Welcome back!

I trust you are all refreshed from the weekend and are already settled back into your respective positions at the ‘Coal face’ for another week of graft?

Firstly a big thanks to Pourang, as well as everyone who made it down to La Havana in Chichester on Saturday for our Motown 50th Anniversary themed night, especially the belated stragglers who made it down for the final hour and really got the dance floor heaving! As always your support is hugely appreciated and helps make the night as enjoyable for us as it hopefully is for you!

Motown is arguably one of the most extensive as well as influential record labels out there. It’s one of the long overlooked sides in my collection which I pulled out for Saturday night that I’d like to drop on you today.

A while back whilst trawling through the local Sunday morning car boot fair in town, I came across a guy selling the usual second rate gear that seemed to be mirrored on every table, as I passed by I noticed a grubby box of 45s hidden away amongst the piles of clothes and books. Now grubby boxes of 7 inch singles always get my heart rate going, so I dug in and one of the very first things I pulled out was The Supremes 4 track EP, which on first appearance had definitely seen better days. Whilst the picture sleeve was bordering on ruined it was one that I hadn’t come across before, luckily the wax was minty and hardly played so I threw it in on my pile and scored a nice grip of 45s for next to nothing - happy days!

‘Come See About Me’ was on that EP and whilst packing my box for Saturday’s Motown special it reminded me just how easy it is to overlook obviously great 45s in the search for something a little rarer and harder to find. Released in October 1964 and written by the formidable Holland - Dozier - Holland combo, this 45 saw The Supremes competing with The Beatles for their third number one single on the Hot 100. The vocal arrangements are brilliant, with Diana Ross on lead and Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard providing the crisp backing vocals. ‘Come See About Me’ went on to be covered by several notable artists including Junior Walker who scored a top 10 with it three years later in 1967.

The horns on the track lend a really rich feeling to the production and while the lyrics are all about heartbreak and rejection, somehow the bouncy groove and snappy drum beat seem to tip the balance and atmosphere of the 45 towards an almost upbeat optimistic feeling?!?

To use an old adage - “They just don’t make music like this anymore”, and you know what? They really don’t!

I hope you enjoy today’s 45 and here’s a quick heads up about this Saturday 14th March, which should, if all goes to plan see me joining Jamie Coughlan once more as guest DJ for the return of Bump & Hustle, his new night at The Elbow Room in Shoreditch. As previously the agenda will be rare funk and 60s and 70s soul, so if you’re in London head down and join us as it’s promising to be another great night!

I’ll be back shortly with some more of the ‘Good Stuff’ for you so don’t go too far!