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This is an example of a record so obscure that putting it up for sale without an audio sample would be a waste.  This 1981 modern soul two song 12″ is on the Boston Heights label, which probably was created by the group and might have been the only songs recorded by the label and musicians.  I found no info on it, except a website from Denmark that archived obscure labels, and they simply listed that it existed.

Does that make it valuable?  I’m not sure.  I don’t think it’s that great - but I’m not a modern soul DJ from Europe.  It is odd enough that it might draw some interest.  The A side has a strange grouping of strings and is kind of a tender love ballad.  The B side is just as strange, but is more up-tempo and funky.  It’s probably something we’ll never see again - and I doubt that there’s many more out there.  We have two copies - one that is in VG++ condition and another in VG.

Click here to view ebay listing.

to “Be My Love”

listen to “I Wanna Love Ya”

“Another One Bites The Dust”, by Jimmy “Spiderman” Allen on Cue-2 Records.

Ah, yes.  Another Lions season is soon to be underway.  Training camp has started and the cornbread is flying off the shelves and being wolfed down already.  Our 45 yeard old starting quarterback has already predicted at least 10 wins this year.  We brought in about 15 back-up running backs to replace our beloved but injured Kevin Jones, whos legendary last half of the 2005 season is still being talked about.  I think we won a game during that time period thanks to Jones’s heroics.  The good news is, one of the back-ups, Tatum Bell, was said to have been hitting the holes harder than John Henry hit the railroad steel.  It is certain that Bell will rush for well over 2,000 yards and Kitna will throw for at least 5,000 yards.  Plus we made our slightly above average defensive end Corey Redding the highest paid player in his position in all of the NFL, so that will certainly translate into him dominating the opponents offense this year, all on his own.

And I’m not even going to talk about our prized #2 draft pick, wide reciever Calvin Johnson.  It is said that he parts the defense like the red sea, and already, without even playing a game, he is a no-question first ballot hall of famer, a top three - maybe five best of all time, and there is no doubt that he will smash Jerry Rice’s receiving records like an oversize wrecking ball into a glass house.

I am actually shocked that the NFL is going to go on with the 2007/2008 season, instead of just handing the Vince Lombardi trophy to the Lions right now.  The Lions will make the Dolphins undefeated ‘72 season look like a lucky fluke.

Not suprisingly, these levels of optimism have always surrounded our Lions.  Despite our annual pathetic group of players we trot out on the field, we always think we can do it.  We pack the sold-out stadium each Sunday, crowd around the living room TV, and cheer the old boys on.  Oh, there have been some good times, like when Wayne Fontes was the coach and it seemed as if every year we went 10-6 and then lost in the first round.  Those were the good old days.  And we had Barry Sanders, who, next to Michael Jordan, is perhaps the greatest and most entertaining athlete I have ever seen play.

Way back in 1980, the Lions were about the same as they are now.  They were coming off a 2-14 year, but the optimism was running high.  They had a defensive back named Jimmy “Spiderman” Allen who recorded a song, set to the tune of Another One Bites The Dust, about how awesome the Lions were going to be that upcoming season - they were Super Bowl bound: “Last year’s team was 2 and 14, but this is the year for New Orleans!”

That’s the old spirit!  C’mon Lions - you can do it this time!  Super Bowl or bust!

 - Another One Bites The Dust (Detroit Lions Song)

Ypsilanti natives Mark Maynard and his wife Linette Lao had a story written by the Ann Arbor News this morning about their underwear line, Ypsipanties.  It’s a very clever idea, drawing on Ypsilanti’s history as an underwear capitol - the Ypsilanti Underwear Company used to dwell on the banks of the Huron River a long time ago.

You can buy them here.

They also have for purchase, somewhere, a t-shirt that reads, Iggy Pop is from Ypsilanti.  He really is - did you know that?  What famous person is from your small city?  Or better yet - does your small city have it’s own line of underwear?

It’s just nice to know that there’s others out there like Mark and Linette who gets a kick out of Ypsilanti as much as I do.

Huge collection just in.  Modern soul, funk, dance, DJ, R&B, old school rap, gospel, folk, bluegrass, rock, lots of odd balls. 

I’m looking into some very interesting/obscure records I found out of the collection, so I’ll keep you posted.

Next month will be me and my wife’s 3 year wedding anniversary.  I won’t get all sentimental on you - but I will share with you our wedding song, What Am I Living For.  Our’s was actually the Taj Mahal modern version, but here is the original version by Chuck Willis off the Atlantic 45 from the late 50s.  The words say it all.

listen:

Geroge Clinton-led Detroit funk originals Funkadelic started as the doo-wop group The Parliments before the psych scene of the late 60s inspired a creative burst that transformed their sound into a bucket of hot acid funk-rock for all who dared to get down, pleading with the world to “free your mind and your ass will follow.” 

This 45 was their second issued by Detroit label Westbound, and it can also be found on their 1st, self titled album as Funkadelic.

The intro to this is crazy - the beat is insane, it’s grooves are infectious.  George and crew - you had it right. 

give it a

After going to last week’s Ypsilanti Shadow Art Fair, I wrote a post giving my review.  I basically said that while it was well organized and fun, it left me wanting a little bit more.  I wanted more paintings and photographs rather than crafts and clothing.  It seemed more like a local small business expo than a true art fair.

I ran into Mark Maynard, the organizer of the YSAF, at the Ypsilanti Farmers Market yesterday.  He said that they wanted to reach everyone, and they put out the best artists they could, based on the applicants.  He said it wasn’t as if they were turning down painters and photographers in favor of what was there.

So, instead of just complaining, I thought I would be pro-active, for what it’s worth.  I personally know many painters and photographers in the Ann Arbor-Ypsi-Detroit area (I assume it’s OK if they’re not from just Ypsi?), as well as a few people who are well connected to artists in these areas.  I’ll get the word out to apply for the winter art fair.  I’d also like to see it be opened up to small artists with booths outside (maybe for the summer).  It could be a sort of garage sale of original art - and basically anyone who wanted to could do it.  I think that would be very interesting and fun to see all sorts of different stuff.  We could market this to EMU and U-M art students, and even high school art groups like at the Ozone House, or anyone else who wanted to try to sell their art.   

The Ypsilanti Shadow Art Fair could have it’s own little niche - as an art fair with more of an edge than Plymouth or Ann Arbor, but also with more hidden, interesting treasures and unknown artists.  More folk and roots oriented.  And to get everyone involved - from the east side to the south side of Ypsi, and all the surrounding communities.

Of course, this is big talk from someone who doesn’t have a real interest in contributing more than rambling ideas like this.  I would try to recruit more artists, though, and promote it as I could.  Or maybe, everyone wants it left alone and kind of smallish, and part of the idea is for it to be a local small business expo.

I’m offering these ideas because it never hurts to listen to another opinion.  Regardless, I think that the Shadow Art Fair, as it is, is a great thing for the community.  The organizers have done a terrific job, and it has been a huge success so far.  Thanks for putting it on again this year - it’s given me one more thing to enjoy about living in Ypsilanti.  If nothing changes, I’ll still go every time, in search of that cool painting or photograph to stick on the wall.  Cheers!

Anna, 1127: I’m In Love / One Of These Days

David Ruffin was born in Whynot, Mississippi, and left home at age 14 to pursue a music career.  He briefly joined the Memphis gospel group, the Dixie Nightingales.  (I actually have a recording of The Dixie Nightingales around the period where Ruffin would have recorded with them, but unfortunatly it does not mention his name on the credits.)  After stumbling around the south, he made his way to Detroit where his older brother and future Motown recording artist Jimmy Ruffin was working at Ford Motor Company and trying to make it in the music industry himself.  David began singing with a group called the Voicemasters, which was produced by Lamont Dozier and featured group members who would later go on to form the Originals.  The songs, “I’m In Love” and “One of These Days”, were recorded in 1961 under David Ruffin’s name, since he sang the lead with the Voicemasters providing back up vocals.  The Anna label was run by Berry Gordy’s sister, Gwen Gordy Fuqua.

This 45 failed to sell very well, but in 1964 he was invited to join the Temptations, where he made a name for himself as one of the greatest soul singers in the world.  He began singing back up, but quickly moved to lead after the song My Girl was the first number one single for the Temptations.  Unfortunatly, David’s ego got the best of him as he put himself ahead of the band and even argued to change the band’s name to David Ruffin and the Temptations.  He began drinking and using cocaine heavily and was eventually fired in 1968.

Regardless, David Ruffin remains one of the all-time great voices in the history of soul music, right up there with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding.

We were lucky enough recently to find two copies of this Anna single in a recent collection that had similar 45s of early soul and doo-wop, presumably from a late 50s/early 60s Detroit DJ.  We sold one copy and I kept the other, although I had to do much pleading and haggling with Justin to get him to agree to let me have it.  The A side is a great love ballad that shows off young Ruffin’s voice very nicely; the B side is an uptempo dancer. 

listen to a clip of “I’m In Love”:

-From First Grand Prize Star Search Winner to Island Recording Artist to Front Man For America’s Premiere Party Band

I wrote a post a while ago about the Most Influencial Artists Ever Who Sported A Jheri Curl.  Included on the list were the usual suspects - Michael Jackson, Prince, Rick James, Morris Day, and some others.  I also included what I called an obscure choice - Durell Coleman, based on his self-titled 1985 album.

Well, Durell happened to come across the post, and emailed me yesterday!  He said he laughed out loud when he saw his name on the list and thanked me for mentioning the album and linking to his website.  Durell now fronts the Durell Coleman Band, America’s Premiere Party Band.  I was excited to get an email from the man Durell himself - so let me tell you the full story behind how cousin Justin and I came to be fans of Durell Coleman.

When we first got started with selling records, we were far from experts.  Nowadays we’ll only buy collector’s collections by the hundreds or even thousands, but it wasn’t always like that.  We would go to garage sales and take chances on records we thought looked like they could be valuable.  Sometimes we’d get excited about a record and they’d turn out to be duds, and one of us would give the other shit about it. 

One day we were out garage sailing together when I found a still-sealed copy of Durell’s self-titled Island record.  I got my hopes up in thinking it could be worth a lot, and Justin made fun of me.  It turned out it wasn’t - but still -it looked intriguing.  It was still sealed - so we debated on opening it before we finally did.  (Still sealed albums are always more valuable.)  We listened to it, and instantly knew it was a classic, and wouldn’t be sold.  It was like revisiting that modern soul era of the 80s that we grew up with.  It was cheesy, but honest and undeniably catchy.  We knew it was the truth that there was no good argument that this wasn’t great music, even though music snobs across the world would try to deny it.  It’s beyond music snobery - it’s like the kind of music that’s hard to admit that you like it, but you do.  It’s hard to explain, and I will post some audio samples later to show you.  It’s in the same genre as Lee Osler’s Back To Ypsilanti, and Gino Danelli’s Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now/Tigers song.  I play this kind of music for my wife and she laughs and laughs, but she dances!  She feels it!  

So for some reason, we were intrigued by the album and the artist.  Who the hell was Durell Coleman?  It turns out, Durell was the very first grand prize winner of Star Search, and the second overall winner in 1985 (the first winner was Sam Harris).  He went on to record this album, his only one, in 1985 for Island, where it had marginal success.  But where most one hit or one album wonders would stop, call it quits, there was no stopping Durell Coleman.

Durell went on to form the Durell Coleman Band, the self proclaimed America’s Premiere Party Band.  Durell took the concept of a wedding band to another level.  Located in Los Angeles, they’ve emerged into one of the best event bands in the world, rocking out the Golden Globe after party with Prince, and even playing Shaq’s wedding.  What I like so much about the band is their ability to play everything - they can go from to the to .  Check out their full list of songs.

This is what music should be - fun to listen to, fun to dance to: music you can feel.  Durell’s album and The Durell Coleman Band captures all that.  I just liked the story of Durell’s career - he’s exactly the kind of musician we like to celebrate.  Music doesn’t have to be about who’s the coolest or who’s the biggest or who’s the most well-known.  It’s about the spirit of the music - and that’s probably why we relate to Durell.  There’s other record stores out there bigger than us, with more rare and valuable stuff; there’s other music blogs/sites with more polished writers and hipper lay-outs and more traffic.  But there ain’t no stoppin’ Cousins - we represent the truth of the pulse of the music.  We enjoy what we do and we do it the best we can. 

So cheers Durell, keep doing what you do.  Long live the DCB, and long live Cousins Vinyl.  Now go to his site and jam out to the music.  Or better yet, hire him to play your next event - just don’t forget to invite me.

The art of the drum break.  It’s purpose is to provide the musicians, in this example of the jazz-funk genre, a literal break from the theme that has been expressed repeatedly.  The theme then reaches it’s emotional peak, falls off a cliff - the drummer is then set free to create his/her own expression based on this theme without the hinderance of other instruments, and to get all the hippies in the crowd doing their crazy dance.  Usually the bass player is the first to pick back up and join the solo drummer, followed by the rest of the musicians.  When the rest finally join in, it is with great relief and triumph, where they restate their earlier repeated expression with great enthusiasm.  The result is the song gone full circle, with the repeated musical phrase now thrust back full force, the break well needed in order to give greater appreciation to the initial theme.

For two examples of how the drum break is utilized by a pair of Detroit jazz-funk bands, listen to the , and

Read my previous post for for more info on breaks and how to breakdance.

As I’ve mentioned, I’m reading John Sinclair’s book, Guitar Army, about the revolutionary White Panther party and the band that he managed that helped start the revolution, Ann Arbor’s the MC5.

Sinclair formed the White Panther party as a response to the involvement of cops, politicians, teachers, parents, and the rules of society; to promote a healthy involvement in an equal proportion of rock and roll, dope, and fucking in the streets.  He describes near riots happening at places like the Hideout and Grande Ballroom in Detroit when young rock and roll fans would be arrested for smoking joints outside the venues.  The MC5 responded one night by beginning the show with the now legendary, “KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKER!”, to hysterical response.

It was the censorship of rock and roll youth’s consciousness that infuriated Sinclair and thousands of other “long hairs”, “hippies” or “freeks”.  Thanks to the help of a steady dose of pot and LSD, they demanded that they be left alone to form a collective utopian community of music, drugs, and free sex.  Not suprisingly, the cops, politicians, teachers and parents who they rebelled against considered Sinclair’s followers to be major threats to society.  They weren’t contributing much of anything except loud music, promiscious sex, and plently of drug use.  But underlying it all was the cry of love, that this movement’s purpous was to, as the song goes, c’mon people now, smile on your brother (or sister), everybody get together and love one another right now.  Keep in mind, John Sinclair and the revolution promoted this in the 60s in the midst of heavy racial tension (the song Motor City is Burning is about the Detroit riot of ‘68), and certainly did not exclude race in any way, equally encouraging people to enjoy the music of the MC5 , Rationals, SRC, the Up, the Third Power, ect, along with John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shep, Mile Davis, and of course, the blues.

It’s ironic then, despite this rebellion against cencorship, that The MC5’s first album, titled Kick Out The Jams on Elektra, would first have the liner notes written by Sinclair taken out, and then later the lyrics changed from “kick out the jams motherfucker”, to “kick out the jams brothers and sisters.”  I own the original completely uncensored album - which is actually quite rare as Elektra must have pulled them fairly early on.

I’d have to research more as to how this came about, and what Sinclair’s reaction was, but I’d be interested to find out.  Maybe if I keep reading Guitar Army I’ll find out.

A part of what made the MC5 were those lyrics.  Censorship had to be destroyed, freedom had to be obtained.  To have both the notes (which Sinclair talks about the revolution and movement), and the word “motherfucker” removed seems like it would have been a complete slap in the face to the MC5, the power of the people, and the power of the people’s music.  It does, however, show you how influencial bands like the MC5 were towards the progress of freedom of expression - to have those liner notes and lyrics removed in today’s time would be unheard of (unless two versions were released for sales at a major superstore like Target or Meijers).

to part of the original unsensored version of Kick Out The Jams.

Our soul/doo-wop 45 auction ends tomorrow around 5 or 6. 

After that, new 45s will go up.  I haven’t decided what yet, but I’ve got early rock-n-roll and rockabilly, rare country, tons more soul and doo-wop, and a huge 60s and 70s rock batch waiting to be listed.  The rock will have some added interest locally because there’s a lot of Ann Arbor/Detroit stuff.

I love you Ypsi, and I love the Ypsilanti Shadow Art Fair, but I need to speak the truth.  And you deserve it.

My wife Jessica and I, along with my cousin (yes, the other cousin of Cousins Vinyl) and his wife Jessica (yes, both cousins have wives named Jessica), visited the Shadow Art Fair in Ypsi today. 

Everyone knows I love Ypsi.  I talk about it all the time.  I go to Sidetracks whenever I can.  I’m a MarkMaynard.com superfan.  I play the new Ypsi disc golf course 3-4 times a week.  I mention and promote Ypsi all the time on this blog.  I play Lee Osler’s Back To Ypsilanti 45 non-stop in my basement.  I’m an EMU grad, former EMU athlete, and current EMU grad student.  My dad went to EMU.  My mom went to EMU.  My grandpa went to EMU (went it was Normal College).  My great-grandpa went to EMU (When Normal College first opened!)  My uncle used to own the Ypilanti Farmers Co-Op where the grain elevator is.  I own an Ypsilanti house.  I’ve got super Ypsi pride.  I want Ypsi to do well.

I went to the first Ypsi Shadow Art Fair when it opened last year at the Corner Brewery.  I hung out with my buddy Josh Steichmann who was helping us start this blog, I drank some beer and bought a few things - a few independent records, some zines, and a Matt Callow photograph.

I went the next winter and I was a little disapointed.  It seemed like the same stuff.  A lot of clothing and crafts.  Not as much art.  I wanted some paintings and more photographs.  They didn’t have it.  I ended up not buying anything.

But I went again today.  I talked to Mark Maynard, met his wife, and bought a new issue of Crimewave.  (It was great.  Mark Maynard’s the man).  I looked around, wanting to buy something.  I had $100 cash in my pocket, burning a hole.  I wanted to buy either an original painting, or a Matt Callow photograph.  No Matt Callow, and nobody else had any original paintings.  My cousin wanted to buy a painting too, for his living room.  He ended up buying some records from one of two record guys there - it wasn’t Ghostly - it was the hardcore punk guy - I forget his name.  His wife bought some coffee which smelled great and she was excited about.  Justin and I each bought a beer, had a free slice of pizze, looked around again, and then decided to go.  All in all, between the four of us, we spent about 12 bucks on beer for me and Justin (and a brownie for my pregnant wife), and about 30 bucks on coffee, a couple zines, and a few records. 

So, we all had fun, and it was exciting to go, and the Corner Brewery was great, but it just left me wanting a little bit more.  I was willing to spend more of my hard earned money, but nothing grabbed me.  Maybe it just wasn’t my type of thing.  But it should be  -right?  I love art, I love art fairs, I love music. 

So that’s my opinion, for what it’s worth.  I had to be honest - because that’s what it might take for the Shadow Art Fair to improve for next year.  I absolutely love the idea, and I think it was well organized and put together.  I just think that it would be better if it had better art next year - more paintings, sculptures, and music rather than clothing and crafts.

But don’t get me wrong - the fact that there is a Shadow Art Fair is plenty good enough for me.  I just think the potential is there for it to be better.

The Michigan Elvis Fest is going on at Riverside Park in Depot Town, right down the street from my house in Ypsilanti.  A great lineup of tribute artists will perform, including Ann Arbor’s own Chris Solano.  Special guest artist is Motown’s Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas, so that is also very cool.  (You can find a bunch of her 45s for sale in our store here.)

In honor of this event, I am going to put up a bunch of Elvis 45s for auction, and also I’m going to do a 15 LP lot of various trashed but cool Elvis LPs that we’ve had lying around for a while. ***Update***  Here’s the lot:

If you don’t want to wait 7 days for the auctions to end, we DO have 128 Elvis records for sale already in our store, including the one pictured below.

Oh yes, Elvis Lives!

Jesus is a Soul Man was first written by Lawrence Reynolds as a country and bluegrass gospel song.  I first discovered the song through an LP I bought at an Ypsilanti church yard sale by the Pathway Quartet, titled Soul Man. 

I thought it was going to be a version of Sam and Dave’s song, but I enjoyed it even more as it was.  I wrote about it before, you can listen again .

I liked the honesty of the song.  I liked that Jesus was a soul man, it seemed real, I felt it, that yes, Jesus was a soul man.  And if Jesus lives in our hearts, than we’re all soul men (and women).  Ya mon.  We are all one.  One love, one soul heart.  Who feels it knows it Lord!

So Justin and I were thrilled to find another version, a southern black gospel version on Stop, by Otis Williams.  Mmmm, mmm…Otis puts the soul into Jesus Is A Soul Man.  It’s a great contrast between the other version, as both are great.

If you don’t go to church, or want an excuse to skip church this Sunday, listen to this song, get up and dance, and feel Jesus in your soul.  He was just like you and I, just another soul man (or woman).  I don’t go to chucrch, so I make up for it by listening to sweet gospel music.  That’s good enough for me.

That’s a good song, huh?