Top Shelf [1971] - You're Hurting Me [Spectrum #SPEC 124] & Discography

It's interesting and intriguing how records connect and intertwine as I posted Finishing Touch discography a few days ago and have found this track by Top Shelf who are connected by the writer Andre Saunders who wrote this track and also 'Second Best (Is Never Enough)' for Finishing Touch.

For some reason this song reminds me a lot of Debbie Taylor & The Hesitations 'All That I Have'.

It certainly is a 'top shelf' deep soul tune recorded in 1971 on Spectrum, who released another superb deep soul cut by Northern Soul 'stalwart' Hoagy Lands with 'Reminisce' a year later on SPEC 129, a better deep soul record you will struggle to find! Previously posted here.

As far as I can ascertain Top Shelf released only 3 singles between 1969 and 1971, but all of them are well worth watching out for.

Discography

1969 - No Second Thoughts / Give It Up [Lo Lo / Calla #L-2304]

A: Northern Soul with 'pedigree' - written by Andre Saunders and produced by George Kerr

B: Sweet Soul Group Harmony

1971 - Stop And Listen (Open Your Heart) / Let Them Keep On Talking [Spectrum #119]

Both sides written by Patrick Adams

NB first link has both sides

A: 70s uptempo funky dancer

B: Sweet Soul Group Harmony

1971 - You're Hurting Me / Doggone Baby I Love You [Spectrum #124]

A: Deep Soul Harmony

B: Crossover

Brand New [1976] - Thousand Years [Du-Vern #F-4176]

I would classify this as crossover/Modern Soul, but 'technically' it's too late for crossover as it was released in 1976, but it sounds to me very like the material Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose were releasing a few years earlier (1971-73) as it reminds me of 'Too Late to Turn Back Now'. 

The group is from Florida and the flip is titled 'Party Time' so you know what to expect there, a tune that could have been recorded by K.C. & The Sunshine Band!

This is their only release and there were only two other 45s on the Hialeah,FL label, the first by The Gospel Diplomats in 1975 (gospel obviously) and the last by Formula 1 in 1977 (funk/boogie) which was reissued by Athens Of The North in 2015.

In 2015 Athens Of The North released a compilation 'Henry Stone's Miami Sound (The Record Man's Finest 45's)' on CD and Vinyl. The vinyl issue included a limited edition (500) 45 of the Brand New single.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Du-Vern
Cat No:	F-4175
Year:	1976
Key:	N/A
BPM:	117
Value:	£600+ (approx.)

Mel Britt [1969] - Love Invented Misery [Fip #F-650]

Once again we have a superb, previously ignored, flip to a Northern Soul classic, It's Mel Britt 'She'll Come Running Back' (which he co-wrote with Robert Lee and Samuel Walker). Still a pretty rare record on original vinyl and one of the finest 'modern' Northern Soul tracks to ever hit the decks, but flip it over to the official A side for this wonderful, soulful, mid-paced, crossover tune 'Love Invented Misery'.

This side was written by William (Billy) Durham who also co-wrote 'Thank The Lord For Love' by Living Color and Mystery Men 'City Skies' (which is the instrumental).  Both sides were produced by Floyd Smith who was married to Loleatta Holloway.

Britt was a member of The Vistors in 1969-70 before recording his only solo single on Fip (Festival International Productions). This is the only record listed for him, but there is a 1982 record on Montage (a Philly label) credited to Melvin Britt (which I have), it's not a great record and I don't think it's the same artist.

This record has been bootlegged many times. An original sells for well over £2,500 these days.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Fip
Cat No:	F-650
Year:	2021
Key:	?
BPM:	85
Value:	£2,500+ (approx.)

Frankie Nieves v The Appreciations v Johnny Watson - It's Better To Cry

A song written by David Blake and Frankie Nieves recorded in 1968 by Frankie Nieves and also The Appreciations. I 'assume' that Nieves, being the writer, was first, but that is not necessarily always the case. 45Cat lists The Appreciations as Feb 1968, so that doesn't leave much of a window for Nieves' version to be first!  Quite how a band from North Carolina, who released it on a Detroit label (Sport) got hold of a song written in New York before the writer recorded it would be interesting to discover - find out below.    

The song was also released on Valise in 1993 by Johnny Watson, but believed to have been recorded earlier (late 60s/early 70s) but not released at the time. Blake also co-wrote another well known Valise Northern Soul record with Frank Dell 'He Broke Your Game Wide Open'.

Both Valise and Speed were New York labels and Blake & Neives collaborated on other songs that were released on Valise, believed to be owned by Blake and Phil Medley.

Both Nieves & The Appreciations are rare. I only found one for Nieves listed on Popsike but it sold for only £137 but it was only 'G' condition. The Appreciations sells consitently for over £1k, the last one in 2019 sold for £1,625. Johnny Watsons sells for much less, the last one selling for £80.

Frankie Nieves [1968] - It's Better To Cry [Speed #SP 1006]

I'm not able to find a label scan of 'It's Better To Cry' only the B side 'Mondongo', which hints at it's scarcity, it's not even listed on 45Cat and, as stated above, only one has been listed on Popsike.

The sound clip is also the longer album version, suggesting that there are very few 45s around!

Nieves also released another 45 on Speed which was a latin vocal reworking of Young-Holt Unlimited's Soulful Strut called 'True Love' (English version on A and Spanish on B). It was later released in 1975 on Disco International as a 12" version which was a merger of the English & Spanish version.

Appreciations, The [1968] - It's Better To Cry [Sport #111]

You can read more about The Appreciations from Mark E. Windle who has posted a excerpt from a book he wrote in 2016 'It's Better To Cry'.

They were from North Carolina and released four single between 1966-68 on Aware, Jubilee and the last two on Detroit's Sport label. This record was their last release.

In the book referred to above it states that The Appreciations actually recorded this in 1967 in Charlotte, NC and it was released on Sport before Frankie Nieves released his version in 1968, and that David Blake was unaware that The Appreciations had recorded the song until the 90s. 

It goes on to say that the scarcity of the record may be due to the fact that it was released on the same cat. no. (111) as another Sport record by The Four Sonics ('The Greatest Love Of All' / 'Easier Said Than Done'), so may have been withdrawn.

Johnny Watson [1993] - It's Better To Cry [Valise #6913]

This is not Johhny 'Guitar' Watson. He has two releases credited to him, both released on Valise in the 90s by David Blake (probably owing to the discovery of the demand for the song by Nieves & The Appreciations), long after they were recorded, which was probably in late 60s/early 70s.

I think of the three version this is my favourite as, to me, it is the most soulful.

The High Keys [1966] - Let's Take A Chance [Verve #VK 10423]

Here's yet another flip side to a Northern Soul classic which is now the 'preferred' side.  The played side back in the day was 'Living A Lie', 'broken' at The Torch, but was still being played at Wigan in the mid/late 70s. This side, I suppose, you would describe as a beat ballad and what a superb soulful tune, far superior musically to 'Living A Lie'.

The High Keys had a hit with their first single in 1963 (#47 Hot 100) which was a latin/R&B version of Doris Day's 1962 hit (not for this blog!). As far as I can tell they only released four singles, the first three on Atco in 1963-64 and then this one on Verve in 1966.

There appear to be several variants, two promos light blue and yellow, and two stock copies black and dark blue. They all seem to sell for similar amounts, currently around £600 mark.

This side was written by Richard Pitts (who, if it's the same person, was a member of The Velours ('I'm Gonna Change') who later became The Realistics and then The Fantastics) and  Winston Willis who was a member of the 50s group The Solitaires. Willis also co-wrote 'Living A Lie' with Gerald Harris and George Kerr, the latter produced both sides.

Troy Keyes, who the group took its name from, was also a member of The Velours briefly between 1958-60, and went on to record around 4 solo singles in the late 60s/early 70s and also a duet with Norma Jenkins. Several of his records have also been played on NS scene, but I won't clutter this post with them and may feature them in a separate post.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Verve
Cat No:	VK 10423
Year:	1966
Key:	N/A
BPM:	88
Value:	£600+ (approx.)

Milton Wright [1976] - Like A Rolling Stone [Satiron #141]

This might get confusing, as most would recognise this release for the A side which is a vocal version of the big Northern Soul instrumental 'The Gallop' which was reissued on Grapevine in 1977 with vocal 'I Belong To You' as well as the instrumental. 

'Like A Rolling Stone' was also originally released as the flip to 'The Gallop' on Carla in 1968, but it was an instrumental version.

This 'release' was a limited press of 300 copies licensed from Ollie McLaughlin (who owned Carla and several other Detroit 60s labels named after his wife and daughters) by John Anderson's Soul Bowl around 1976 with the vocal versions of the 1968 Carla release (presumably recorded at the same time but for some reason unreleased). It is the only way to own the vocal of 'Like A Rolling Stone'.

It has been getting spins in the last few years and owing to its scarcity and popularity is valued well over £500 now, but beware as it has been bootlegged twice, one is easy to recognise as it has a small hole (UK), the other is a look-a-like counterfeit.

Coincidentally, having just posted Jeanette Williams' discography, Milton Wright is her brother!

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Satiron
Cat No:	141
Year:	1976
Key:	N/A
BPM:	133
Value:	£500+ (approx.)

Soul Strutter is officially a Top 40 Soul Music Blog

I've just received this notification from Feedspot

"I would like to personally congratulate you as your blog Soul Strutter has been selected by our panelist as one of the Top 40 Soul Music Blogs on the web.

I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world. This is the most comprehensive list of Top 40 Soul Music Blogs on the internet and I'm honored to have you as part of this!"

It's nice to get recognition but the sole aim of the blog is to highlight music that has otherwise gone largely unrecognised and to bring attention to new, predominanly independent, soul releases.

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Jeanette Williams [1966] - Mr Soft Touch [Back Beat #568] & Discography

This record just shows how much the pace has changed with Northern Soul as this record was in demand in the 70s for the faster, stomping, side 'All Of A Sudden' but more recently it's the flip (which was the official A side) that is getting spins, and quite rightly so as it's an excellent and 'so soulful' mid-tempo tune. Beware if buying as it was bootlegged on a counterfeit promo label.

I think I'm right in saying that she is Betty & Milton Wright's sister. A talented family as they also had another two brothers Phillip and Charles who were professional musicians.

She released two 45s in 1963 on Golden Eagle and Terry and joined Back Beat in 1965 where she released five single between 1965-69, the last two even saw UK releases on Action.

Jeannette was a member of Fire, who were K.C. & The Sunshine Band's backing singers who released an album in 1978 and a handful of disco oriented singles on Sunshine Sound, sounding like a female version of K.C. & Sunshine Band (enough said!). She also recorded two 12" singles with Girlfriends in the 80s, one of them was a cover of The Reflections 'Three Steps From True Love'. 

From 1976 onwards she performed as a backing singer for many artists as well as K.C. & The Sunshine Band including Ted Taylor, Dorothy Moore,Timmy Thomas, Barrett Strong, Frederick Knight, George McCrae, Fern Kinney and many others and used several aliases such as Jannie Wiliams, Jeanette Wright, Jeanette Black, Jeanette Wright-Black, Jeanette Holloway.

Discography

1963 - To You / I Can't Wait [Terry #45-144]

A: Deep Soul ballad

B: Northern Soul/Popcorn

1963 - I've Been True / Get Up Off Your Knees [Golden Eagle #103]

A: Popcorn/R&B

B: Deep Soul/Blues originally recorded by Johnny Copeland

1966 - A Friend Of Mine / You Didn't Know Then [Back Beat #556]

A: Mid-paced 60s

B: Northern Soul

1966 - Mr. Soft Touch / All Of A Sudden [Back Beat #568]

A: Mid-paced Northern Soul/Crossover

B: Northern Soul stomper

1968 - Longing For Your Love / Something's Got A Hold On Me [Back Beat #587]

A: ?

B: Northern Soul - her rarest and best NS tune

1969 - Stuff / You Gotta Come Through [Back Beat #601 / Action ACT 4534]

A: Sister soul/funk

B: Deep and bluesy Southern soul

1969 - Hound Dog / I Can Feel A Heartbreak [Back Beat #609 / Action ACT 4557]

A: Yes it's a raw, R&B bluesy version of Big Mama Thornton/Elvis song.

B: Raw Deep Soul

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Back Beat
Cat No:	568
Year:	1966
Key:	?
BPM:	109
Value:	£1

Bad Weather Inc. [1976] - I Never Never Knew [Bad Weather #100]

This was a big tune on the NS circuit around the late 90s/turn of the century (might have been earlier but that's when I first remember it). It got a reissue on the reactivated UK Soul City label in 2002.

I suspect it's blue-eyed and has a bit of a reggae feel but it packed dance floors.

The official A side is a cover of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 'You Really Got A Hold On Me' which was also released as the flip side to a 45 on Maison De Soul with Angie Brown 'Slip Away' on the A side, which they must have believed in as it was also released twice on Bad Weather!

Bad Weather was a label set up by Mike Lachney in Kinder, Louisina which is a small town of 2,500 population midway between Houston and New Orleans, an odd place to set up a label! 

There are nine records listed for the label, but the last cat. no. is 111 so there may be some as yet to be discovered. i.e 103,106,109,110 are not listed. Most, if not all, of the releases were cover versions on the A side.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Bad Weather
Cat No:	100
Year:	1976
Key:	N/A
BPM:	N/A
Value:	£500 (approx.)

Fresh [1977] - You [MCA #MCA-40692]

This is the flip side to their debut single 'Long Lost Love Affair' which is a tough one to find on 45. The easiest way to acquire it is via their debut album 'Get Fresh' which are cheap and plentiful, and the album version is longer 4:26 v 3:35. It's a wonderfully smooth late 70s modern soul tune.

Fresh were a mixed race, mixed sex group who released three albums (and around four singles) between 1977-78, one on MCA and two on Prodigal (which was a Detroit label which ran between 1974-78 and was acquired by Motown in 1976). They disbanded in 1978 owing to lack of success.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	MCA
Cat No:	MCA-40692
Year:	1977
Key:	N/A
BPM:	NA
Value:	£200 (approx.)