After the 'set up' in the last post, this next post just has to be from The
Lovelites. I personally believe that this is the best song Martha & The
Vandellas recorded. It reached #3 R&B #22 Hot 100 in
1966.
This is The Lovelites version, released in 1972, who only had two R&B
chart entries and this wasn't one of them. They were 'How Can I You Tell My Mom &
Dad' (#15 R&B #60 Hot 100 1969) and 'My Conscience' (#36 R&B
1971).
They had a popular record played on NS scene mid 70s 'Get It Off My Conscience' (different song to 'My Conscience' above). It must have been played not long after release in 1975 as it was certainly played in '76. It fitted in along with many of the more funky tunes being played around that period.
Sheer quality from the same group that brought us the disco version of Ruby
Andrews' Casanova in 1980. One of only 8 (and possibly the last) glorious
releases on the Lovelite label which was predominantly a vehicle for The
Lovelites, one of the finest Chicago girl groups there ever was who received
very little recognition outside of soul circles, but they never recorded a
bad record (I feel a profile on them coming on!).
It was released in 1977, but sounds earlier. It fits more in the crossover
mould, rather than modern soul, but these are just arbritary labels, it's a
damn fine piece of music which I've had for years and is still relatively
cheap to pick up, but wait until one of the 'big boys' start playing it and
the price will soar, when the 'sheep' latch onto it. Buy it now before
then.
In a similar vein to the previous post on Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles
(note slight name variation). This is an earlier release from 1965 which is
around the 'beat ballad' pace, but nevertheless is a wonderful deep soul
ballad that just builds and builds. To me this has an anthemic quality about
it and don't understand why this has never become a classic ... except for the
'obvious' fact that it is too readily and cheaply available!
So soulful early deep 'n sweet tune from Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles
on a Curtis Mayfield song 'I'm Still Waiting'. This reached #36 US
R&B in 1966 but didn't trouble the Hot 100.
The new releases have dried up a bit and I'm up to date with the best of
them, so with the demise of N.F. Porter, it's time to post some 60s and Northern
Soul which has been neglected of late.
Prolific Chicago writer, arranger and producer Gerald Sims didn't release
many records himself but was behind so many Chicago classics for most of (if
not all of) the major Chicago acts (Brunswick/Dakar in particular) either
writing, arranging or producing. Artists he worked with include Jackie
Wilson, Gene Chandler, The Artistics, Barbara Acklin, Otis Leaville, Jerry
Butler, Tyrone Davis, Darrell Banks. Jackie Ross, The Radiants and
more. To list the records he worked on would be exhaustive.
Both Discogs and 45Cat list only 6 releases by him, four of them between
1962-64 (with two of those on Okeh) and then this release on Warner Bros. in
1973. The other single was a resissue of his earlier Okeh side Cool Breeze
with a Tony Middleton track.
He was originally with The Daylighters between 1956-61 until he left to
join Carl Davis at Chess.
In the 70s he worked for Jerry and Billy Butler's Fountain Productions. He bought Chess Records recording studios in the 80s and by late 80s/early 90s retired to Florida.
Gerald Sims [1973] - You'll Never Be Sorry [Warner Bros #WB 7680]
It's a bit of a mystery as to why, after 9 years, he decided to release
this record, and why on Warner Bros. and not Brunswick or Dakar or one of
the other Chicago labels (e.g. Chess, Mercury, Blue Rock)? It's record
I've enjoyed for years that I don't think I've ever heard 'played
out'.
The Chi-Lites [1973] - Bet You'll Never Be Sorry [Brunswick #BL
754197]
The Chi-Lites also released a version with a slightly different title on
their 1973 self-titled album . I don't now which release came
first. This version has a lighter, more of a crossover, feel about
it.
Just heard the sad news that yet another soul 'legend' of UK Northern
Soul scene has departed on 4 Feb 2021 aged 71.
N.F. (Nolan Frederick) Porter
first came to prominance on the scene with 'Keep On Keeping On' (used by Joy
Division (Warsaw) on
'Interzone'
on their debut album 'Unknown Pleasures' in 1979) and then as Nolan 'If I
Could Only Be Sure' (covered by
Paul Weller
on his 2004 album Studio 150).
BBC Midlands report from 2013
A short clip on Nolan performimg at London's 100 Club on 1 July 2012
There is an interview with him at the time he perfromed at The 100 Club on Huffington Post.
As a tribute here's some footage of him performing these two songs on Craig
Charles BBC6 funk & soul show in 2014 with Stone Foundation.
Keep On Keeping On
If I Could Only Be Sure
Discography
Albums
Both released using name Nolan. Both albums featured members of Frank
Zappa's Mothers Of Invertion. He would later marry Zappa's sister, Candy.
The backing singers were The Blackberries i.e. Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews
and Venetta Fields.
1970 - No Apologies [Lizard #A-20102] Listen to expended album
here
1972 - Nolan [ABC #ABCX 766] Listen to expanded album
here
This was a 30 minute documentary of his return to music after a 30 year
absence which was included on the DVD. I am not able to find a clip of
it but you can read about it on director Lee Cogswell's facebook page.
He also wrote
'Funky L.A.'
for Lizard label mate Paul Humphrey & His Cool Aid Chemists who also
had a a record spun on the NS scene, a funky instrumental
'Cochise'.
Raw Soul Express are a veteran soul/funk band from Miami who released their
self-titled
debut album
on Cat in 1976 and a handful of singles between 1971-1980. They were
'resurrected' by Athens Of The North label in 2017 with the release of an
album
'Best Kept Secret'
containing previously unreleased material and are now back with a new single
released 1 Feb 2021.
The original band members were:
Albie Manno (bass)
Chris Perkins (keyboards)
Christopher Booker (trumpet)
John McMinn (saxophone)
Martel Williams (trumpet)
Rickey Washington (vocals, saxophone, flute)
Tommy Johnson (guitar) who was co-writer on Miami group Rivage's 1980
modern soul tune - Strung Out On Your Love and 5 of the 8 tracks on the 1981
(promo only) album 'Sittin' On It' on Tempus, also reissued by Athens Of The
North in 2020.
As you could probably guess from the title, this is a reworking of The
Beginning Of The End's - Funky Nassau. It was originally released in
1979 on a privately pressed U-Solo label owned by bandleader Rudy Mills on a limited run and has been highly sought after, now fetching up to £500 for
an original 12".
This is the first 'official' reissue whch contains short (5:11) and long
(6:57) versions digital and 12" vinyl.
A few weeks back I posted several tracks from VanJess. They have just released a full album 'Homegrown' on 5 Feb 2021
which contains 3 of the tracks previously posted (Come Over, Slow Down and
High & Dry). Apart from those tracks, the best of the rest are the two
tracks posted below.
