An article which I originally wrote for Record Collector magazine here in the UK

 

REISSUE LABELS RARELY ATTRACT A CULT FOLLOWING AMONG COLLECTORS,

BUT THIS HIGHLY RESPECTED NORTHERN SOUL OUTLET IS AN EXCEPTION.

PETE SMITH AND JOHN REED KEEP THE FAITH.

 

 

In its 1970s heyday, Northern Soul was big business. Thousands of clubbers spent a small fortune travelling to venues across the Midlands and the North - and any money left over went on vinyl. The scene created some of the most expensive records of the era; but it wasn’t just about top rarities.

 

By the end of the 60s, a fully-fledged soul revival was underway. Contemporary Motown 45s were ignored in the rush for vintage Tamla ‘hits’, while independent labels like Sue and Soul City mixed freshly-licensed imports with older classics. By the early 70s, the soul scene was dominated by re-releases. Jay Boy issued a string of dancefloor fillers, mostly from the Mirwood label; Mojo and Contempo concentrated on ultra-modern funk, but still found room for Northern Soul, like Tami Lynn’s ‘I’m Gonna Run Away From You’, which charted twice (No. 4 in 1971 and No. 36 in 1975).

 

Pye’s Disco Demand imprint was equally successful. The label combined essential compilation LPs with novelty revivals like Wayne Gibson’s ‘Under My Thumb’. Black Magic capitalised on the interest in Dobie Gray’s mid-60s obscurity, ‘Out On The Floor”. Less enticing was the ‘new’ Northern Soul, whether that was Wigan’s Ovation’s pop, out and-out novelties like “Footsee’ by Wigan’s

Chosen Few or the bland re-recordings of Northern favourites which blighted the other-

wise worthy Casino Classics series. By the end of the 70s, other labels had arrived -

like Destiny, Soul Stop and Inferno, who compiled perhaps the most essential Northern Soul compilation, ‘Out On The Floor’. And then there was Kent, of course, in the 1980s. Because these labels had hit-and-miss rosters, they attracted the scorn of diehards, who preferred to scour record bins for obscure US originals. But in 1977, a label was founded which felt totally in tune with the Northern scene. Although its three-year output was patchy, it combined modern soul with classic Northern Soul rarities. Its name? Grapevine.

 

Grapevine was the brainchild of John Anderson, a Glasgow-born soul collector exiled in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. John was the driving force behind importers Soul Bowl, who introduced DJs and fans to 70s Northern sounds. One of the first to make recordbuying trips to the U.S., he discovered many of the decade’s top Northern sounds.

 

John built up an impressive contact list, including a Philadelphian named Bernie Binnick, who’d worked at Swan Records in the 60s - where he licensed the Beatles”‘She Loves You” from EMI in return for some Freddy Cannon and Three Degrees sides which ended up on EMI’s Stateside imprint. A devoted soul fan, Binnick later branched out into the export business, which is how he met John Anderson.

 

Both men had come across unissued recordings from the 60s, notably those produced by ex-Motown bandleader and Detroit producer Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie. Since Detroit 60s soul labels have a special significance on the Northern scene, Anderson knew there would be a huge demand for these tracks.

 

In 1977, the two men founded the Grapevine label. One of Anderson’s keenest customers was influential Northern Soul DJ Richard Searling, who worked in RCA’s

promotions department in Manchester. Searling persuaded his bosses that Grapevine could help them capitalise on a brand of music impossible to create in-house and a meeting was arranged in London’s West End in January 1977 to finalise plans for the label.

So Grapevine found a distributor and manufacturer. Searling’s role as a DJ was vital, in spinning the label’s forthcoming attractions to ready-made audiences at all-nighters. He’d play a new discovery at the Wigan Casino, and within two months, it would be available on Grapevine.

 

Most Grapevine 45s sold 5,000+ copies, and some almost charted (Judy Street and the Del Capris came closest). Grapevine consistently supplied quality soul - no tailor-made Wigan’s Ovation-type covers on this label. The label’s critics hinted that Grapevine was merely a legalised bootlegging operation, like the infamous Sue label in the mid-60s. But, as we shall see, this ill-informed view is complete nonsense.

Grapevine was responsible for nearly 50 singles during its relatively short lifespan from June 1977 until summer 1980, plus three essential LPs which combined some of those singles with exclusive and often unissued tracks. What follows is a listing of all the Grapevine 7″s, with the recollections of the label’s founder, John Anderson - who still runs Soul Bowl in Kings Lynn today.

 

Personally rated by Pete Smith using a Five Star system!

 

THE GRAPES OF SOUL

GRAPEVINE ON 45

 

GRP 100 RICHARD WYLIE:

“Rosemary What Happened”

***

Grapevine made a winning start with a slightly different mix of this sought-after item from Ollie MeLaughlin’s Karen label in Detroit - once mooted for reissue on Contempo, incidentally. Based around the film ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, the song received a popular instrumental treatment on the flip. Wylle was one of Motown’s first solo artists: he worked as producer and arranger on many of the great 60s Detroit recordings.

 

JOHN ANDERSON.. Ollie discovered Del Shannon - his big claim to fame in the 508. He was a successful radio DJ at a university in Ann Arbor, outside Detroit. That’s how he fell into the record business. He was an astute, very nice guy, but I think he lost most of his money trying to keep going. His heyday was definitely the 60s.

 

GRP 101 SOUL TWINS:

“Quick Change Artist”

****

This intense, popular male duet dancer from the Karen label had been bootlegged a couple of years before. Like many Northern favourites, this was originally a B-side, coupled with a mid-tempo number (to give DJs a choice of two totally different styles) - though ‘Give The Man A Chance’ is now, ironically, the more popular side.

That’s from Ollie again. He probably recorded this as an answer to Sam & Dave, although Karen was distributed by Atlantic at that time, so he would have been competing with them. Dave Porter issued a Soul Twins album on Howzat! a couple of years back.

 

GRP 102 STANLEY WOODRUFF: “What Took You SO Long”

**

A strange choice, since this 1976 Juldane recording had already been mass-imported and had been dropped from Northern playlists.

This came from a guy with a studio in Washington. Woodruff was a localjazz singer.

 

GRP 103 MILTON WRIGHT:

“I Belong To You”

****

One of the shock discoveries of 1976 was this previously unreleased vocal version of Wright’s popular dancer, “The Gallop’. Originally scheduled for release on another of Ollie MeLaughlin’s labels, Carla (all his labels

were named after girls!), it was dropped in favour of a version of Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone’! This excellent track was recorded at Detroit’s Terra Shirma studios.

Milton was Betty Wright’s brother, who went to university in Ann Arbor. That’s how he hooked up with Ollie.

 

GRP 104 FLAMING EMERALDS: “Have Some Everybody”

**

A 1977 recording from the Detroit Emeralds’backing group, this 10Omph dancer sold heavily on import three months before release here.

 

I think the Flaming Emeralds are still going. They were young kids then. We sold the import and then thought, let’s put it out and see what happens.

 

GRP 105 KEANYA COLLINS:

“Barnabus Collins - Love Bandit”

*

Another eccentric choice, this smooth early 70s lilter concerned the antics of popular U.S. T.V. vampire Barnabus Collins. Issued in the U.S. on Ms Collins’own Keanya label, it had been available in 1975 via Simon Soussan’s Soul Galore imprint.

 

This might have come from Mel Collins, who owned labels in Chicago. Keanya also recorded for companies like Blue Rock.

 

GRP 106 JUDY STREET: “What”

****

A veritable monster all-nighter sound in 1977, this was alleged to be Capitol artist Tina Mason - but it wasn’t. Bootleggers tried to steal the thunder from the legitimate U.K. release but couldn’t stop this becoming Grapevine’s best-seller by a long chalk. ‘What’ was produced by H.B. Barnum and originally released on the U.S. Strider label.

H.B. Barnum made some good money out of our reissue and then Soft Cell covered it in 1982 - so he made even more! Ady Croasdell [Kent Records supremo] met him on a plane and H.B. said I was the only guy who’d paid him his royalties! Barnum was from Los Angeles. He was Aretha Franklin’s bandleader for many years, had his own studio and cut doo-wops in the 50s. Strider was a one-off H.B. label, I think.

 

GRP 107 THE LOVELITES: “Get Him Off My Conscience”

**

A pleasant but unremarkable 70s dancer from a Chicago girl trio, originally released on Lovelite in 1975. It’s far inferior to the Same group’s “My Conscience”, which represents 70’s mid-tempo soul at its best.

 

This was Patti & the Lovelites, who were on Cotillion and Uni. They were very good. I got this from Lucky Cordell, the No. 1 DJ in the 60s - the king of Chicago! He recorded Peter Brown’s “Do You Want To Get Funky With Me’ You see, the Northern Soul scene wasn’t all’old records. Venues like the Mecca played new releases as well, but those are now forgotten and everyone’s gone back to the 60s.

 

GRP 108 RONNIE LOVE:

“Let’s Make Love”

*

Grapevine’s weakest release to date was this lacklustre 70s number from New York’s Almeria label, then being programmed at Wigan with little success.

 

GRP 109 SMITH BROTHERS:

“There Can Be A Better Way

**

Coupled with the superior “Payback’s A Drag”, this weak 70s offering from Detroit’s Soul Dimension label sold poorly.

 

GRP110 THE HAPPY CATS:

“These Boots Are Made For Walkin’

*

While appalling rubbish like this instrumental was still being played, it was little wonder that many equated Northern Soul with ‘pop’. “Destroy That Boy” was better, but this was probably the label’s worst release.

Ollie McLaughlin again. We did a deal where we paid the advance and got whatever masters we wanted. This was just being played at the time. I think the Happy Cats were session musicians. The flip, “Destroy That Boy”, was previously unissued.

 

GRP 111 RAY GODFREY

“Come And Get These Memories”

*

Equally disappointing was this 70s version of Martha & the Vandellas’ classic, adding

nothing to the original.

We leased this one-off from Spring in New York, who had Joe Simon and Millie Jackson. I don’t know if this is the guy who was on Kapp in the 60s.

 

GRP 112 DEL CAPRIS:

 

“Hey Little Way Out Girl”

****

It was back to form with this superb mid-tempo number which had been one of the North’s biggest sounds as a ‘cover-up’ (where the record’s true identity is hidden). It was actually by a white band, the Construction, from a tiny New York label Sync 6, but Grapevine stuck with its alias of the Del Capris (who had a Northern’hit’with ‘Hey Little Girl” on Ronjerdon and then Kama Sutra). The original is still amazingly scarce; Grapevine’s reissue was one of their best sellers, helped by a picture sleeve with the first few thousand copies.

We went for double value and put something else on the B-side to beef it up, by Eula Cooper, which came from a guy who ran Note in Atlanta.

 

GRP 113 CAPREEZ:

“How To Make A Sad Man Glad”

***

A short (under two minutes) out-and-out stomper from a group unconnected with doo-wop outfit the Capris, this was licensed from Detroit’s Sound label. Having enjoyed some serious dancefloor activity, it was heavily bootlegged in 1975 prior to this official re-release.

I think this lot were white kids. We did the deal with Johnny Powers, an old rockabilly guy in Detroit.

 

GRP 114 THE ELLINGTONS:

*

“(I’m Not) Destined To Become A Loser”

 

This frenetic rock’n'roll sound emanated from a five-piece white vocal group on the U.S. Castle label - also the source of the excellent B-side, “You’ve Got To Love Your Baby” by the Millionaires.

They were both from the same guy in Trenton, New Jersey, who’d been involved with someone famous in the 60s.

 

GRP 115 TONY MIDDLETON:

“Paris Blues”

****

Although ostensibly an MOR singer, Middleton is a hero on the Northern scene via several excellent dancers. Recorded for Bell subsidiary Mala, this autobiographical number concerned Tony’s down-and-out stay in Paris in the early 60s. Enormously popular in 1976, ‘Paris Blues” still commands a high price today, alongside ‘To The Ends Of The Earth’ (MGM). Both songs are rumoured to have been recorded while Middleton was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany.

We got “Paris Blues’from Johnny Brantley in New York; he was a friend of Tony’s and set up the deal. I think Tony was a postman at the time! Johnny’s the guy who first recorded Jimi Hendrix with Curtis Knight before Chas Chandler. Some of that stuff came out later, like “No Such Animal”.

 

GRP 116 SAM WILLIAMS:

“Love Slipped Through My Fingers”

*****

Legal hassles apparently hampered sales of this brilliant, soulful number from Capitol’s Tower label- EMI scheduled it for their ‘Soul Casino’ album, whereas Grapevine wanted it for a 45. Eventually, both unavailable mix of Towanda Barnes’ A&M recording, ‘You Don’t Mean It’.

This was another Johnny Brantley production. We had loads of versions by ten different

people on tape! The Ohio Players did it and there were a couple of girl versions - some

with horns, some without. Trouble? Well, nobody from Capitol ever talked to me. Williams was, from New York; Towanda Barnes was Brantley’s singer from New Jersey. Sam also issued ‘Miracle Worker’ on Uptown, another Johnny Brantley production.

 

 

GRP 117 JAMES BYNUM:

“Time Passes By”

*****

One of the best 70s dancers on the Northern scene, “Time Passes By’ peaked 18 months before Grapevine’s release. A 1975 recording from the Philly City label, it contains one of the heaviest bass lines ever put on record.

Bynam was a local Philly guy. He’s a gospel singer now, I think.

 

GRP 118 JIMMY BURNS:

“I Really Love You”

****

Fewer than five copies of this mega-rare disc from the Erica label are known to exist two, it’s rumoured, bought from Burns’ son without the singer’s knowledge! Uptempo Northern Soul at its best, this also exists in an almost identical, later form by Bobby James while its backing track was used on ‘Brand New Faces’ by the, er, Brand New Faces on the Lujana label.

Erica was based in Chicago - that was Lucky Cordell again. Burns is still around. He issued a great single on U.S.A. and others on Tip Top and Minit.

 

GRP 1 1 9 EDDIE PARKER:

“Love You Baby”

****

This classic epitomises Northern Soul and constantly heads Top 10 lists. A product of the Jack Ashford/Lorraine Chandler team in Detroit (who produced many great soul items), it appeared on the Ashford label, as well as on Googa-Mooga in France, complete with picture sleeve. Eddie Parker recently performed in Britain after being ‘rediscovered’ by the rare soul scene, resurrecting quality dance items like ‘I’m Gone” from the Detroit Awake label, currently valued at £1,000. Incidentally, 1 remember John Peel playing this one night and asking for “More of the same please”!

Googa Mooga was official. We used to buy them from a guy in Paris. We also bought cnem about 600 originals off Lorraine Chandler she had them in her basement!

 

GRP 120 LARRY CLINTON:

“She’s Wanted In Three States”

*****

Another incredibly rare record with a hefty price tag, this Eddie Holman co-composition originally appeared on the little-known Dynamo label (not the better-known New York Musicor subsidiary). Out-and-out Northern Soul music of the highest order, this may well have been Grapevine’s finest release.

We got this from Johnny Styles at Harthon Records, who ran a bar in Philadelphia. They also recorded Eddie Holman’s hits on Parkway. We had loads of his unissued songs but we cut a few acetates for DJs to play and they were bootlegged! Larry Clinton was also on Lawn, which was Bernie Binnick’s other label.

 

GRP 121 CODY MICHAELS:

“7 Days - 52 Weeks A Year”

*

After a run of six top quality releases,the quality dropped slightly with this

lightweight pop dancer from the Merben label, backed with an instrumental of

Rosey Jones’ popular ‘Have Love Will Travel’ by the Virtue Orchestra.

That was also from Philadelphia, some local guy Bernie knew.

 

GRP 122 TAMANGOES:

“I Really Love You”

*****

This was withdrawn shortly after its release. The band’s name was actually

‘Tomangoes’. The song was a powerhouse classic, but it had already sold heavily

on bootleg in 1974-75.

 

We licenced this from Gino Washington (not that Geno!), who was from Detroit. He used to have a TV show up there. Unfortunately, he’d made the master tape by dubbing off a record. The single just got mastered at RCA with everything else, but the quality was so bad that we didn’t distribute it. We junked them off for a few pence.

 

GRP 123 FLAME’N'KING:

“Ho Happy Day”

***

A breezy modern soul release with some catchy horns and a spirited vocal, ‘Ho Happy Day’ came from the NYCS label, a club biggie courtesy of DJs like Soul Sam. Around this time, Grapevine’s output increased to four singles a month.

That was Johnny Brantley’s, too. Flame’N'King made a lot of records through the 60s.

 

GRP 124 BOBBY WELLS:

“Be’s That Way Sometimes”

*****

This popular, high quality oldie hailed from the Romur label, who also supplied Wells’ sprightly late 60s release, ‘Let’s Copp A Groove”, for U.K. Beacon.

Bobby was from Philadelphia and Romur was his label.

 

GRP 125 BETTY BOO:

“Say It Isn’t So”

*****

No, it’s not the young lady who was ‘Doing The Do’ a while back, but a Detroit teenager who cut demos for Popcorn Wylie in 1966-67. No releases followed, but “Say It Isnt so” turned up on acetate in mid-1977, becoming one of the year’s biggest (and best) sounds. Several other unreleased items surfaced then, including new vocals to popular Northern standards like Tommy Neal’s ‘Goin’ To A Happening” and Stanley Mitchell’s “Get It Baby”, along with recordings from Wylie himself. Boo’s real name was Betty Bryant, a member of the Adorables who cut a super Northern disc for Golden World, “Ooh Boy”, with Pat and Diane Lewis and Betty’s sister Jackie.

 

GRP 126 THE THRILLS:

“Show The Whole World Where It’s At”

*

The superior B-side, ‘What Can Go Wrong, originally surfaced in Britain on Capitol in 1966 as the flip to “No-One” - a £40 rarity.

That was from H.B. Barnum, if I remember rightly. Many of these recordings had reverted back to their producers, so everything was above board.

 

GRP 127 THE DE-LITES:

“Lover”

****

This splendid, doo-wop styled dancer sported brilliant backing vocals and an energetic lead vocalist. This track appeared simultaneously on another U.Y, Northern Soul outlet, Destiny Records of Nottingham, run by Wigan Casino veteran Kev Roberts.

That was out of Philly. The Cuppy label was run by Bill Haley’s manager, I think! [or was it his wife? - ed.]

 

GRP 128 MORRIS CHESTNUT:

“Too Darn Soulful”

*****

An apt title for a wonderful record which first came to prominence at the Blackpool Mecca club via Ian Levine. This quality rare soul dancer had already been heavily bootlegged on the Renfro label, having originally been recorded for Amy.

This came from Anthony Renfrell in L.A. Morris was the lead singer of the Attractions, I think, and started off in 50s doo-wop groups. While we were running a legitimate label, there were all these bootleggers around who jumped on records. You couldn’t take them to court because it cost too much. That’s why we put out unissued titles because we knew they wouldn’t have been bootlegged.

 

GRP 129 THE PRECISIONS:

“Such Misery”

**

Licensed from Detroit’s Drew label (which only seems to have released records by the Precisions!), this solid mid-tempo sound was unlucky to share the same backing track as a superior vocal version, “Woman Love Thief’ by the Stemmons Express. The Precisions were also responsible for a couple of 45s on U.K. Track in the late 60s.

I think the Precisions’ version was better because they were black and the Stemmons Express were white! This was linked to titles we picked up on Sidra, which was the same company as Drew.

 

GRP 130 SEVENTH WONDER:

“Captain Of My Ship”

**

Licensed from W.G. Records, this furious, lolloping modern dancer abounding with synthesisers went down well with both 60s traditionalists and their modern soul-loving counterparts. It wasn’t the same song as the Reparata & the Delrons’ hit, incidentally.

The record came from Mobile, Alabama, from Willie Garrison (as in W. G.), a promoter who worked with black acts in the South. Seventh Wonder later had LPs and minor hits on Parachute, a division of Casablanca.

 

GRP 131 SOUL GENERATION:

“Hold On”

***

Originally recorded by the O’Jays for Minit/Imperial, this is what the Americans call a ‘beach’record, a superb mid-tempo item which many prefer to the original. It was issued in the US on Mockingbird simply as “The Generation” This replaced Grapevines original plan for

this number: Trade Martin’s ‘I Wouldn’t Do Anything To Hurt You’.

 

That was from North Carolina. We stuck with Soul Generation because that’s how it

had been covered up.

 

GRP 132 SAM AND KITTY:

‘I’ve Got Something Good”

****

This played-out male/female duet was a winner back in 1973 but sadly dated by 1980. It had been bootlegged twice, making this legitimate release somewhat redundant.

 

This came from Chicago and a guy called Barney, who was (and still is) a big distributor in the 60s. He owned a One-Stop and a chain of stores, and 4 Brothers was his label Most of these guys never kept photos or records; we just gave them a small advance and they were happy. To them, it was a few hundred dollars for nothing!

and they were quite happy

 

GRP 133 CAROL ANDERSON:

“Sad Girl”

**

A 70s release with a 60s feel from the Fee

label in Detroit.

 

That was a contemporary recording which had sold on import. It must be worth a few quid because we still get asked for it all the time. Carol Anderson is dead now but she was behind Fee a very good local singer. The man behind Fee wasWoody Wilson, who used to work for Hertz car rental downtown! Then he struck with the Floaters”‘Float On , and the Detroit Emeralds and went from having no money to being rich - and lost it all again!

 

GRP 134 EDWARD HAMILTON:

“Baby Don’t You Weep”

**

John Anderson struck a licensing deal with Lou Beatty, owner of the La Beat , Mary Jane and Carrie labels. Several of Lou’s productions appeared on Grapevine over the next few singles. This “Sunny” soundalike had been bootlegged a year earlier, but many preferred the uptempo dancer on the B-side, “I’m Gonna Love You”. GRP 134 had earlier been listed as Eddie Holmans ‘,Eddie’s My Name’, which surfaced instead on Grapevine’s third album, “This Is Northern Soul’.

Lou Beatty owned a construction company and liquor store in Detroit. I offered him, say, a thousand dollars for the label and got all the records and tapes - lock, stock and barrel. It was nothing to him anymore. Edward Hamilton made records throughout the 60s and had a local following in Detroit.

 

GRP 135 LAURA GREENE:

“Can’t Help Loving Dat Man”

*

After scrapping the scheduled release of Tony Hestor’s magnificent “Down In The Dumps’, Grapevine opted instead for this poorquality pop-soul cover of a 30s musical standard, issued under its cover-up pseudonym - it was actually by Diane Renay.

This came from the D-Man label in Philadelphia. Diane was a white pop singer who had hits in the early 60s, like ‘Navy Blue’. Ila Van issued the same song on Roulette, which Pye Disco Demand put out.

 

GRP 136 AL WILLIAMS:

“I Am Nothing”

*****

A frighteningly rare La Beat 45, ‘I Am Nothing” is scarcer still on Palmer, which picked it up after its local release. This classic Detroit recording boasts a plaintive vocal over an almost acoustic backing track.

Palmer denied they’d even issued the record and I couldn’t convince them otherwise. Rarity is what makes these records popular, I think, rather than the music. Plus they’re from Detroit, and there’s a hang-up that all Detroit records are good, which I don’t agree with!

 

GRP 137 RONNIE AND ROBYN:

“As Long As You Love Me”

*****

Big orchestral backing and occasional harp breaks helped this classic boy/girl duet from Detroit’s Sidra label, scheduled for release with the more popular instrumental version, but then scrapped.

 

GRP 138 LESTER TIPTON:

“This Won’t Change”

****

One of the most collectable items from Detroit, this brilliant double-header from the La Beat label is the most difficult Grapevine single to find (although Al Williams comes a close second). The topside is archetypal Northern: fast, frantic and soulful. Lou Beatty later commented that he’d pressed 1,000 copies but only sold 300, sent a few out as promos and binned the rest. The flip was even better, “How” ***** a magnificent group sound from the Masqueraders, who found more success on Bell later. Miss this at your peril! Tipton died while

disturbing a burglar at his Detroit home in 1982. Grapevine had originally allotted this number as’ “Time’s A Wasting” by the Fuller Brothers.

This is another rare Detroit side. The Masqueraders are from Dallas, which is where I originally found lots of their singles. They made records with Wand, Stairway and Chip Moman’s A.G.P. label (which were licenced to Bell, including their only big hit, ‘I Ain Got To Love Nobody Else”), and an album on Bangwith Isaac Hayes - a talented group.

 

GRP 139 BILLY HAMBRIC:

“She Said Goodbye”

*****

Covered-up at Wigan Casino as Steve Mancha (a name to be found on numerous

Detroit soul productions), this high quality song and its flipside, “I Found True Love’,were highly popular around 1979.

That came from Johnny Brantley. It was from New York but had a definite Detroit

sound, produced by Luther Dixon and arranged by Bert Keyes. He’s another New York

singer who put out tons of records.

 

 

GRP 140 BLACK NASTY:

“Cut Your Motor Off”

**

At times, Grapevine’s releases were beyond comprehension. Why reissue a record which had been popular in 1976 but which hadn’t seen any turntable action for three years, to an audience who already owned the import? The original choice for GRP 140 might have been better: Luther Ingram’s superb “Exus Trek/’If it’s All The Same To You”.

Because we were offered it, I suppose. Big Hit was one of Johnny Mae Matthews’labels:Black Nasty were her sons and daughters. She discovered the Distants and recorded them first. Jeez, she’s probably in her 80’s by now. Black Nasty were also on Enterprise and Cotillion as the A.D. C. Band.

 

GRP 141 DENA BARNES:

“if You Ever Walked Out Of My Life”

*****

Any lover of 60s girl singers should beg,steal or borrow a copy of this classic Detroit production. Dena has a range similar to that of the late Minnie Riperton, hitting glass-shattering notes over the top of a storming Duke Browner production. An earlier bootleg hindered sales for Grapevine, making this a hard-to-find 45. Again, Grapevine had originally assigned this number to another record, ‘People That’s Why’ by Idle Few. …

We leased material from the Detroit labels Inferno and Impact via Del Shannon’s manager Harry Balk. He was living on the WestCoast by then. His only hit was the Shades Of Blue’s “Oh How Happy” issued here on Sue.

 

GRP 142 THE AGENTS:

“Trouble”

**

A product of the Liberty Bell label,Trouble” holds the novel distinction of being the only Northern track to feature an acoustic backing track - two heavily strummed guitars, a pounding drum beat and a great vocal.

The Agents were a local group from Philadelphia, who made another record on P&L.

 

GRP 143 NABAY: “Believe It Or Not”

****

A stunning vocal/instrumental from Detroit’s Impact label. The artist’s unusual name? Well Nabay was a Lebanese Arab in Detroit who was owed a favour by Impact boss Harry Balk. This storming slab of soul disappeared when the 7-day Middle East war broke out, and Nabay’s nationality was deemed unsuitable at that sensitive time. Fact or fiction? Whatever, this is a tremendous, brass-dominated classic.

 

GRP 144

NEW WANDERERS

“This Man In Love”

***

The original Wanderers featured Northern Soul hero Ray Pollard on lead vocals and had considerable Stateside success in the early 60’s. This later line-up cut a few discs for the Ready label, like this uptempo dancer and the scarcer “Ain’t gonna do you no harm”.

 

GRP 145 DUKE BROWNER:

“Crying Over You”

*****

A Harry Balk-produced classic on the rare soul scene for over 20 years, this is pure Northern Soul, featuring strings, chimes and those all-important breaks for handclaps.

 

GRP 146 KADDO STRINGS:

“Nothing But Love”

**

This solid, string-based ‘67 Detroit instrumental was also released under the guises of the Tartans and John Rhys.

There was a massive demand for instrumentals back then but now you can’t give them away. The different names were for publishing: by throwing them on a B-side, you got half the royalties.

 

GRP 147 ANTHONY RAYE:

“Give Me One More Chance”

*

Grapevine bowed out in a lacklustre way with this disappointing Tony Christie soundalike over a fast Impact backing track.

This was the last of the Harry Balk productions, although some more material went on the LPs.

 

RED 1 BRIMSTONE INGRAM:

“What Happened To The Songs”

*

 

Acouple of singles were issued with a red label and a different prefix, in an attempt to promote modern soul product.

The red label was just to make Grapevine more contemporary, by splitting it in two for different types of music. All those Funkadelic guys played the backing on this; they were session players as well. They looked a bit wild because they dressed like they did on stage colourfully. But it was a kinda pop record, really. Brimstone Ingram was the Detroit Emeralds bandleader.

 

RED 3 LEO’S SUNSHIPP:

“Give Me The Sunshine”

*

 

We had a red label album by Leo’s Sunshipp ready to put out. It was the cult import LP of the time - we had that, plus beefed up re-recorded versions and new songs, taped for a new album. But the tape got lost for posterity! We got this from YONS Records in Atlanta. Kenny Stover was in the band, from some 70s Motown group.

 

GRAPEVINE LPs

 

GRAL 1000

TALK OF THE GRAPEVINE

****

Asuperb compilation featuring 20 tracks, ‘Talk Of The Grapevine” was dominated by top quality Richard Wylie productions, although the mastering was on the quiet side.

 

GRAL 1001

SOUND OF THE GRAPEVINE

****

Also featuring 20 tracks (and again a bit quiet due to groove cramming), this featured Grapevine singles plus some rare and indemand titles. And don’t forget the excellent Motown label pastiche on the front cover.

 

GRAL 1002 THIS IS NORTHERN SOUL

****

The rarest of the three Grapevine albums, this suffered from distribution problems, as it appeared late in the label’s life. Demand is fuelled by the inclusion of the rare Tony Middleton track, ‘To The Ends Of The Earth”.

 

 

           

 

 

 

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