money" etc., are stupid and in the last analysis demonstrably wrong. Believe you me there are many other far more lucrative ways of making money in the music business other than promoting Soul, and I can't think of one record label that hasn't at some time or another lost a packet in handling Soul product. Of course this deficit is made good when the hits come along, but let it never be forgotten that the people who have really kept Soul music going over the years in Britain are the record companies with their multi-million pound investments in Soul repertoire. The very minimum cost of putting out a 45 is £250. That's rock bottom, and advances can often make it much more. Then, if you get a hit, you may not have any assurance that you're going to get the follow-up or the LP built around the hit, and all your hard spade work might ultimately have been for another company's profit. Of course one is in it for the money - does this jerk work for free! But that said, surely it is a question of motive and drive, to share the wealth and make sure those who create good Soul are rewarded for their efforts. I am probably one of the hardest negotiators on the scene in the sense that I am implacable in demanding the highest royalty rate for the artist, the full American Federation of Performers rate too, and the maximum of publicity and promotion that is consistent with a record becoming a hit. People are generally very shy in money matters. Not me! And everybody probably has their price, but I like to think mine is higher than most people could reach, and there are upper limits even on what one would be prepared to do for money. Lay £10,000 on the writer of this letter and he'd soon start singing a different song! The quickest way to ruin someone who is not used to money is to give them a big sum. But all this apart, it must be stated again and again that the music of black America is NOT a free gift to the world and even though guys like my correspondent treat it like a prostitute, remember, even prostitutes quite rightly demand a payment for services rendered. On reflection I think it is those services more than Soul that this guy is most desperately in need of!
A new outing from Booker T & The M. G. 's is always welcome, but this 25 track tape-only compilation must represent just about one of the very best "Best Buys'' of this year, and if there are any gaps in your collection, you're bound to find them filled by this generous helping from this super outfit. ''Time Is Tight" and ''Soul Limbo'' of course are hardy perennials that never seem to fade or lose any of their original freshness, but all the material here is given that distinctive and foxy Booker T. treatment, and the result is truly a superb selection that really does merit being described as ''the very best of...". Trouble is, collections like this represent better value for the non Soul casual buyer than folks like us, but it's good ammunition with which to spread the faith, so if you're wondering what to buy someone who is not fully Soul-bound as a gift, this not only represents sterling value for money, but is bound to win friends :and influence people. A special pat on the back to David MacDougald who compiled it with obvious love and affection, and (how time flies!) al ready some of the tracks have tremendous nostalgic appeal I
The first of many subsequent Rock & Roll Revival Shows took place in New York's Madison Square Gardens, and the line up featured such veterans as Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Little Anthony & The Imperials, The Five Satins, The Drifters, The Coasters, The Shirelles, and Hank Ballard & The Midnighters.
Valerie Simpson who was known then only as co-producer with Nick Ashford, announced her own intention to record herself. ATLANTIC picked up a master from Birmingham in Alabama by a new singer named Rozetta Johnson titled ''A Woman's Way".
Donnie Elbert pacted with RARE BULLET in the States and his first scheduled single for them was announced as ''Can't Get Over Losing You" which was to be produced by Jerry Williams. Betty Everett signed with FANTASY, but retained her links with the home of her former label VEE JAY, by announcing that she would still record in Chicago, and still use Calvin Carter to oversee her productions.
''Gold Forever'' music publishers of the majority of INVICTUS and HOT WAX repertoire, announced that they would be represented in the UK by KPM Music. Composers listed were Ronald Dunbar, Edith Wayne, General Johnson, Ruth Copeland, Greg Perry, Sherrie Payne, (member of The Honey Cone and sister of Freda) and William Weatherspoon. Cross featuring meant that Sherrie Payne also surfaced as a member of the group Glass House who were subject of a feature in this edition. Other members of the quartet included Pearl Jones, Larry Mitchell and Tyrone "Ty" Hunter.
New singles released in the UK included Gladys Knight & The Pips "Friendship Train" on TAMLA-MOTOWN which was designated "Record of the Fortnight''; The Spinners on TAMLA MOTOWN with "It's A Shame" backed with a re-release of their 1966 outing "Sweet Thing". Sisters Love on A&M had ''The Bigger You Love" and Tony & Tyrone on EMBER had ''Everyday Fun". The Delfonics on BELL had "When You Get Right Down To It", Flaming Ember on HOT WAX had "Westbound No. 9'' whilst ''Engine No. 9'' was the title of the latest from Wilson Pickett on ATLANTIC.
Top UK Soul single was the afore-mentioned "Patches'', and Top UK Soul album was "Greatest Hits Vol. 1 "from Dionne Warwick on WAND.
The Voices of East Harlem were in town creating a big stir. The BBC had frowned on their black militant attitudes, but David Nathan wrote a rave review of their splendid concert at The Albert Hall, and I myself devoted a large part of my column both to their concert, their single and their newly released LP was awaited by me with eager anticipation. Re-reading my piece about them, I think one sentence in particular still rings true today. '' . . . if anyone is stupid enough to think that Soul music offers the same sort of vicarious thrills as was afforded to those patronising intellectuals who in their discovery of the Blues failed to notice the terrible roots of social misery from which they sprang, then they are in for a rude awakening".
Also in that column, I commended the work that was being done by the MOTOWN AD ASTRA club, who one of the young ladies involved in that was none other than our own present-day Sharon Davis!
In a very interesting article ''The Memphis Horns'', John Abbey interviewed Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love, and it is interesting now to reflect on some of the comments they made then. ''Isaac Hayes isn't naturally bald. He shaves his head every day. He is going to go a long way. Al Green -he's the same guy who did "Back Up Train". Ronnie Milsap - he's a blind organ and piano player whom we both believe will make it very big one day soon. Ruby Johnson - We all expected her to be a big artist."
Top US Soul single was "I'll Be There" by The Jackson Five on MOTOWN, and the same group topped the LP chart with their ''Third Album" for the same label. A photo proved that Flaming Ember were a white quartet.
Newly released singles in the States included the following: "Heaven Help Us All'' by Stevie Wonder on TAMLA; ''I Feel She Really Doesn't Want To Do It" by Grover Mitchell on VANGUARD; "Crack Jack" by Mickey & The Mice on MARTI; "Simply Call It Love" by Gene Chandler on MERCURY; ''I'm Still Here" by The Notations on TWINIGHT; "You Put The Sunshine Back In My World'' by The Newcomers on VOLT; and "Singing A New Song'' by Freddie Waters on CURTOM.
It was announced that CBS' DIRECTION label which had carried so many fine Soul sides under its banner, was to be phased out, and the future of ACTION seemed insecure although B&C Records said that it would be re-activated shortly.
Sales from Northern discos dominated the Oldies Top 30 compiled from Contempo Soul Source with such eternal classics as "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by The Elgins and ''Open The Door To Your Heart'' by Darrell Banks included.
New UK released LP's came from The Voices Of East Harlem "Right On - Be Free" on ELEKTRA; The Impressions ''The Best Of...'' on BUDDAH; B. B. King "Indianola Mississippi Seeds'' on PROBE; and an oddity on EMBER called "A Drop Of The Hard Stuff" featuring artists The Intruders, Lou Lawton, The Checkmates Ltd., Jewel Akens, Bobby Bland, The Pac-Keys, Joe Tex, King Curtis and The Good Vibrations. Somewhat incautiously in the review we said "no doubt it will sell forever." Well, it must have seemed good at the time!
Mike Post, Dobie Gray, Al Wilson and others have found that the second hike up the charts into the magic Top 30 is often as hard a climb as getting a record into the chart to begin with! The notable exception of course is The Trammps ''Hold Back The Night" which in my opinion is a potential number 1 record, and is certainly one of the better Soul sides to have crashed the UK charts this year, but I think a clue to its undoubted pop appeal lies in the fact that this particular number is very strong on melody, and for Top 20 status, this would seem to take precedence over rhythmic content. Of course air-play affects the situation too, but programming radio shows is a very different kettle of fish to programming for a disco. The old cry of ''poor promotion" to explain the comparative failure of a side to move up the charts is no good when the record has had all the air-time that even an Elvis Presley single can expect to get, and again all this reminds us that it is air plays that sell records. I have a feeling that 1976 is going to bring about some pretty amazing changes in tastes in Britain amongst the general record buying public. All the signs and symptoms are there, and so far as Soul hits are concerned, it might well be that we ain't seen nothing yet . . . Of course, some Soul enthusiasts are reluctant to yield any part of their music up to the general public which is selfish, childish and short-sighted. On a merely statistical level, there will always be a proportion of worthy records that fail, and as we above anyone else must surely know, Soul is such a Prolific and abundant field that it is inevitable that there will always be ''unknowns", and other esoteric masterpieces. But it is amazing the arrogance and breathtaking conceit some so-called "brothers" will adopt to such matters, and for this reason, I have given over the main part of this week's column to such attitudes. This apart though, I am confident that no matter how big Soul becomes in Britain the needs of various groupings within the Soul fraternity will be catered for just as they have always been.
Congratulations are in order for The Lincolnshire Soul Club which will celebrate its anniversary with an All-Dayer which will have been and gone by the time this appears in print. Mary Chapman's enthusiastic team now display a banner which reads ''strictly dealing in Soul", and there's no doubt about it, Mary doesn't intend to deviate from her original stance one inch. Having been abruptly booted out of The Turk's Head in Lincoln, she now operates a Tuesday night spot at The Peter de Wint pub on the southern edge of the city. Alf Billingham and I popped into the first night to see how things were going, and it attracted a pretty healthy crowd, some of whom had travelled all the way from Grimsby to give their club support. DJ Rick Todd was there and he's recently been to New York getting some sounds. Apparently dealers in New York are very hip to the Northern scene here now, and boast how they can sell junk items to certain visiting DJ's at highly inflated prices, and it is not unknown now for shops to phone one another in advance to prepare them with the news that a rich white punter is heading their way! Inevitable I suppose, and not without a certain amount of poetic justice. Rick and his mate Dick operate together as a working partnership, but other jocks there included Chris Dalton whose dedication to Soul is quite amazing, and comparative newcomer Pat McGuire who is soon to do oldies honours. Rick Scott was also in attendance, and a great selection of good Soul sounds were played. The Club is particularly pleased at the moment to see George Benson's ''Super Ship" heading for the UK charts since this is the first side that's done damage which Cleethorpes can rightly claim they were first past the starting post with on the Northern circuit, and they intend to keep on playing it until they feel their members have had enough of it.
Manchester sorely missing Andy Peebles over his vacation absence, as indeed are all of us who were twits enough to schedule records for release during the weeks he's sunning himself down in Bournemouth!
Come back soon Andy, there's a hole in my Soul since you've been gone . . . Groovy John Green is still keeping his ''Soul Shotgun'' show out front however, and now includes a Lincolnshire Soul Club pick too, and this must surely be the most Northern-orientated programme there is. Still, John assures me that he's not hung up merely on the past, and is very much aware that it's Soul that's the name of his game. Like me, he went potty on the Annette Thomas single recently issued on STAX, and is doing his utmost to ensure it doesn't vanish without a trace. John is a very unassuming and modest guy (well, except when it's hot weather) and I hope that I'll be able to get together with him for an interview about his views and ideas on Soul in the very near future.
The identity of RECORD MlRROR's "Kevin Allen" the worst kept "secret'' of the year. What on earth is going to happen at all those record company Christmas parties? ... Although they're having their problems, I've a feeling deep inside that STAX in America are going to pull themselves through their present difficulties. I sincerely hope so since they have become a legend to Soul fans and have given so much pleasure over the years that their loss or demise seems almost inconceivable.
News reaches me that sadly Eddie & Ernie have collectively decided to call it a day, and have both gone their separate ways . . Probably some of the most exciting news this year is that LONDON-AMERICAN have again acquired the UK rights to the legendary CAMEO-PARKWAY catalogue, and the launch their acquisition with a two record/cassette set in November called "The Cameo-Parkway Story 1957-1962". Let's hope that in their wisdom they compile at least one set which is specifically representative of the CAMEO-PARKWAY records which were big in the Northern discos. At the same time, DECCA also release another twin-set ''The London-American Legend'', and this again consists of various goodies which have appeared on the truly legendary LONDON-AMERICAN logo in the past. Further releases in both these series are promised, so let's hope that this excellent concept enjoys the sales success that it truly deserves . . . Well, that's about it, so until next time - keep the faith - right on now!
JUDY GEE & THE CLASSMATES
"Let Me In''
UK: ROUTE
RATING: **
I suppose it really is unfair of me to use the new ROUTE release as an excuse to do a retrospective review of the original version, but since on the ROUTE copy the composer had been listed as "Unknown" I just had to dig out my 1962 original and confirm in my mind that it had in fact been penned by Sensations-lead-singer Yvonne Baker. (Which by the way is published by Jewel Music for all you DJ's who faithfully log your spins so that black America can get their disco pennies. For interest one night why not ask your local Soul DJ why he doesn't log what he plays. Some say I'm rocking the boat on this issue (that really means I'm creating some work and denting their egos) but there is no denying it however you split it up; any DJ who doesn't log his records is denying black America the records' rightful public performance fee, which of course black America is expected to forgo so that the "exclusiveness" of the DJ's collection can be maintained. One day black America is going to present places like The Highland Room with a bill for back royalties which will give people like PRS a twelve month accounting headache! But still, this is something for the very near future.) Although 13 years old now, there is no doubt in my mind that The Sensations record is the better of the two, and despite its venerable age, would you believe that it actually zips along with more life and style? Yvonne Baker's somewhat "little girl" vocal (which was a style very much in vogue in the 60's) really suits the song much more. Another problem with the Judy Gee version is that she obviously learnt the words from the disc rather than from a lyric sheet, and like other cover versions done this way, there is the inevitable cock-up over lines which may not be entirely clear on the original. Cliff Richard you may recall with his abysmal cover of "Willie And The Hand Jive" heard Johnny Otis' words on the original as "she can walk and stroll right through the queue'', and sang them as such in his version, whereas they were in fact "She Can Walk And Stroll, and Suzie-Q" being references to dance crazes that were in vogue when the original was first made. Here Judy sings what sounds like ''I hear the music of the larvas on parade'' whereas it should be "I hear the music of 'The Loud Ones On Parade'". Why this particular song has been selected for revival at this time I can't really imagine, but since the release sheet suggests it will be a novelty warm-up for the inevitable round of parties that will be happening in December, it might well fulfil some nostalgic need, but as a record, the original by The Sensations wins hands down. Of course I may be wrong (although there seem to be signs of confirmation in James Hamilton's estimable disco page in RECORD MIRROR that it could just be so), but the release of this record might just trigger off a revival for The Twist . . .!
Updated April 21st, 1999