In the home stretch now.. the last 4 of the my Top Ten.. all 4 have been favorites for 20 years now.. and one of them started me on the path of "playing everything that looks interesting."
7. Judy Freeman & Blackrock - Hold On - RCA 74-0493
One of the many mixed tapes I received, was was a straight recording of the 1976 RCA LP "Jumping At The Go Go" which introduced me to the RCA catalog of Northern Soul. "Hold On" by Judy Freeman & Blackrock especially stood out for me. Is it a love song, or an equal rights anthem? "Everything you wanted so much, you won't want it." Pure Magic! I sold my first copy in 2004 (a tale for another day) and it took me a long time to replace it - and this time I will keep it.
8. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Prayin' - Source 41156
My introduction to Northern Soul was very 60s centric. I overlooked the 70s due to me associating it with overly produced disco. After attending a few Northern Soul all-nighters in the UK (Keele and Allanton) I was surprised at how much good 70s was played - but I did not know much about what to look for. Shortly after, on a record buying trip across the US with Mark Windle, and discussing my lack of 70s knowledge, he picked up a copy of Harold Melvin's "Prayin'" from a box and passed it to me. "Buy this, you'll love it." He was right! Almost 30 years later, I still own that copy.
9. The Ambers - I Love You Baby - Verve VK-10436
When I first started digging for records, I mostly found chart hits. I didn't really know what to look for. I got a job at a local record store, Mango's, in Montclair, NJ, and was able to play every record that came into the store. In one of the first box's I went through, there was this light blue label, Verve, which was new to me, and the artists name, Ambers, looked very interesting. From the first note I was blown away! It was fantastic! Well worth the 50 cent it cost me. Weeks later, while playing it in the store again, a customer in the shop started singing along to it - he remembered it from the 60s and never knew who it was, he had just heard it on the local radio station. To top all that off, years later I found out I went to school with the son of someone credited on the record!
10. Sandy Hadley - Since I Found A Love - So Char 12000
Another song I first heard on a Kent LP, "Sophisticated Sounds" (Kent 079), was Sandy Hadley's "Since I Found A Love." It became an immediate favourite - and one I thought I would never own. From the first notes this song just grabs you. The drum intro, backing singers and piano, then the horns come in. Bobby Martin got some Detroit honking sax in as well. How can you not dance to this? It was in my top 10 wants for over 20 years and now finally in my collection (thank you Justin!). I have every intention of DJing with it.