Rob Noxious
Retro Supremo⭐
This was meant to go in another thread which is closed for a few more hours, but seeing that this is ready for 'release,' I just wanted to get it 'out there' for the record-buying public of ShrimperZone. This one's a tribute to 'Carmel Records'...
"Van Morrison once said that Jackie Wilson said, 'I'm in heaven when you smile'..."
Thus spoke Kevin Rowland, the lead singer of Dexy's Midnight Runners at The Old Vic theatre in Waterloo Road in November, 1981, before he and the band launched into a blistering horns attack on Van's paean to the soul legend, who at the time was still in a coma. I'd discovered that morsel of information about Jackie Wilson through talking to a very knowledgeable and likeable chap called Paul a few months later. I'd gone into Paul's record shop in pursuit of some of the soul classics that Kevin Rowland had steered me towards and discovered that he had singles I was after - long since 'deleted', a word of doom for record collectors back in the day - 'Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache' by The Bandwagon, 'Give Me Just A Little More Time' by The Chairmen Of The Board and 'Let's Stay Together' by Al Green. The sleeve of the latter still has a stamped motif on of the 'Southend Rhythm & Soul Society,' which I'm guessing was a fantastic little group to belong to. Paul also had a Jackie Wilson compilation on the famous old Brunswick label and some of the proceeds were going to Jackie Wilson's 'survival fund' apparently. Paul's record shop was a little treasure trove - he managed to pack one helluva lot of fine stuff in there for such a small shop. You may have seen it yourself - it's in Westcliff (or it was; I really hope it's still there!) along the London Road and quite close to The Army & Navy Surplus Stores, another fine Westcliff institution too.
This record went on to become a hit nearly a year later. The band performed it on TOTP in front of a back-drop of the darts player, Jocky Wilson. I was doing my psychiatric nurse training then with a woman who was living with the drummer, Seb Shelton, and she told me that it was a p*ss take and not a c*ck-up by BBC technicians as was originally thought. Dexy's never really stayed the course unfortunately but seeing some of their concerts - Kevin Rowland disapproved of the word 'gig' - in '81 especially, was a delight and like I say, I've got Kevin and Paul to thank for bringing me some wonderful soul music. If you see Paul, please tell him Rob Noxious from Cornwall says 'hi.' Cheers.
"Van Morrison once said that Jackie Wilson said, 'I'm in heaven when you smile'..."
Thus spoke Kevin Rowland, the lead singer of Dexy's Midnight Runners at The Old Vic theatre in Waterloo Road in November, 1981, before he and the band launched into a blistering horns attack on Van's paean to the soul legend, who at the time was still in a coma. I'd discovered that morsel of information about Jackie Wilson through talking to a very knowledgeable and likeable chap called Paul a few months later. I'd gone into Paul's record shop in pursuit of some of the soul classics that Kevin Rowland had steered me towards and discovered that he had singles I was after - long since 'deleted', a word of doom for record collectors back in the day - 'Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache' by The Bandwagon, 'Give Me Just A Little More Time' by The Chairmen Of The Board and 'Let's Stay Together' by Al Green. The sleeve of the latter still has a stamped motif on of the 'Southend Rhythm & Soul Society,' which I'm guessing was a fantastic little group to belong to. Paul also had a Jackie Wilson compilation on the famous old Brunswick label and some of the proceeds were going to Jackie Wilson's 'survival fund' apparently. Paul's record shop was a little treasure trove - he managed to pack one helluva lot of fine stuff in there for such a small shop. You may have seen it yourself - it's in Westcliff (or it was; I really hope it's still there!) along the London Road and quite close to The Army & Navy Surplus Stores, another fine Westcliff institution too.
This record went on to become a hit nearly a year later. The band performed it on TOTP in front of a back-drop of the darts player, Jocky Wilson. I was doing my psychiatric nurse training then with a woman who was living with the drummer, Seb Shelton, and she told me that it was a p*ss take and not a c*ck-up by BBC technicians as was originally thought. Dexy's never really stayed the course unfortunately but seeing some of their concerts - Kevin Rowland disapproved of the word 'gig' - in '81 especially, was a delight and like I say, I've got Kevin and Paul to thank for bringing me some wonderful soul music. If you see Paul, please tell him Rob Noxious from Cornwall says 'hi.' Cheers.
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