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Marking the passing of Ovide label owner Skipper Lee Frazier, I've taken the liberty of reprinting an excerpt from my second book of one of the label's most talented groups (no, not Archie and his boys): The TSU Toronadoes (a.k.a. Toronados) from Houston, Texas: They were really were a band behind a band. Ironically whilst very under-recognised outside of rare soul circles, they were responsible for one of the most instantly recognisable 1960s soul dance classics “Tighten Up”. Archie Bell and the Drells may have been credited for this track; indeed vocals were provided by Archie. In reality it was...

A number of R&B vocal groups and solo artists who were popular in the 1960s onwards in the south eastern states can be held up as examples of appeal to both the beach music and northern soul scenes. The Showmen are surely among the most notable, with a legacy covering their doo-wop origins in the 1950s; beach classics of the early sixties such as “It Will Stand” and “39-21-46”; the northern soul evergreen tracks like “Our Love Will Grow”; a lengthy interlude when their lead vocalist left to front Chairmen of the Board; and a reformed group (albeit with different...

An excerpt from Rhythm Message by yours truly: The Jokers Wild were originally an all-white Richmond, VA band formed by some Tucker High School friends in late 1964, as an off-shoot from The Regents. Members originally included Buzz Montsinger (saxophone, and relative of Chip Wood from The Greater Experience), Randy Moss (lead guitar), Wayne Leake (bass) and Greg Duncan (trumpet). They were managed initially by John Richardson and his partner, promoters who went by the name of “The Society of Richmond Orgies”, and then later by Charlie Bradshaw. The band name was extended when their manager introduced black vocalist Bernard...

Yes, this tome has been a long time coming. In two ways. Not only reflected by the journey author Dave Moore and graphic designer Jason Thornton have had from book conception to publication, spanning over at least six-plus years I believe - although the precursors which got them there cross a lifetime of a love of soul music, and at that, on both sides of the Atlantic. A book like this has also been well overdue from a musical reference perspective. Thankfully for the soul music scene there appears to be a current surge of material from new and established...

This week we have Dave Moore, author of The There's That Beat Guide to The Philly Sound telling us about the origins of his musical interests and the long journey which led to the colossal work documenting the history of soul and R&B in Philadelphia; a true 'must have' for any collector of the genre: "The record collecting gene has been part of my DNA for as long as I can remember. Having discovered soul music in my teens in the mid '70s, I fell hook line and sinker for the lush productions of Van McCoy, the sweet arrangements of...