Welcome back!

I trust you are all well? The past five days have seen me travelling up and down the country for work (and a short spell of play!), so it’s a true relief to finally get back home to Hook & Sling HQ.

I also squeezed in a well earned, but all too brief visit to Beatin’ Rhythm Records in Manchester, where after I managed to get over the sheer amount of soul and funk 45s they had, finally got down to some serious digging. I strongly urge you to pay these guys a visit, as not only do they have a stupid amount of fantastic 45s, they are also all extremely nice and helpful, which made the trip up North well worth it!

The reinstallation of new recording software also continues as I get to grips with the change back over from a Mac to a Windows based computer. Hopefully once I’ve worked out how to use Audacity properly normal service will resume. Happy days!

One of the great things that have come out of running this Blog has to be the small network of friends and people offering support that I have met, all of whom have a like minded passion for this music. One of those people is Sasha Gonzo, organist of the brilliant St. Petersburg, Russia based Wake & Bake! funk band.

Those of you that roll by regularly may remember the Guest mix he dropped six months ago on these very pages. If you missed it first time around then go and grab it HERE.

Sasha Gonzo has been in touch over the last couple of months, keeping me up to date on the progress of the bands brand new 45, PartyStarter / Soul Woman which has just been released on Our Label Records. Keep an ear to the ground as the 45 should be available round these parts very soon. I can guarantee you’ll be joining the queue right behind me for this one!

Click on the track titles below for a short sample of each side:

Wake & Bake! - PartyStarter - Our Label Records

Wake & Bake!- Soul Woman - Our Label Records

To coincide with the 45’s launch Sasha has put together a new guest mix. The selections are a little more eclectic this time around, but the quality of the tracks and mixing is as good as ever!

Ladies and Gentlemen give it up once more for Sasha Gonzo……

Track List

Sunny & The Sunlighters - Trick Bag - Tear Drop

Earl Gaines - Good Good Lovin’ - DeLuxe

The Committee - ONA - J.B. Records

Augusto Alguero And Orchestra - Bocaccio Soul (Tema “Tusset Street”) - Polydor

The Strange Bros. Show - Shakey Jakes - Fire

Roger & The Gypsies - Pass The Hutchet Pt.2 - Seven B

The Nu-Trons - Beat - Eldee

ElvisPresley - Spinout - RCA

Chick Willis - Mother Fuyer - LaVal

Joe Sherman And The Arena Brass - Fever - Epic

Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger - Save Me - Marmalade

Don Gardner - My Baby Likes To Boogaloo - Tru-Glo-Town

Willie Gresham - Step by Step - Majesty

Major Lance - Shadows Of Memory - Dakar

Levert Allison - Chase The Sun Boy - Eleventh House

Grady Tate - Be Black Baby - Skye

Redemption Singers - Black Is Beautiful - One-Derful

Download Sasha Gonzo’s PartyStarter 45 Launch Mix HERE