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Saturday, 28 March 2020

Hard Tymes with Hard Tymes Band [1976] - I Ask A Question 'Answer Simply' [Ruby 38976]


The only known/listed recording by Hard Tymes.  The composer / arranger / producer on this track (by sheer coincidence) is  Roosevelt Matthews mentioned in the previous Hamilton Movement post, who recorded 'Tighten Up' / 'You Got Me Diggin' You' with Billy Ball & The Upsetters. I wonder if it's Roosevelt Matthews on lead?

There are 2 other releases on Ruby, out of St. Louis Missouri, are by Chuck Wallace, and Chuck (Wallace?) & Mac - although I found a post for Chuck & Mac - Powerful Love (which was used in Looper soundtrack) stating that Chuck & Mac is Roosevelt Matthews and Aubrey Wallace.  It was released on Twinight 135 in 1970 and has been reissued (presumably due to being used in Looper?).

Curiously, 45Cat has this 45 listed as Chuck & Mac ... perhaps the poster knew something?

Little did I known when posting this release that it was going to have connections with Roosevelt Matthews, hence I have also posted most of his known material and assumed that he was one half of Chuck & Mac.  If anyone knows otherwise then please leave a comment.

Hard Tymes with Hard Tymes Band [1976] - I As A Question 'Answer Simply' [Ruby 38976]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 9.6

Absolutely sublime deep soul cut.




Chuck & Ray [1972] - You're The One Who Loved Me [Ruby 29799]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 7.4

Funeral paced southern style deep soul.




Chuck & Ray [1970] - Powerful Love [Twinight 135]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 7.5

Another funeral paced southern style deep soul cut released on Chicago's Twinight label and featured in the 2012 movie Looper and subsequently reissued by Numero group on Twinight.

As stated above it has been claimed that Chuck & Mac is Roosevelt Matthews and Aubrey Wallace.  If anyone knows otherwise then please leave a comment.

The flip is a funky number called The Bear.





Billy Ball & The Upsetters Feat. Roosevelt Matthews [1969] - Come On Home [S.B.I. 517]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 7.2

This track is pretty average to my ears, however it has unearthed some interesting info regarding the label.  S.B.I. was based in Nashville, Tennessee and owned by Robert Stanley Riley Sr. who co-wrote 'Just Walking In The Rain' whist in Tennessee State Penitentiary with fellow in-mate Johnny Bragg (who had a NS monster 'They're Talking About Me' on Elbejay) which he recorded with the Prisonaires in 1953 on Sam Phillip's Sun records but was a world-wide hit for Johnny Ray in 1956.

As an aside, amazingly, I have found a live clip of Johnny Bragg & The Sheps (The Prisonaires) performing 'Just Walking In The Rain' live from May 2001.  Bragg died aged 79 in 2004 of cancer.



Only 4 releases listed for S.B.I. circa 1968-69.  One of them being a slower version of The Amazers/The Passion's 'Without A Warning' under a different title 'Turn On Your Lovelight'.




Roosevelt Matthews with Billy Ball & The Upsetters [1968] - You Got Me Diggin' You [King 45-6173]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.7

Great crossover.




Roosevelt Matthews with Billy Ball & The Upsetters [1968] - Tighten Up [King 45-6713]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.2

Speeded up version of Archie Bell & The Drells classic.




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