Robert Parker: Shakespeare Hotel, Woolwich, London
Live Review by Bill Millar, Soul Music Monthly, January 1967
THE NUMBER OF blues and blues-based artistes touring the UK in the autumn months is quite absurd and not everybody will have the time or the ...

Solomon Burke: The Marquee, London, 18th July 1966
Live Review by Bill Millar, Soul Music Monthly, February 1967
Just over a year ago, Solomon Burke made his first appearance at the Marquee and was greeted with incredible scenes of enthusiasm. Before he had sung ...

Garnet Mimms: Whisky A Go Go, London
Live Review by Bill Millar, Soul Music, April 1967
MANY ENTHUSIASTS feel that Garnet Mimms is the best of the current crop of soul-ballad vocalists and if we pretend that "soul" is an idiom separate ...

Otis Redding et al.:
Live Review by Bill Millar, Soul Music, April 1967
It was perfectly clear that every performer on the Stax show was going to receive the most sympathetic applause should he or she subsequently turn out ...

The Ike And Tina Turner Revue: Streatham Locarno, London
Live Review by Bill Millar, Soul Music Monthly, April 1968
IN SEPTEMBER 1966, some seven thousand people saw the Rolling Stones and like & Tina Turner at the Royal Albert Hall and – judging by audience ...

Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul in London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1968
FRIDAY, MAY 10th, marked the long overdue arrival in Britain of America's first Lady of Soul, the remarkable Miss Aretha Franklin: an event which soul fans ...

Aretha Franklin: Aretha's Artistry
Profile by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1968
THE YOUNG lady who has probably had more effect on the r&b scene in the U.S.A. than anyone else during the past year, who has always ...

Nina Simone
Interview by Dave Godin, Blues & Soul, July 1968
ONE IS always apprehensive about meeting artists for whom one has a great admiration or burning passion – I deliberately avoided meeting the one and only ...

Smokey Robinson
Profile and Interview by Michael Lydon, Rolling Stone, September 1968
SMOKEY ROBINSON is the reigning genius of Top-40. Since the Beatles and the Beach Boys dropped out of the single-then-follow-up-album pattern aimed at the AM teenage ...

Sam & Dave: Fillmore East, New York NY
Live Review by Mike Jahn, New York Times, December 1968
Soul Team Plays 'South of the Border' ...

Ike & Tina Turner: River Deep-Mountain High; Outta Season
Review by Greil Marcus, Rolling Stone, May 1969
IKE AND TINA TURNER have been packing suitcases and riding buses for years, playing the Sportmen's Clubs and the Showcase Lounges, sometimes making it into the ...

Made in New Orleans: Record Production Techniques and the Land Of Dreams
Overview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, May 1969
THERE WAS a time, not so long ago, when almost all the writing about popular music was descriptive or informative. ...

Chuck Willis: I Remember Chuck Willis
Review by Greil Marcus, Rolling Stone, August 1969
EVERY ONCE IN a while something happens that reminds one of the incalculable contribution Atlantic Records has made to rock and roll and rhythm and blues.. ...

Shorty Long
Retrospective by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1969
FREDERICK (SHORTY) Long drowned in a boating accident on Sunday, June 29. Also killed in the same accident was Shorty's friend, Oscar Williams, who also lived ...

James Brown: Telling The Natural Truth
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, September 1969
'SAY IT LOUD – I'm Black and I'm Proud' sold 20,000 copies in Britain, although the BBC played it only once. Is James Brown surprised? ...

Percy Sledge: The Best Of Percy Sledge
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, December 1969
PERCY SLEDGE is here for a three-week tour, and to coincide with it Atlantic have released a single, 'True Love Travels On A Gravel Road', and ...

The Temptations: The Talk Of The Town, London
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1970
ON ENTERING the exclusive surroundings of London's most popular dinner and entertainment club, my mind was engaged on the description that most journalists from the other ...

The Temptations Came, Saw And Almost Conquered
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1970
AND SO, it's all over. The Temptations, first ambassadors of Soul and Motown have been and gone again. The question now is whether it was all ...

Sam & Dave, Arthur Conley, Jimmy Ruffin: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1970
IT STARTED out as a most exciting way to start the 70's for every British Soul lover. But after three weeks on the road it all ...

Doris Troy: Dave Godin Meets Mother Soul
Interview by Dave Godin, Blues & Soul, February 1970
WHEN EDITOR John Abbey asked me if I would do a feature interview with Doris Troy to coincide with her forthcoming single release on Apple, I ...

Jimmy Ruffin: I Nearly Became A Temptation
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1970
AND SO, the news is out that the Ruffin brothers, David and Jimmy, could well be linking up in the States as a double act. ...

Booker T And The MGs/Blue Mink/Jimmy Ruffin: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1970
THE HAMMERSMITH Odeon has been the scene of great jubilation and triumph for many top r&b/soul artists in the last few years and soul fans have ...

Richie Havens: Stonehenge (Stormy Forest)
Review by Ben Edmonds, Fusion, March 1970
THE SUBJECT OF Richie Havens is always sure to provoke an argument. Those who tend to dislike him do so with a great deal of fervor, ...

Dionne Warwick: The Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Dave Godin, Blues & Soul, May 1970
THE "PRINCE Albert Hall" (as Dionne so charmingly referred to it) is the most peculiar venue in London for a recording artist to play. ...

Isaac Hayes: The Most Important Soul Man Of Today
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1970
JA: How did you first get together with David Porter, in the very beginning? ...

Bobby Womack
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1970
OUTSIDE OF the States, Bobby Womack does not really mean a great deal. On listening to his current American album, My Prescription, this is indeed a ...

Clarence Carter & Candi Staton: Clarence and Candi and Rick Hall
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1970
WHEN WE heard the good news of Clarence Carter's impending marriage to his protege, Candi Staton, we felt we had to get in touch with him ...

Aretha Franklin: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1970
WHEN THE second house of Aretha's only London date started half an hour late, it did at first appear a bad sign. However, since the opening ...

Aretha Franklin: Our Queen
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1970
THE ARRIVAL in Britain of the Queen of Soul was, naturally, a Red Letter day in the 1970 Soul calendar. After all, this was only Aretha's ...

The Voices of East Harlem: The Black Pride Of 13 Hip Kids
Profile and Interview by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, August 1970
BLACK PRIDE, as a kind of more inner-directed companion to Black Power, is rapidly becoming a force in our musical world. "Black Is Beautiful" was a ...

The Isley Brothers
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
The Isley Brothers, Ronnie, Rudolph and O'Kelly, have spent well over a decade at the top. Their success culminated in the formation of their own T. ...

Curtis Mayfield: No Longer An Impression
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
AS EXCLUSIVELY reported in Blues & Soul some 4 months ago, Curtis Mayfield has officially left the Impressions after 12 years. When we finally tracked him ...

Curtis Mayfield: Curtis; The Impressions: Check Out Your Mind
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
Curtis Mayfield: Curtis (Curtom) ...

Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band: Express Yourself
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
THOUGH THE Watts 103rd St. Band are not yet a big act in Britain, they have established themselves as one of the top attractions in their ...

R.B. Greaves
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
ONE OF the most promising talents to emerge in the States this year has been R. B. Greaves. His multi-million seller, 'Take A Letter Maria', has ...

Freda Payne: The Story Behind Band Of Gold
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1970
"THAT'S REALLY funny, because I was only talking to the office yesterday asking if 'Band Of Gold' had made any charts overseas – especially Britain". That ...

The Glass House
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1970
ALREADY, Holland-Dozier-Holland have introduced us to Freda Payne and the Chairmen of the Board this year via their Invictus label. It is highly likely that the ...

Esther Marrow: Newport News Virginia
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1970
BRITISH SOUL FANS could be for-given for having never heard of Miss Esther Marrow a month or so ago since Miss Marrow has, to date, only ...

The Memphis Horns
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1970
HOW MANY of you have listened to the Memphis records and thought to yourself how great the brass is? Every Sam & Dave record, or Otis, ...

Clarence Carter: Am I A Bit Of A Fraud?
Interview by David Hughes, Disc and Music Echo, October 1970
CLARENCE CARTER is beginning to think perhaps he's a bit of a fraud! So many people are rushing out to buy his first British hit 'Patches' ...

The Voices Of East Harlem/Estha Marrow: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1970
The Voices That Raised The Roof ...

Sly & The Family Stone: Lyceum Ballroom, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1970
THE APPEARANCE in London of the much-heralded exponents and instigators of psychedelic soul – only their second ever British date; the first being at the Isle ...

Clarence Carter: 'Patches' An Ideal Album Track
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1970
OWN UP, all those who didn't give Clarence Carter's 'Patches' even an outside chance of making the U.K. charts; let alone actually make the Top 3. ...

Ray Charles and The Raelets In Concert
Live Review by Dave Godin, Blues & Soul, November 1970
THE ANNUAL concert featuring Ray Charles, his Orchestra and The Raelets is an event which usually draws S.R.O. crowds and this year was no exception. The ...

Motown: Still Making It?
Comment by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, November 1970
FOUR years ago, there were a lot of people who made a point of going into their local record shops and asking, can I hear the ...

Dee Dee Warwick
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1970
DEE DEE Warwick has been turning out good records now for half a decade and she really hasn't received the acclaim she warrants. However, her new ...

Reflections On Garnet Mimms
Overview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1970
NEW YORK SOUL '64 TO '67 ...

James Brown: Mister Messiah
Report and Interview by Philip Norman, Sunday Times, 1971
JAMES BROWN will die on the stage one night, on the moving staircase of his own feet in front of a thirty-piece band; and then who ...

AUDIO: Dr. John (1971)
Interview by Charlie Gillett, Rock's Backpages Audio, 1971
From scuffling in the clubs and studios of late-'50s New Orleans, to his reinvention as Dr. John in mid-'60s L.A., Mac Rebennack tells the whole story ...

Mad Lads
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1971
THERE ARE numerous vocal groups that never make the Top 10 of the National Chart. Most of these acts simply fade into obscurity or carry on ...

Homer Banks
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1971
THERE IS always a curious under-current in Soul music in this country for certain artists who don't mean too much in their own country. ...

Jerry Wexler: Aretha, She's Just Unbelievable
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1971
JERRY WEXLER is without doubt, one of the great producers who revolutionised Rhythm and Blues music in the 50's and 60's. ...

Carol Woods
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1971
CAROL WOODS made her British debut recently on the Ember label with 'If I Let You' and, whilst this particular record has been unable to achieve ...

Nine Simone: Super Star For 1971
Report by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1971
AS HAS been noted by her many fans and soul people generally, there has been a marked silence from the High Priestess of Soul for some ...

Gladys Knight
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
"'If I Were Your Woman' is the long awaited follow up to 'Grapevine'" says Gladys ...

Ike & Tina Turner: Deutches Museum Hall, Munich
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
TO WITNESS the Ike & Tina Turner Revue is an experience in itself but, to make certain that a revue of the show got into this ...

Ike & Tina Turner: Workin' Together #1
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
Part One ...

Curtis Mayfield: The Bitter End, NYC
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
Curtis Mayfield's Solo Debut ...

James Brown: The Sugar Shack Club, Boston
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
The Greatest Showman In Soul ...

William Bell: Wow…William Bell
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
WHEN IT comes to be rated as the most under-appreciated man in Soul music, one William Bell must rank as hot favourite. ...

Jackie Moore: Precious 8 Months Later A Hit
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1971
BRITAIN HAS always been quick to accept a new Soul sister and, if anything, the respect accorded to a female singer in this country far surpasses ...

Bobby Byrd
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1971
IF YOU'VE ever wondered who the second voice is on James Brown's 'Sex Machine', we can put your mind at rest for it is none other ...

Ike & Tina Turner: Workin' Together #2
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1971
Part Two: The Ike Turner Story ...

Joe Simon
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1971
WITH JOE Simon's signature, Spring Records have gained their first real entry into the super-star league. Joe's first for the label, 'Your Time To Cry', his ...

Chairman of the Board: In Session (Invictus)
Review by Dave Marsh, Creem, March 1971
THIS IS REPUTEDLY a live set, recorded in Harlem at the Apollo but I doubt that. But regardless of that little caveat emptor, the Chairmen of ...

Sam Cooke: This Is Sam Cooke
Review by Dave Marsh, Creem, March 1971
SAM COOKE HAS always seemed, to me at least, the most underrated (or simply ignored – you don't really rate these people) of all the great ...

James Brown: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1971
IF ARETHA is the Queen of Soul and Otis was the King of Soul, James Brown must qualify as the Super-King of Funk! On the evidence ...

Rozetta Johnson
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1971
WHEN IT comes to female Soul singers, you've got to look south of the Mason-Dixon line. It's in the South that you'll find the girls with ...

Funkadelic
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1971
IT'S RARE that a tour by an American R&B group can cause controversy that makes headlines in the more general pop music papers. But that's just ...

The Heart and Soul of Freda Payne
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1971
WITHOUT A DOUBT, the most exciting and worthwhile 'new' discovery of 1970 was Freda Payne. Exciting because she is just that; worthwhile because she will be ...

Baby Huey: The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend
Review by Lenny Kaye, Rolling Stone, April 1971
BABY HUEY never made it; not really. At his peak, when he was the stellar attraction of a rhythm and blues circuit that stretched from New ...

The Stars Behind The Stars: The Raelets
Profile by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1971
THE ART of vocal back up work – the vocal accompaniment which so often complements and assists the names out front to obtain the exact sound ...

The Sweet Soul Of The Sweet Inspirations
Profile by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1971
IN THE first part of this short series, we covered the role of The Raelets. In this article, the work of the most important group in ...

Freda Payne: Freda Speak
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, May 1971
IT'S NOT been all peaches and cream for Freda Payne since she had a worldwide hit with 'Band Of Gold'. As she says: "Until recently I ...

Wilson Pickett: In Philadelphia (Atlantic) and If You Need Me (Joy)
Review by Charlie Gillett, Cream, May 1971
IT SEEMS AS if Wilson Pickett's been the number two soul singer ever since the term was coined. Ray Charles, James Brown, Otis Redding, and now ...

Lee Dorsey: Yes We Can (Polydor)
Review by Charlie Gillett, Cream, May 1971
LEE DORSEY's one of the easiest singers to underestimate: he seems to be completely unassuming, apparently equally prepared to sing good blues like 'Get Out of ...

Tami Lynn
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1971
"YOU'RE JOKING. It's just like a dream. God, it must have been five...no, six years ago that I made that record." Those were the first few ...

Parliament/Funkadelic: A Parliafunkadelicment Thang
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1971
RARELY DOES an R&B act cause any controversy or speculation prior to making a British tour. But the one exception in recent years is Funkadelic, an ...

The Fuzz
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1971
YOU HAVE probably noticed a record by a group called Fuzz, which has been on the American Top 100 now for some three months or more. ...

The Chambers Brothers: New Generation
Review by Ben Edmonds, Rolling Stone, May 1971
AT THE OUTSET, the Chambers Brothers were a warmly exciting gospel act (catalogued on a series of fine albums released by Vault), but they apparently caught ...

The Elgins: Down Tools, Folks, It's A Lucky Strike
Report and Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, May 1971
The dispirited Elgins quit in 1967 and took up humdrum jobs in industrial Detroit. And then it all happened... ...

Arthur Conley
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1971
ALTHOUGH ARTHUR Conley is acknowledged as being one of the finest young entertainers on today's Soul scene, it's quite a while since his last really successful ...

The Dixie Flyers: The Guys Behind The Hits
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1971
THE FIRST real opportunity that R&B fans had to know of Dixie Flyers collectively was when they turned up on Aretha's Spirit In The Dark/Don't Play ...

Carol Woods
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1971
SIX MONTHS ago, we featured a young lady in our magazine who had just made her British debut on the recording scene; her name was Carol ...

Garnet Mimms: In Search Of A Record Outlet
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1971
SOME FOUR years ago, Garnet Mimms was just about the hottest R&B entertainer in the States. Then his contract with United Artists Records expired and his ...

Tami Lynn: Tami Worked Hard For Overnight Success!
Profile and Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, June 1971
"IT'S LIKE a Cinderella or Alice in Wonderland story. Just when you think it's all over it starts to happen." ...

Funkadelic: When The Circus Hit Town
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, June 1971
FUNKADELIC man George Clinton casually made the understatement of the year. There they were, the five front men of the year's most outrageous band, dressed in ...

A Study of Marvin Gaye's Liberation
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, June 1971
MARVIN GAYE is a mystery man. Most people know him as the singer who made the biggest-selling Motown record ever – 'I Heard It Through The ...

The Beginning Of The End
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1971
"NASSAU'S GONE funky; Nassaus's gone Soul" is how the Beginning Of The End bounce into the history-making hit, 'Funky Nassau'. History? This is the best selling ...

Jean Knight
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1971
WITH THE initial success of King Floyd's 'Groove Me', Soul music spotlighted the relatively small town of Jackson, Mississippi, and the record's producer, Wardell Quezergue. King ...

The Fascinations
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1971
IT'S ONE of the strange things about the music world when a record that is five years old and is making its third bid for success ...

Lelan Rogers
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1971
LELAN ROGERS first sprang to prominence as the man who brought national success to Esther Phillips with 'Release Me'. In the decade that has passed, Lelan ...

Curtis Mayfield: The Speakeasy, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1971
THE ALL-too-brief, spur-of-the-moment appearance of Curtis Mayfield at London's Speakeasy club must surely rank as a historic event in the history of soul music in this ...

King Curtis
Obituary by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1971
CURTIS OUSELEY – known the world over as King Curtis – was fatally wounded and died on Friday, August 13 only a few yards away from ...

Slippin' Away With Clarence Carter
Interview by Joel Selvin, Rolling Stone, August 1971
SAN FRANCISCO – Clarence Carter leaves his Holiday Inn room on the arm of his road manager, who looks familiar. It's Rodgers Redding, and it's a ...

Tam Lynn's Debut Album
Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1971
IT IS very difficult to analyse a debut album from any artist, since an artist's potential is often judged on their first album as opposed to ...

Dionne Warwicke: Is She The Same Girl?
Comment by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1971
THE RELEASE of four Dionne Warwicke albums by Decca – Soulful, Motion Picture Hits, Promises Promises and Very Dionne has sparked off some renewed interest in ...

The Chi-Lites Are Deep But Not Too Deep
Profile and Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, August 1971
WE'RE ALL familiar with the Detroit "sound." Well it seems the next big American industrial city to become famous for its music will be Chicago. From ...

Sonny Til and the Orioles: Sonny Til and the Orioles (RCA)
Review by Greg Shaw, Phonograph Record, September 1971
BACK IN THE FIFTIES there was something called The New York Sound. It was classed as R&B, but unlike the tough, electrified R&B of Ike & ...

Al Green - Superstar
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1971
THE LAST time I talked to Al Green, he was riding high with his adaptation of the Temptations' 'I Can't Get Next To You'. Now, just ...

Curtis Mayfield
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1971
IT IS, indeed, very rare for an American artist to make a short visit to this country and immediately score a hit single in the national ...

Kool And The Gang
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1971
CONSIDERING THAT Kool & The Gang have only ever had one British release they have an incredible following. That release – well over a year ago ...

Simtec & Wylie
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1971
IF YOUR'E looking for an ultra-funky record, then Simtec & Wylie's 'Gotta Get Get Over The Hump' is perfect for you. The record is currently leaping ...

The Five Stairsteps
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1971
IT'S ALMOST five years to the day since I first met Clarence Burke Sr., better known the world over as Papa Stairstep. At the time, the ...

The Intruders
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
DESPITE HAVING been one of Soul's leading acts for close on five years now, The Intruders have yet to make any serious impression on the European ...

Carla Thomas: The Memphis Queen
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
RIGHTLY, CARLA Thomas is the Memphis ...

The Tams
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
THE MOST successful of all of this year's re-issues has undoubtedly been The Tams' 'Hey Girl Don't Bother Me', which, prior to being re-released on Probe ...

David Ruffin
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
THE TEMPTATIONS without David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams! Strange, but true – that is the sad situation as of today. There was enough talk ...

The Impressions: Live
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
THE DEACON'S Rap, Sam and Fred's superb harmonics, Leroys faultless lead, all combined with Curtis' lyrics gave us what must have been the greatest show on ...

Troy Keyes
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
TROY KEYES had a very successful single in 1967, 'Love Explosions', and has been conspicuous by his absence ever since. "I spent a year with ABC", ...

Mable John
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
MABLE JOHN, one of the most charming people in the whole record industry, bounded into London once more as leading lady with the Ray Charles entourage ...

Oscar Toney Jr
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
THERE ARE a handful of American artists who don't need a current record to provide them with sufficient work in this country. Frequently, this is a ...

Booker T and M.G.'s
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
DONALD 'DUCK' Dunn, best known in R&B circles for his invaluable contribution to our music via Booker T. & The M.G.'s, was recently in London as ...

Detroit Emeralds
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
IF EVER there was a record destined to become an in-demand oldie, it is the Detroit Emeralds' 'Do Me Right', which somehow managed to avoid becoming ...

Leroy Hutson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
IN ALL honesty, it was strange to see Fred Cash and Sam Gooden flanking a new "leader" and central figure of The Impressions. Sadly, the most ...

8th Day
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1971
WITHIN EVERY Invictus and Hot Wax group there is a winner. General Johnson showed up with the Chairmen, Steve Mancha turned up singing lead for 100 ...

Diana Ross
Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1971
MOTOWN'S MUCH-heralded first independent production centred on Diana Ross, proved to be all it was cracked out to be – and more! Screened on B.B.C. 2 ...

Lecherous, Indolent, Stupid…and Comical: The Coasters
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, October 1971
THERE IS A passage in the Coasters' 'Sweet Georgia Brown' where the lead baritone flies off on the immortal line "she gotta walk that make a ...

Al Green: Now Green Smashes The Big Memphis Monopoly
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, October 1971
MEMPHIS HAS long been accepted as capital city of rock 'n' soul, but to the casual fan this means just Elvis on the rock side and ...

Clyde McPhatter: Welcome Home
Review by Greg Shaw, Phonograph Record, November 1971
CLYDE MCPHATTER is one of the best singers to come out of the early 50s vocal group tradition. After a stint with Billy Ward and His ...

Doin' That Hand Jive With His Feet
Interview by John Morthland, Creem, November 1971
When the Johnny Otis Show appears on stage, it brings years and years of rhythm and blues history with it. ...

Ann Peebles
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
ALREADY BEING tipped as a potential giant R&B record in this country is Ann Peebles version of 'Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love'. The only hindrance ...

Jimmy Ruffin
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
IT'S QUITE a few months now since Jimmy Ruffin was last in the British charts following a run of about one year when his name appeared ...

The Platters
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
IN THE States, there is as much confusion over The Platters as there has been over The Drifters with numerous groups touring the country using the ...

Fugi
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
FUGI Is a name that will mean absolutely nothing to virtually every reader of B&S. So let's start by telling you that Fugi – pronounced foo-gee ...

Freddie North
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
AFTER SIXTEEN years of trying hard, Freddie North has broken through into the proverbial good time – and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. "I'd ...

William Bell: The Real William Bell
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1971
AFTER MANY years of having a fake William Bell on hand, the real McCoy finally arrived in Britain recently in the form of a suave, soft-talking ...

Valerie Simpson: Underexposed
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1971
WITHOUT DOUBT, Valerie Simpson is one of the most important talents to emerge this year. Her debut album, Exposed made some considerable impression on both the ...

Al Green: The Soul Story
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Beat Instrumental, December 1971
WITH AL Green's 'Tired Of Being Alone' Decca's subsidiary London label has notched its first chart entry in more than 18 months. It's quite a chastening ...

Etta James: Peaches
Review by Pete Wingfield, Cream, December 1971
THIS DOUBLE ALBUM set of Etta James' hits from Chess seems uncharacteristically enlightened, despite a commercially suicidal price-tag (£3.99, enough to make even ardent soul collectors ...

Denise La Salle
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1971
THE LAST twelve months have been extremely successful for new female Soul artistes. The most recent success belongs to Chicago's Denise La Salle, whose 'Trapped By ...

The Main Ingredient
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1971
RCA RECORDS has never had a good reputation as an R&B label. However, quietly they have recently built up quite a roster of good R&B acts, ...

The Supremes: Soulfully Supreme
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1971
2008 introduction: The Supremes were in the UK for their first post-Diana Ross tour with Jean Terrell as the group's new lead singer and Motown had ...

Curtis Mayfield: Soul Music's Elusive Dynamo
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, December 1971
CURTIS MAYFIELD is a hard man to catch these days. If he's not locked away in a studio all night recording himself, the Impressions, or some ...

Doris Troy: This Little Lady Is Miss Troy
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, West Indian World, December 1971
Doris Troy is one helluva woman. Almost, she's the ultimate soul sister, big, bouncing, warm-hearted, sincere and certainly talented. ...

The Magnificent Seven Live: The Supremes and the Four Tops live at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1971
DUE TO lack of publicity, the International Children's Aid Charity concert on Tuesday November 30 at the Royal Albert Hall was not as well attended as ...

Ann Peebles: Will Princess Ann Be Queen
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, 1972
ON THE distaff side, soul music has produced a long run of superb girl singers and these soul sisters have found it far easier to emulate ...

Soul on Fire
Report by Philip Norman, Sunday Times Magazine, 1972
STEVIE WONDER crosses the hotel lobby, resting on the elbows of two other people. That he is blind, has been blind from birth, is nonetheless difficult ...

Isaac Hayes and The Platinum Pirates
Report by Roger St. Pierre, Record Collector, January 1972
BOOTLEG RECORDS have become a familiar part of the music scene in the past few years but a far more serious problem for record companies and ...

Rufus Thomas
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
BRITAIN HAS always been a happy hunting ground for Rufus Thomas, right back to his first tour in 1967, not so long after notching up his ...

Brenda and The Tabulations
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
OVER THE past five years, Brenda & The Tabulations have been Philadelphia's most consistently successful act. Since the first time that she showed up on the ...

Chocolate Syrup
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
1971 HAS been a remarkable year for group's names and none has been more imaginative than Chocolate Syrup, five young men who are currently enjoying their ...

People's Choice
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
PEOPLE'S CHOICE 'I Likes To Do It' has been one of the most consistent selling Mojo singles to date – it has never achieved the accolade ...

Millie Jackson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
MILLIE JACKSON has had one of the most meaningful songs of 1971 in her current hit, 'A Child Of God (It's hard To Believe)'. Not only ...

The Staple Singers
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1972
IF I HAD to select the most satisfying thing to me personally of 1972 (within the realms of our music!), I would be more than tempted ...

Billy Preston: The Troubadour, Los Angeles
Live Review by Richard Cromelin, Phonograph Record, January 1972
IT'S NOT EASY to be uncompromisingly religious in a den of drugs, drink and iniquity like the Troubadour, but Billy Preston has both the Power of ...

The Chi-Lites Step Out Of The Shadows
Profile and Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, January 1972
THANK heaven for the Chi-Lites. This four-man Chicago-based outfit has brought back to soul music two elements missing from it for too long – good old ...

Bloodstone: The Bloodstone Sound Spectrum
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, January 1972
THERE'S BEEN a growing flood of black American artists to these shores over the past few years, and more and more of them have decided to ...

Curtis Mayfield
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
SINCE EMERGING as an important solo entertainer, Curtis Mayfield has also emerged as the president of a successful record company, due mainly to his basic understanding ...

The Unifics
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
THE UNIFICS main claim to fame in this country is via their in-demand oldie, 'Court Of Love', a record that sold close on a million copies ...

The Last Poets
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
THE LAST Poets have enjoyed success in the States via two albums, The Last Poets and This Is Madness, both on the Douglas label. However, in ...

The Dramatics
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
CONTINUING THE success story of former Golden World/Ric Tic artists are The Dramatics, who were recently awarded their first Gold Disc for million-plus sales on 'Watcha ...

Maceo Parker and All The Kings Men
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
MACEO & All The King's Men, currently on the U.K. Singles chart with 'Got To Getcha' and 'Thank You', didn't come into existance until March of ...

Donnie Elbert
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1972
HERE'S AN unbelievable story – would you believe that Donnie Elbert's 'Where Did Our Love Go' is three years old, was recorded in London and that ...

Billy Preston: Working The Way God Planned It!
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1972
BILLY PRESTON has been here all the time, yet he's only just arrived; and after many years of building his way up the bumpy road of ...

Stevie Wonder: A Little Too Far Out?
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1972
ALL IN ALL, 1971 was not a big year for Stevie Wonder in this country, and his appearances in the chart were, in fact, few and ...

Wilson Pickett, Jackie Moore: Copacabana, NYC
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1972
CAN YOU imagine seeing Wilson Pickett at the Talk of the Town in London, complete with middle-aged folks having a night out, coach parties from little ...

Betty Wright
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1972
WHEN ATLANTIC recommences battle in this country following the switch from Polydor to Kinney's distribution, one of the records that will receive maximum support is Betty ...

Don Gardner
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1972
IT'S FUNNY the way that you run into people by surprise. On planning a quick interview with Curtis Mayfield, I discovered that his road manager was ...

Chairmen Of The Board
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1972
AS EXCLUSIVELY reported in B&S, the Chairmen Of The Board are back working but as a trio. ...

The Persuasions: Streetcorner Music
Profile by Richard Cromelin, Phonograph Record, March 1972
THE MUSIC-BUYING public (which has something – how much or how little is a matter of opinion – to do with determining the trends) can be ...

Michael Jackson: The One Who Got Away
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, March 1972
THE MOST amazing thing about little Michael Jackson's solo success is how calmly he's taking it all. "I think it's great," is all he says talking ...

Ben E. King Why Ben Stopped Drifting
Interview by Caroline Boucher, Disc and Music Echo, March 1972
KEEPING abreast of the times, says Ben E. King, is one of the most important and difficult jobs for a singer. He's been singing and writing ...

Bill Withers
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972
WHEN 1971 is finally evaluated in years to come, historians will look back and acknowledge Bill Withers as one of the most significant and important discoveries ...

Temptations Special: Damon Harris and Richard Street
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972
Rappin' with Damon Harris... ...

Temptations Special: Dennis Edwards
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972
THE PAST year has seen some traumatic changes for the Temptations, changes that would certainly have wrecked any normal group's career to the point where it ...

Donny Hathaway: Aiming High
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1972
AS WAS written in the Bill Withers feature in the last issue of B&S, there have been a handful of new talents in the 70's who ...

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: From The Beginning…
Report and Interview by Dave Marsh, Creem, April 1972
SMOKEY IS LEAVING the Miracles. This may mean more to those of us in Detroit, who've watched the Miracles almost, but never quite, make the break ...

The Jackson 5: Greatest Hits
Review by Dave Marsh, Creem, April 1972
MOTOWN HAS ALWAYS been known for its little ones more than its big ones, and the Jackson Five are no exception. This is undoubtedly their best ...

Denise La Salle: Trapped By A Thing Called Love
Review by Dave Marsh, Creem, May 1972
IF THIS ISN'T THE best soul album this year, someone is going to have to come up with something really amazing. Denise La Salle is incredible: ...

Frederick Knight: Success From Out Of Left Field
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
REGULAR READERS of B&S will already be more than aware of how we occasionally jump on a record right from when it becomes available in the ...

Love Unlimited
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
IT'S NOT very often that a basically Soul single is talked about as being an instant British hit but that's the way Love Unlimited's first single ...

Candi Staton
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
IT'S BEEN many months since Candi Staton was last featured on the charts in the States. Now, to confound everybody, she has two singles at one ...

Bettye Swann
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
WE'VE SAID it before and we'll no doubt say it again – Britain's soul fans are far more loyal to their favourite girl singers than to ...

Major Lance
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
IF WE had to nominate the most asked after Soul artist who is outside of the super league of the Hayes/Mayfield/James Brown/Motown and ilk, it would ...

Al Green: Superstar
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1972
PROBABLY the most eligible superstar to our ranks over the past twelve months is Al Green, an unpredictable artist and an equally unpredictable man. One of ...

Willie John: A Soul Who Died In Jail
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, June 1972
THE DEATH of Little Willie John is chronicled in the June 8th 1968 edition of Billboard. Datelined Walla Walla, Washington, May 27th, the notice reads: ...

The Staple Singers: Soft Sounds That Burn Deep
Profile by Roger St. Pierre, NME, June 1972
JAMAICAN SINGERS have yet to follow up their undoubted success in Britain with a similar impact in the States but neverthelless reggae is making a steadily ...

Gladys Knight: Gladys and Her British Problem
Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, June 1972
"UNDERRATED" is a fond word of Press agents and record companies to explain away lack of success for their artists. So when someone uses the word ...

Little Royal
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1972
CURRENTLY ENJOYING his first national success is Little Royal, whose 'Jealous' single currently stands high on the American Soul charts. Although it's his debut on the ...

The Jimmy Castor Bunch
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1972
"YOU KNOW, we recorded the album for Columbia but they just did not want it. They were too busy with Sly and Chicago; Santana and Blood, ...

Esther Phillips: Twenty-Five Years A Star
Profile by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1972
A MORE apt title could surely not have been found for the initial Kudu set by Miss Esther Phillips. From A Whisper To A Scream just ...

Echoes: Richard Berry
Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, July 1972
"They took me to see that friend of mine
yeah District court-room two-twenty-nine
the judge said 'your payments are way behind'
I said 'Don't worry Daddy it won't happen ...

Bill Withers: Leanin' On Bill Withers
Profile and Interview by Phil Symes, Disc and Music Echo, August 1972
THAT OLD saying "never too late" is certainly true in the case of Bill Withers. Withers is just about the hottest male singer in America right ...

Mary Wells And Her Guy Still Making Hits
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, August 1972
IT WAS PAST five in the afternoon but Mary Wells was still fast asleep, recovering from the rigours of her whistle stop British tour and promotion ...

Wattstax
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1972
THE whole idea of WATTSTAX '72 was splendid. It enabled more than 100,000 people to attend a seven hour concert at the Los Angeles Coliseum for ...

Mel & Tim: Starting All Over Again
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1972
SINCE EXPLODING on to the scene some two years ago with two consecutive million sellers, Mel and Tim's recording career fell into a period of restraint ...

The Drifters
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1972
DESPITE BEING relatively cold in the States right now, The Drifters are having their most successful year ever in this country. They currently are on the ...

Mark IV
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1972
I MAKE no apologies for stating that Mark IV's 'Honey I Still Love You' is by far my favourite record of the moment. Equally so, whenever ...

The Delfonics
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1972
PHILADELPHIA'S Delfonics are probably the innovators of the city's famed sound, dating back to their earliest Philly Groove hits such as 'La La Means I Love ...

The Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1972
WHEN AN act has a million seller first time out, it is highly unusual for the public to have to wait eleven months for the follow-up ...

The Persuaders
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1972
THEIR ALBUM sleeve note begins: "Most of us became aware of The Persuaders via their monster single recording of 'Thin Line Between Love And Hate'. However, ...

Curtis Mayfield: Where He's Been And Where He's Going
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Let It Rock, October 1972
AFTER SUCH COMMITTED, socially conscious compositions as 'This Is My Country', 'Mighty Mighty, Spade and Whitey' and 'Choice Of Colours' Curtis Mayfield believes the time has ...

Jackie Wilson: The Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1972
THERE ARE very few performers whose career can span a good fifteen years and continue to be chart names and still draw crowds, particularly in the ...

Jerry Butler and Allen Toussaint: The Spice Of Life
Profile by Roger St. Pierre, NME, October 1972
IT'S NOT so long since soul albums were merely collections of singles, plus a few make-weight tracks. ...

Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose (United Artists)
Review by Wayne Robins, Creem, November 1972
BASICALLY, THERE ARE two Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose (CB&SR) sounds. One is the basic, upbeat piano sound layered with tight, spiraling harmony, as in ‘Treat ...

The Stylistics: The Sound Of Sweet Soul
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1972
PERHAPS ONE of the most significant 'happenings' this year has been the much-deserved chart success of the sweet-soul-sounding Stylistics who have undoubtedly been hailed as a ...

Junior Walker
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1972
CURRENTLY enjoying very considerable success with his very cleverly put together maxi-single of 'Walk In The Night', 'Right On Brothers And Sisters' and 'Gotta Hold On ...

Ray Charles
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1972
TO QUOTE the title of one of his famous Atlantic recordings, a virtually guaranteed event is the annual visit of the Ray Charles revue with The ...

Gladys Knight: Soul Perfection In Person
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1972
IT'S A VERY rare treat to meet an artist whose work you admire and whose in-person appearances you find exciting and who on top of all ...

Bob & Earl: Back On The Road Again
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1972
IT'S MORE than three years since Bob & Earl were last here but much has happened for the duo in that time. ...

Bill Withers/Fontella Bass: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1972
IN THESE days when it's applied with alarming frequency to practically every new talent that emerges, the word "genius" as with so many other superlatives is ...

The Jackson 5, Junior Walker, The Sisters Love: Empire Pool, Wembley
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1972
THE FIRST ever visit of Motown's Jackson Five is something which numerous people won't forget in a hurry: the staff at the hotels that the group ...

The Jackson Five: Five Pranksters Puppets
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, December 1972
TAUNTS THAT the Jackson Five are nothing more than carefully manipulated puppets just aren't borne out by the facts. Five minutes in the company of Michael ...

Esther Phillips
Review and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1972
IT'S ALWAYS a very gratifying and rewarding experience to see an artist in whom you have particular faith and in who you strongly believe, finally begin ...

Merry Clayton: The Triumphant Acid Queen
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, December 1972
MERRY CLAYTON is the girl who stopped the show at the London Rainbow performance of Pete Townshend's rock opera Tommy earlier this month. Even the orchestra ...

Isaac Hayes: Live At The Sahara Tahoe
Review by Bob Fisher, Cream, 1973
IGNORING the Shaft soundtrack, Isaac Hayes blew it with the Black Moses double set. This followed three good and original albums, although you could still make ...

Gamble-Huff, Thom Bell and the Philly Groove
Overview by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, January 1973
On a balmy night in the late summer of ’67, while the world was wearing flowers in its hair, I was sinking into my seat, trying ...

Stevie Wonder: Man Of Today And Tomorrow
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1973
ONE OF THE most rewarding and exciting aspects of taking any serious interest in any field of music is observing the artistic development and progress of ...

Nina Simone: Emergency Ward (SF 8304)
Review by Roger St. Pierre, NME, January 1973
LOGGING A BIG pop hit sometimes does more harm than good to artists who previously had a rather specialist appeal. ...

Understanding Bobby Womack
Interview by Steven Rosen, LA Free Press, February 1973
TWELVE YEARS AGO Bobby Womack migrated to California, looking for the riches that he thought were there. "I came out here like the pioneers searching for ...

Eddie Kendricks: Holding On
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1973
2008 intro: Eddie Kendricks had enjoyed critical acclaim with his groundbreaking 1972 People, Hold On album. The former Temptation had to experience a commercial mainstream breakthrough ...

Martha Reeves: A Lady With A Big Future
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1973
IT WOULD surely be true to say that every fan must have one or two records that they will always treasure – the special one or ...

Isaac Hayes: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, February 1973
ISAAC HAYES, they tell me, is the leading light of the new black life-style. Black Moses, yet. ...

Roberta Flack: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Roger St. Pierre, NME, February 1973
MAJESTIC, CERTAINLY, with a voice as clear as crystal – but I'm afraid to say that Miss Roberta Flack, in concert, is something of a bore. ...

Isaac Hayes: The Day Moses Came To Town
Report and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, West Indian World, February 1973
THE LONDON Hilton's high-speed lift whisked me up 27 floors into the super-soul world of Isaac Hayes, the original "Black Moses". ...

Valerie Simpson
Report by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, March 1973
THE NAMES Ashford and Simpson should ring a bell with anybody that reads the small print on Motown records: Nicholas and Valerie have chalked up an ...

Johnny Williams: Slow Motion To The Top
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1973
JOHNNY WILLIAMS and his first release on Philadelphia International provided us with one of the most interesting statistical records of last year. Apart from the fact ...

Billy Paul
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, March 1973
IT'S EASY TO detect a strong jazz influence in Billy Paul's vocal on 'Me And Mrs. Jones'. The reason is simple enough. Paul, now 35, has ...

James Brown: He Ain't Slowing Down
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, March 1973
SOUL BROTHER Number One leaned back in his chair, adjusted his robe, and expounded: "Back in 1969 King Records didn't want to know. They said I ...

Isaac Hayes: A Man Of The People
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Beat Instrumental, April 1973
ISAAC HAYES certainly lives up to his 'Super-star' title. During his recent British visit the Black Moses spent £38,000 on jewellery and another £30,000 on a ...

Bobby Womack: Gettin' To It
Profile and Interview by Steven Rosen, Music World, April 1973
BOBBY WOMACK HAS been making music for twenty long years, an odyssey that carried him from the working quarters of Cleveland to the rocking corners of ...

Marvin Gaye: Trouble Man (Motown); Diana Ross (And Others): Lady Sings the Blues (Motown)
Review by Dave Marsh, Creem, April 1973
SOCIOLOGISTS LIKE TO talk about black people mimicking whites, and I suppose that it is inherent in the presumptions most of us make about black culture ...

Barry White: A Potential Superstar
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1973
ANYONE WHO has heard Barry White's first album on 20th Century will undoubtedly concur on the point I am about to make – he is potentially ...

Sylvester: Stardom as Lifestyle
Profile by Richard Cromelin, Music World, April 1973
Of course, there's nothing more ancient or honorable than the old shamanistic transvestite that we see running up and down Greenwich Avenue. There's something very ancient ...

Roberta Flack And All That Jazz
Interview by Danny Holloway, NME, April 1973
DANNY HOLLOWAY talks, in New York, to the lady who made the big transition from jazz to mass acclaim. ...

Dobie Gray
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1973
IN THESE sceptered isles, of course, Dobie Gray is best known in the Northern disco circuit where 'The In Crowd', 'Out On The Floor' and 'See ...

Barbara Jean English
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1973
AT A time when a lot of talented girls are beginning to surface again, it is also worth noting that there are a few completely new ...

Leon Haywood: The Good Times, The Bad Times And The Times In Between
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1973
IN OUR quest to track down the select band of artistes who are always there in the background but never seem to get the right break, ...

Lost Generation
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1973
THE LOST GENERATION is four young men – two sets of brothers – who exploded to fame two years ago with 'The Sly, Slick And The ...

Black Music
Comment by Dave Marsh, Let It Rock, May 1973
SOMETIME LAST fall, John Percy Boyd, Mark Bethune and Michael Brown, a trio of black college students in Detroit, decided to put an end to that ...

Breaking the rules: Timmy Thomas
Report and Interview by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, May 1973
IN THE American record business, like any other, it’s the biggies with the bread that rule the roost. But every so often, an obscure record by ...

Sly & The Family Stone: Fresh (Epic)
Review by Jonh Ingham, NME, May 1973
SLY IS an interesting enigma. Top soul dj-turned-musician, he singlehandedly influenced the course of soul music with a sound that owed more to acid than the ...

Bloodstone: Natural High
Review by Charlie Gillett, Rolling Stone, June 1973
THE MORE I listen, the less I understand. A year ago Bloodstone was just one of any number of black groups who could excite a receptive ...

Curtis Mayfield: Back To The World (Curtom)
Review by Wayne Robins, Zoo World, July 1973
WITH ALL courtesy to the self-proclaimed Black Caesar, Curtis Mayfield's Superfly was the musical equivalent to Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather. Both were nearly as successful ...

War: The Battle Against 'Unlove'
Interview by Keith Altham, NME, July 1973
THIS IS the story of war declared but not yet unilaterally. Approximately two years ago, when the American 'jazz-rock-blues-soul' band appeared in the U.K. with their ...

The Pointer Sisters: The Pointer Sisters
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, July 1973
ANITA, RUTH, JUNE and Bonnie Pointer come to us with the fervent recommendations of seemingly everybody in America. But with the best will in the world, ...

Sly & The Family Stone: White City, London
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1973
"SLY STONE to appear at White City Festival". After reading various articles concerning Sly Stone, you imagine the feeling of reading this headline. ...

Stevie Wonder: Innervisions
Review by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, August 1973
WHEN APPRAISING an artist of the stature of Stevie Wonder, there seems nothing worse than to hark back to previous triumphs and make ...

Hot Chocolate: Chocolate Brown
Interview by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, August 1973
THERE IS absolutely no getting away from the fact that it was an excessively hot and sticky afternoon. Sweaterama incarnate. Clothing stuck unpleasantly to the anatomy ...

Donny Hathaway: Reassessing His Musical Life
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1973
2008 intro: Donny Hathaway was in London on vacation after completing work on a new album, Extensions Of A Man and took a brief time for ...

Talking With Diana Ross
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1973
PRE-CONCEIVED notions are always hard to forget and when one has been continually conditioned to a particular notion, time makes it that much harder to break ...

Dobie Gray: Drift Away
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, September 1973
I COULDN'T find the name 'Dobie Gray' in any of the rock encyclopaedias. Presumably after 'The In Crowd' he became one of those half-forgotten names that ...

Aretha Franklin: Hey Now Hey (Atlantic)
Review by Bob Fisher, Cream, September 1973
IT'S BEEN HIP for mainstream rock critics to knock Miss Franklin for some time now, in much the same way the current vogue is to confess ...

Howard Tate and Lou Courtney: The Blues and Dance Men
Profile by Roger St. Pierre, NME, September 1973
TWO ARTISTS of widely different appeal, Howard Tate and Lou Courtney both deserve inclusion in this series because although only modestly successful even in the States, ...

Candi Staton: Foxy Lady Of Soul
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, September 1973
RIGHT FROM the days when Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ida Cox and later the ladies Holliday, Vaughan, Fitzgerald and Washington ruled the blues/jazz roost there has ...

Billy Preston: God Planned It Good
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, September 1973
AFTER YEARS spent as a session man for an astonishing roster of star names the Beatles, the Stones, Barbra Steisand, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, ...

Stevie Wonder: Innervisions
Review by Lenny Kaye, Rolling Stone, September 1973
THE GREENING OF MOTOWN continues apace, with performers who once flourished under the company's autocratic guidelines (the Four Tops, Gladys Knight) seeking success elsewhere while others ...

Soul Foundations: Twenty Essential Soul Records
Guide by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, October 1973
OH LORD – I'M GONNA GET SHOT down for this. ...

Dionne Warwicke: Just Being Herself
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1973
THAT CERTAIN entertainers decline or prefer not to give interviews is an incomprehensible fact that frequently puzzles both journalists and the public. ...

Sly & The Family Stone: The Palladium, Los Angeles
Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, November 1973
HOLLYWOOD: Will he? Won't he? Will he? Won't he? Sly Stone's reputation is too firmly etched for these questions not to be asked when he's advertised ...

The O'Jays, Billy Paul, The Intruders – Philadelphia International Tour: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1973
MOST INITIAL comments that I overheard on my way out from the Philly Package concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon theatre were slightly tinged with disappointment. Whilst ...

Aretha: Supersoulstar
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1973
2008 introduction: Aretha Franklin had just enjoyed major success with the Stevie Wonder composition 'Until You Come Back To Me'. She was in contract re-negotiations with ...

Ashford & Simpson: Really Somethin' Else!
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1973
OVER THE last five years, the emergence of producers-turned performers has been a phenomenon which brought into the limelight some of the finest creative forces at ...

Otis Redding
Essay by Dave Marsh, Let It Rock, January 1974
LET'S GET one thing straight. Otis Redding's posthumous rise to the Kingship of soul is highly suspect. He earned the accolade a little too easily for ...

The Staple Singers/Linda Lewis: Royal Festival Hall, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1974
IF ANYONE ever asked for a definition of soul, the best advice you could give them would be to go to a concert by the First ...

Stevie Wonder: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1974
IT'S BEEN said before but it's got to be said again: Stevie Wonder is, firstly, one of the most creative talents in the musical world today; ...

Gladys Knight: Imagination
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, February 1974
COME TO THINK about it, I always did rate Gladys Knight very highly. ‘Take Me In Your Arms and Love Me’ especially was one of the ...

The Isley Brothers: 3+3 (Epic)
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1974
BLACK MUSIC is currently well entrenched in the process of mixing recent rock forms into the standard sound of soul, a process in which the Isley ...

The Supremes
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1974
PERHAPS MORE than any other female group around today, The Supremes have undergone what seem like almost regular personnel changes and to my mind, it's quite ...

Gloria Jones: Sharing Her Soul
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1974
HOW MANY times, I wonder, do we hear that old worn out cliché from visiting Americans about how much they dig this country and how great ...

Barry White, Love Unlimited: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1974
Triumph at the Rainbow ...

Gladys Knight: Anthology
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, March 1974
Seven years in the shadow of Diana Ross ...

Doris Troy: Stretchin' Out and Gettin' Ahead
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1974
AS WE promised in the last 'TALA', we're gonna be checking out a few of the American artists who have decided to make their home on ...

Ann Peebles: Hangin' On To Success
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1974
ALL OF a sudden, it seems like the whole world is talking about the talents of a magnificently soulful young woman and she puts it herself, ...

Sly Stone: Super Sly
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, June 1974
HE EXTENDED A hand but looked elsewhere. Who could tell where his eyes focused beneath those silver shades? He gripped and I felt pain through the ...

Oscar Brown Jr.: Man With A Message
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1974
HIT RECORDS are funny things. An artist can go in the studio, work for hours, use the best musicians, spend lots of money and think they've ...

Rufus & Chaka Khan: Tellin' Something Good
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1974
2008 introduction: The group Rufus had released its first album on ABC in 1973; by the following year, the Chicago-based team was on its second LP ...

The Supremes: Anthology
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, July 1974
I NEVER COULD understand why so many Rock Critics (sic) couldn't stomach The Supremes. ...

George McCrae's Last Chance – A Smash
Profile and Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, July 1974
STRANGE how chance plays its part in the record business. If George McCrae hadn't decided to have one last try at making a hit record after ...

War: A Street Rod on the Boulevard of Soul
Report and Interview by Barbara Charone, Rolling Stone, July 1974
"SOMETIMES I TELL myself: I'm B.B. Dickerson and I'm in War so I'm going to pull up in front of the Continental Hyatt House in my ...

Viola Wills: Struggling For The Truth
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1974
IT CAME as something of a surprise to the lady to learn that her name was already familiar to a hard core following of fans via ...

The Jackson 5: Madison Square Garden, NYC
Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, August 1974
NEW YORK: There's something about Michael Jackson that is almost frightening to behold. How can it be possible for a kid that age to be so ...

Syreeta: Spinnin' To The Top
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1974
LIVING IN the footsteps is a problem which daunts performers from time to time when they come from a successful musical family – we all know ...

Lorraine Ellison: Lorraine Ellison
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, September 1974
THE STORY so far: in 1966 Lorraine Ellison made one vast contribution to popular mythology with 'Stay With Me, Baby', unquestionably a classic (maybe this is ...

KC & Sunshine Band: Let The Sunshine In
Profile and Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, September 1974
ALTHOUGH it has yet to register in the US Top 100, 'Queen Of Clubs' by K. C. and the Sunshine Band represents the second big British ...

Billy Preston: The Busiest Soul In Showbusiness
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, September 1974
THANKS TO his prodigious session-work, as well as his own tours, Billy Preston is one of the most frequent American soul visitors to our isle; indeed ...

Jimmy Castor: The Everything Man
Review by Chris Salewicz, NME, September 1974
SUBTLE ONE, that title. See, in the centre of the sleeve there's a picture of the dude who is presumably Jimmy Castor wearing a standard super-spade ...

The Drifters
Retrospective and Interview by Cliff White, Black Music, October 1974
WHEN is a Drifter not a Drifter? That is the question. ...

Lorraine Ellison: Heart And Soul
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1974
David Nathan talks to the 'Stay With Me' lady, who's set to unleash her talents and become much more than just a singers' singer ...

Ann Peebles: Sweet and Soulful
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1974
David Nathan reports on Ann Peebles' London gigs and talks shop with the delectable lady. ...

LaBelle: Tomorrow's Brightest Stars
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1974
2008 introduction: In person interview conducted by David Nathan in the kitchen of Vicki Wickham's apartment in midtown Manhattan. Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash ...

Millie Jackson: Sayin' What Comes Naturally
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1974
IF THERE is truly any justice, 1974 will see the final emergence of the magnificent Mille Jackson right at the top of her field, where she ...

Minnie Riperton: S'Wonderlove
Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, October 1974
LOS ANGELES – Along with many of the stars and hopefuls at Chicago's 1971 Black Expo, Minnie Riperton waited patiently backstage to approach the blind musician ...

Johnny Bristol: Hang On In There, Baby
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, October 1974
HEY, THIS cat's a whole lot better than Barry White. ...

The Meters: Funk From The Crescent City
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, October 1974
THERE'S ALWAYS been something unique about New Orleans music, whether it's the jazz of Louis Armstong, the boogie-woogie blues of Champion Jack Dupree, the lopping rock ...

Sly Stone: Small Talk
Review by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, November 1974
BY SLY'S SLUGGISH standards, it's not that long since the last album, Fresh; maybe married life has given him a creative surge. ...

Bobby Bland: Dreamer
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, November 1974
ONE DAY last week I tuned into Noel Edmunds and I heard it – and fell back into bed. ...

Barry White: Can't Get Enough (20th Century)
Review by Gene Sculatti, Zoo World, November 1974
YOU KNOW, I've heard people say that too much of anything isn't good for you. But I don't know about that, 'cause the fact is, I ...

Stevie Wonder: Further Fulfillingness
Interview by Wayne Robins, Melody Maker, November 1974
STEVIE WONDER had to know: should he, could he, release part two of Fulfillingness' First Finale at the end of November? ...

Al Green: Explores Your Mind
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, November 1974
CAN AL GREEN recover his credibility and save the world after all?, is the theme of today's programme. ...

The Miracles: Miracles Never Cease…
Interview by Harvey Kubernik, Melody Maker, November 1974
LOS ANGELES: "I really loved touring with the English groups, back in 1963 and 1964. We used to tour with the Rolling Stones and people like ...

The Delfonics: Developments In The Delfonic Dilemma
Profile and Interview by Bob Fisher, NME, November 1974
MENTION THE Philly sound, and people will start thinking about The O'Jays, Billy Paul, The Intruders or The Three Degrees. ...

Barry White
Profile by Bob Fisher, NME, December 1974
Some things turn me on...like the way you might say a word or the way you wear your hair and have a certain smile on your ...

Otis Redding: A Legend During His Lifetime, Or Only After His Death
Retrospective by Roger St. Pierre, NME, December 1974
The former, argues ROGER ST. PIERRE, in this appreciation of OTIS REDDING, who died seven years ago this month – the Boss Man soul music never ...

Edwin Starr: The Thespian Anglophile And The Motown Machine
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, December 1974
EDWIN STARR has a rather special place in the British soul scene, since none of America's top soul acts can match his record of some 30 ...

The Solomon Burke Story
Retrospective by Cliff White, Black Music, 1975
IT'S ALWAYS good to see neglected talent straighten up and fly right after seemingly falling by the wayside, especially when the talent is as undeniable as ...

Gil Scott-Heron: Survival Kits on Wax
Profile and Interview by Sheila Weller, Rolling Stone, January 1975
NEW YORK – At the age of 25, he has to his credit two published novels, one published collection of poetry and four albums of original ...

Gladys Knight: I Feel a Song
Review by Dave Marsh, Rolling Stone, January 1975
TWO YEARS AGO, while working for another magazine, I rejected a rambling interview between black poet Nikki Giovanni and singer Gladys Knight. The interview wasn't that ...

LaBelle: It Happened In Hollywood
Report by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, January 1975
IT HAPPENED in Hollywood.
To be precise it happened on The Cher Show. ...

The Righteous Brothers - Give it to the People
Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, January 1975
ANOTHER ILLUSION ...

Gladys Knight: I Feel a Song
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, January 1975
RELUCTANTLY, ONE MUST admit that Aretha Franklin has now lost her crown as America's top female singer to Miss Knight. Gladys and her Pips have managed ...

Soul (Style): Baggy Trousers Will Not Be Admitted
Report by Bob Fisher, NME, January 1975
THE STYLISTIC rivalry between soul fans in the North and South of England has been well publicised. But what magazine odes to regional soul tend to ...

Tower Of Power
Profile by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, January 1975
BY FAR THE biggest ensemble to be visiting Europe on the Warners tour is Tower of Power, the Oakland based blues and soul outfit whose membership ...

Larry Graham: Platform For Station
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, January 1975
OAKLAND: Few people can ever have listened to a Sly Stone record without experiencing a gut feeling as the bass guitar runs through its paces, putting ...

Little Beaver: Beaver's Blues
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, January 1975
STUDENTS OF the currently emergent Miami Sound will have noticed the proliferation of album credits, both as writer and musician, for one Willie Hale. ...

Syl Johnson: Truth Teller
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1975
ALMOST INEVITABLY, the one line of questioning that any interviewer takes with Syl Johnson involves Al Green, Willie Mitchell and Hi Records. Which is understandable if ...

Ashford and Simpson: Nick and Val
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1975
IT'S PRETTY hard to believe that the young, unassuming couple seated comfortably in their smart New York apartment-and-office are the masterminds behind a whole string of ...

Syl Johnson: Barbarella's, Birmingham
Live Review by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1975
MOST OF the soul artists who do the one-nighter round of the UK and USAF bases have some kind of hit going for them, or at ...

Johnny Otis, Platters, Jackie Wilson Reissue Albums
Review by Bob Fisher, Cream, February 1975
Johnny Otis: Pioneers of Rock: Vol. 2
The Platters: The Best of the Platters
Jackie Wilson: Greatest Hits ...

Ohio Players: Fiery, Freaky and Funky
Profile by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1975
CURRENTLY THE HOTTEST item on Billboard's album chart is The Ohio Players Fire (Mercury). Phonogram must have burnt their fingers in the rush get it into ...

Don Covay: Hot Blood
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1975
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE Don Covay made with this album was in making 'It's Better To Have' track one, side ...

Don Covay: Hot Blood
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, February 1975
DON COVAY'S resurrection as an artist was one of the brightest events of last year. His 'It's Better To Have' made number 21 in the British ...

Dionne Warwick: Best Of
Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, February 1975
ONLY ONE OBJECTION to this album, so let's put it right up ...

Kokomo: Kokomo
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, February 1975
THE AVERAGE WHITES broke the ice with their second album and Kokomo will be the first of the beneficiaries. ...

The Chi-Lites
Interview by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1975
IT'S A SOMEWHAT perplexed Chi-Lites who recently embarked on their second and most extensive UK tour of Clubs and ...

Bobby Womack: I Can Understand It
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, February 1975
CALLED IN America Greatest Hits, this album simply illustrates the unsatisfactory position that Bobby Womack finds himself in in England. ...

Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions: Big Sixteen
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, March 1975
IT'S PLEASING to see Anchor pushing out this classic compilation, as it's been unavailable for several years. It was originally issued on the old HMV label ...

Betty Wright: Do Me Wright
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, March 1975
BETTY WRIGHT IS, as they say, a lot more than just a pretty face. She's also got a voice that's stacked with burning southern soul, a ...

LaBelle: Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir?
Report and Interview by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, March 1975
"THE RE-VO-LU-SHUN...will not be televaaaaaazed," declaims Patti LaBelle, staring into the audience from the stage of the Congressgebouwe in the Hague. ...

Average White Band
Profile and Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, March 1975
AIN'T IT just like the February sunshine to play tricks with the mind? Here I am, sat aboard the Long Island Railroad Express, rattling out of ...

LaBelle: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London
Live Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, March 1975
THE PROVERBIAL BREATH of fresh air. ...

Shirley & Co. and The Moments: The Carpenters Are My Real Faves
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, March 1975
Al Goodman, A & R man for All Platinum label. So what are you doing on the Soul page with Shirley & Co., Al? ...

Revelation
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
"POSITIVE THINKING and a high energy level" are, according to Benny Diggs, what make Revelation what they are. If you ever feel that you want some ...

The Futures
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
"TO BE a moon, not just a star" is the collective ambition of five, talented young guys from the City of Brotherly Love. Known as The ...

Walter Heath
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
TALKING WITH Mr. Walter Heath midway during his recent stay in New York on the bill at the Uris Theatre with Seals & Crofts is an ...

Dee Dee Warwick
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
IT'S BEEN more than a while since we heard from one young lady whose consistently good records seemed to never hit quite as big as they ...

Sister Sledge
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
THE TRULY amazing dynamism of the four lovely ladies who make up Philadelphia's own SISTER SLEDGE are finally getting the kind of recognition which their sensational ...

Melba Moore: Soulful Sophistication
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
LIKE MOST everyone else, you're probably under the impression that the name Melba Moore is more synonymous with Broadway, Las Vegas, supper clubs and Hollywood than ...

The Spinners
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
IF YOU talk about supergroups these days, it is inevitable that The Spinners will enter your conversation. In the relatively short space of four years, the ...

Jimmy Castor: Boogieing To The Top
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
JIMMY CASTOR confesses that, right now, he is feeling elated. And one look at the charts or a few hours listening to nearly every r&b radio ...

Al Green: Love, Happiness And Convictions
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1975
2008 introduction: Known as the "Prince Of Soul," Al Green had built up a strong audience thanks to a string of hit singles and best-selling albums. ...

Jim Gilstrap: Wonder Man
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1975
When 'Swing Your Daddy' exploded on to the scene, everybody was saying they knew the name of Jim Gilstrap – but where ...

Dooley Silverspoon
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1975
ONE HARDLY is likely to forget the name of Dooley Silverspoon and that really was the main purpose behind Dooley – whose actual surname is Witherspoon, ...

Vernon Burch
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1975
VERNON BURCH may be a new name to you but his past is littered with success since he was one of the contributing members of one ...

The Chi-Lites: (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People/Greatest Hits/A Lonely Man/A Letter To Myself/Toby
Review by Simon Frith, Let It Rock, April 1975
I'D BETTER DECLARE myself: I like Philly Sound, the Stylistics, Barry White even (or, rather, sometimes); I don't think Norman Whitfield mangled Motown: I do believe ...

James Brown: Reality and Breakin' Bread
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, April 1975
A WORD OF advice. Never attempt to review James Brown product whilst the records are actually playing. It's impossible either to write or type when your ...

Swamp Dogg
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, April 1975
"WHERE ELSE BUT in America could a person own a Rolls-Royce, an Eldorado Mark IV, a Mercedes limousine, an estate in Long Island, an apartment in ...

Minnie Riperton
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, April 1975
MINNIE RIPERTON is as fizzy as a soda bottle shaken on a hot summer day. Life, it is reassuring to know, can be enjoyed even in ...

Sister Sledge; Jimmy Castor; Ben E. King; The Spinners: Return of the Soul Package
Report and Interview by Bob Fisher, Roger St. Pierre, NME, April 1975
From the great lost soul label of Atlantic it came, writhing with synchronized funk, its many black heads chanting and wailing. Nothing like it had been ...

Allen Toussaint: Southern Nights
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, April 1975
IF ALLEN TOUSSAINT ever wants to make the great album he's obviously capable of, he'd be best advised to first take a year's sabbatical from his ...

J. J. Barnes: The Groovesville Masters
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, April 1975
DESPITE A couple of very successful tours of the Midlands and the North, JJ seems dogged by bad ...

Al Green: Eaten Something Funny Al?
Interview by Bob Fisher, NME, April 1975
"L.O.V.E. SPELLS LOVE," says Al Green on his current NME chart rider of the same name, while according to Jimmy Witherspoon's current US hit, it's also ...

Syl Johnson: A Whole Lot Of Whiplashes And Scars…
Interview by Bob Fisher, NME, April 1975
NOT MANY artists hot on the US Soul charts have had the apprenticeship of Syl Johnson. ...

Jimmy Castor: The Everything Man Really Has Everything
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1975
ON REFLECTION, the two most successful names to emerge from the highly successful Atlantic Super-Soul concert tour were Jimmy Castor and Sister Sledge. ...

Loleatta Holloway
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1975
IT WOULDN'T take a genius to notice that Loleatta Holloway's delectable US hit, 'Cry To Me', is simply one of my favourite sounds of all time. ...

Carl Graves
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1975
CARL GRAVES is a young man currently making his name on a worldwide basis via a lovely debut solo recording on A&M Records, 'Baby Hang Up ...

The Newcomers
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1975
THOUGH THEY bear the name of The Newcomers and this is their Debut Feature in B&S, the trio are in fact far from being a new ...

Tamiko Jones
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1975
IF SHEER beauty could ensure a hit record, then Ms. Tamiko Jones would simply never yield the top spot. However, as well as having something that ...

Van McCoy: The Disco Man
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1975
THERE CAN be very few self-respecting soul fans around who don't own a record which has featured the name "Van McCoy" somewhere along the way. ...

Johnny Bristol and Allen Toussaint: Producers 'N' Performers
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1975
IT SEEMS that it's an increasingly notable fact that more and more producers, after scoring successfully in that field, are turning their attention to the studio ...

Jimmy Jones: Timin' Is The Thing
Retrospective by Penny Reel, Let It Rock, May 1975
What would have happened if you and I
Hadn't just happened to meet?
We might have spent the rest of our lives
Walking down misery ...

Chairmen of the Board
Interview by Bob Fisher, NME, May 1975
IT WAS THE Chairmen of the Board's umpteenth tour of the UK, but this time round, the venues were a little classier, with week long cabaret ...

Earth, Wind and Fire
Profile by Bob Fisher, NME, May 1975
LIKE EVERY OTHER sub genre of soul seems to do, the current blockbuster – jazz-funk, bump-funk, party street-dance, or whatever you care to tag it – ...

Barry White: Villa Park, Birmingham
Live Review by Bob Fisher, NME, May 1975
THERE'S BEEN some controversy about the prices on Barry White's English gigs – £5 was the top price at Birmingham. ...

Average White Band: Winterland, San Francisco
Live Review by Mitchell Cohen, Phonograph Record, June 1975
THERE ARE THOSE who have had Average White Band pegged from the start as the best blue-eyed soul band since the Young Rascals, and these admirers ...

Hamilton Bohannon: Insides Out
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1975
WHEN, BACK in January we became the first British magazine to interview the talented Hamilton Bohannon, I confess I didn't expect to ever have to call ...

Joe Simon: The Reluctant Superstar
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1975
IN TERMS of actual record sales and box office figures, Joe Simon has only one or two peers over the past decade or so. Yet this ...

Leonard Caston
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1975
THE NAME Leonard Caston should already be more than familiar to B&S devotees because he has contributed a good deal to the furtherance of our music. ...

Barbara Mason: This Girl Is A Woman Now
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1975
YOUR IMPRESSIONS of Ms. Barbara Mason may well be restricted to the young girl of the tender age of 16 singing her own composition, 'Yes I'm ...

Natalie Cole
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1975
BEING THE daughter of such an internationally famous man as the late Nat King Cole could conceivably pose a problem for any budding star. After all, ...

The Exciters - Dark Clouds Over the Black Country
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, June 1975
INTERNAL DISSENSION IS the bane of any cult, and though the Northern Sounds soul movement might seem healthy from the outside, in reality it's torn by ...

Candi Staton and Bettye Swann: Broken Hearts, Do Right Women
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, June 1975
EVERY TIME I hear Bettye Swann's pained 'Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me' I'm so moved I want to go and punch that mean-assed ...

Curtis Mayfield: America Today
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, June 1975
THREE YEARS AGO, Curtis Mayfield was one of the golden boys of New Wave soul, having broken with marketing formats (The Impressions) and joined the likes ...

Stax - The Stax Story - Volumes I & II
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, June 1975
SINCE THE 32 tracks collected here were cut after the 1968 Stax/Atlantic split it would be unwise to take the over-all title of this two-record set ...

Shirley Goodman: Good Times Roll Again
Profile and Interview by Bill Millar, Let It Rock, July 1975
JET-BLACK RINGLETS and bra-busting cuddliness; nothing about Shirley Goodman tells you that she used to resemble the waif-like teenager on the front of those old blue ...

Earth, Wind & Fire: A Creative Explosion
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1975
TO UNDERSTAND the true power of Earth, Wind & Fire, you have to understand that these are nine people with a message. A universal message which ...

The Impressions
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1975
WITHOUT OVERSTATING the fact, you could justifiably say that The Impressions have come a long way! ...

Thelma Houston
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1975
IT SEEMS that there will always be that small coterie of artists you will always find falling under that elusive category, "the singer's singer". ...

Natural Four
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1975
CURRENTLY WOWING audiences on their tour with fellow Curtom recording artists, The Impressions, the four-man Natural Four are creating more than a little impact and are ...

Ernie Bush
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1975
WITHOUT A shadow of doubt, one of Britain's most played disco sounds of the day is by Ernie Bush. Entitled 'Breakaway', the disco folk are playing ...

Rufus: Today and Tomorrow
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1975
ALMOST without notice to the soul community, Rufus arrived and departed our shores towards the end of last month simply to appear on BBC-TV's Top Of ...

Linda Carr
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1975
ACTUALLY, ALTHOUGH we are acclaiming Ms. Linda Carr as a "B&S Debut Feature", we are being technically incorrect because Linda was featured way back in 1966, ...

Moment Of Truth
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1975
NEW YORK-based group, the Moment of Truth, currently have one of the hottest disco properties in their Roulette outing of 'Helplessly'. The record – their second ...

Ronnie McNeir
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1975
WITHOUT DOUBT, one of the prettiest and classiest ballads currently on the American charts comes from Detroit-based Ronnie McNeir and is entitled 'Wendy Is Gone'. The ...

Worries of the Warwick sisters
Interview by Roger St. Pierre, NME, July 1975
WE'RE A LONG way on from 1964 and 'Walk On By' but, despite the profusion of instantly forgetable records Dionne Warwick has turned out since her ...

Average White Band: Cut The Cake (Atlantic)
Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, July 1975
Hamish Stuart (guitar, vocals), Alan Gorrie (bass, vocals), Onnie Mclntyre (guitar), Roger Ball (keyboards, alto and baritone saxophones), Malcolm Duncan (tenor saxophone), Stephen Ferrone (drums, percussion), ...

The Righteous Brothers - Sons of Mrs. Righteous
Review by Mick Farren, NME, July 1975
IT REALLY DOES seem that the greater part of the Righteous Brothers was their uncle Phil ...

Hot Chocolate: Choc's Away
Interview by Colin Irwin, Melody Maker, July 1975
A CLUTCH of nubile girls are usefully spending their school holidays hanging around outside the Bell Record Company offices in the hope of a glimpse of ...

Wilson Pickett - Join Me and Let's Be Free
Review by Cliff White, NME, July 1975
FIRST OF ALL you have to picture the scene. There he stands, up to his elbows in stagnant water, a faraway look in his eyes, a ...

Bobby Womack - I Don't Know What The World Is Coming To
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, July 1975
FROM 1964, FOLLOWING the death of his mentor Sam Cooke, to 1969, when he finally began to record under his own name, Bobby Womack was a ...

The Stylistics: Sing, Baby, Sing!
Profile and Interview by Colin Irwin, Melody Maker, August 1975
ABUSE COMES too easily. The Stylistics are the masters of sweet soul, the kings of lush sentiment, and the lords of overstated romance. Even their fans ...

Charlie Whitehead
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1975
YOU CAN never keep a good man down and that old saying certainly applies to ol' Swamp Dogg! Over the past decade, there's hardly been a ...

Betty Davis: Filthy But Funky
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1975
IT'S FUNNY how some women are genteel yet others may be quite the opposite – yet still manage to retain their femininity. ...

The Rimshots
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1975
AS BRITAIN gradually develops its own soul character, an ever-increasing list of names are attracting interest on this side of the Atlantic before they break through ...

Jeannie Reynolds
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1975
WITH SO much interest in the Philly disco sound, Detroit has been put pretty much into the shadows as far as dance music is concerned during ...

James Brown: Sex Machine Today, Hamilton Bohannon: Insides Out, The Commodores: Caught in the Act
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, August 1975
"WHITE ROCK", OBSERVED CSM last week in his Wailers review, "lays its beat on you; the Wailers' music allows you to find your own rhythm within ...

Tamla albums round-up
Review by Cliff White, NME, August 1975
FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS. The Supremes' new LP is a ...

Junior Walker
Interview by Cliff White, NME, August 1975
CONSIDERING THAT THEY'D only checked in at 4 a.m. that morning – that they hadn't been notified of our appointment for an interview – and that ...

Ben E. King - The Ben E. King Story
Review by Cliff White, NME, August 1975
ATLANTIC, YOU'RE NOT fooling ...

James Brown - Live at the Apollo Vol.1
Review by Cliff White, NME, August 1975
EVERY SO OFTEN an album comes along that is more than just another good, bad, or indifferent release from the artist ...

The Supremes: The Supremes (Tamla Motown) (32.16)
Review by Jonh Ingham, Sounds, August 1975
SIX PRODUCERS on one record? Is this some kind of a joke? I've heard of Rick Derringer dreaming of a different producer for each song on ...

Stevie Wonder - Blind, Gifted and Loaded
Report by Bob Woffinden, NME, August 1975
THERE HAS BEEN an official silence about Stevie Wonder's plans since he publicly announced in March last year that he was to retire in 1976 to ...

Smokey Robinson: A Quiet Storm
Review by Pete Wingfield, Let It Rock, September 1975
COULD THIS BE Smokey's What's Going On – the album to elevate him, like Marvin Gaye, from a singles-orientated soul veteran to an across-the-board contemporary album ...

The Fatback Band: Yum Yum
Review by Bob Fisher, NME, September 1975
"MY NAME is Yum Yum, Gimme some!" ...

Jackie Moore: More Precious the Second Time Around
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1975
Jackie Moore is a pleasing young lady who exploded on to the scene back in 1971 with a multi-million worldwide selling single called 'Precious Precious' – ...

The Kay-Gee's
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1975
IF YOU'RE talking of funky disco groups today, you're sure to mention Kool & the Gang, B.T. Express, the Fatback Band – and the Kay-Gees. Although ...

Joe Simon - Get Down
Review by Cliff White, NME, September 1975
LEAPING ONTO THE dance floor of American's all-pervasive disco, Simon recovered from a slump in popularity by intoning "Get down, get down" about fifty-nine times over ...

The Chi-Lites: Half a Love and The Moments: Sharp
Review by Ian MacDonald, NME, September 1975
IF IT WERE ONLY for All Platinum's second certifiable classic – The Moments' 'Dolly My Love' – this group's new album would need to be looked ...

Johnny Nash: Tears On My Pillow
Review by Cliff White, NME, September 1975
ANYONE WHO CAN cheerfully sing "be careful how you hold her, please don't even scold her, she's my cream puff" either deserves a hefty kick up ...

Orchestral Soul: So When Was the Last Time You Saw a Black Cello Player?
Overview by Cliff White, NME, September 1975
SOUL: the emotional part of man's nature, or the seat of the feelings or sentiments.
SOULFUL: of, or expressive of, deep feeling or ...

The Chi-Lites at Hammersmith Odeon
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, September 1975
AFTER AN HOUR or so of the kind of entertainment that tempts freeloading reviewers to demand their non-existent money back, any halfway-decent act is a blessed ...

The Supremes at Hammersmith Odeon
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, NME, September 1975
NEXT TIME YOU have the opportunity, check out Motown's Anthology of Diana Ross and the Supremes' Greatest Hits. Unless you're an avid fan whose every day ...

The Ohio Players - Honey
Review by Cliff White, NME, September 1975
EARLIER THIS YEAR Ralph 'Pee Wee' Middlebrook, trumpeter with The Players, admitted in an interview "now we've made it after all that scuffling I suppose we ...

Labelle - Phoenix
Live Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, September 1975
FOR ALL PRACTICAL purposes, Phoenix is Labelle's third album. Forget anything prior to Pressure Cookin': those albums were by some other people and are of little ...

Van McCoy: The Real McCoy
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1975
Although 'Van McCoy: The Artist' has really only just arrived in terms of commercial acceptance, Van's creative influence has played a major role within the framework ...

Lonnie Liston Smith: Visions Of A New World
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1975
With the tremendous upsurge in jazz over the past couple of years, the strange thing is that remarkably few genuine 'new' names have benefitted. ...

Johnny Guitar Watson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1975
"Let me talk to the Lone Ranger – and ...

Gloria Gaynor: Experience
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1975
HAILED AS the unrivalled Queen of the Discos, the delicious Ms. Gloria Gaynor has certainly spread her wings on her second MGM album, Experience. ...

Tina Turner: Acid Queen
Interview by Harvey Kubernik, Melody Maker, October 1975
"WE TOURED FOR years with all the English groups and I always liked what they were singing about. ...

Isley Brothers: Heat's Still On Isleys
Interview by Harvey Kubernik, Melody Maker, October 1975
LOS ANGELES: The Isleys' latest album, The Heat Is On, recently hit number one in America, but for as long as there's been rock and roll ...

Al Green: Al Green Is Love
Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1975
REMEMBER WHEN YOU were young, listening to Radio Luxembourg under the bedclothes by ...

The Temptations: Moving With The Times
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, October 1975
IT'S SURE tough work being a Temptation. Before replacing Damon Harris in soul music's top fivesome, Glenn Leonard not only had to learn the group's songs ...

Natalie Cole: Whatever Will Be Will Be
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1975
It's rare, very rare, for the son or daughter of a superstar to make it in his or her own right. The pressures are intense – ...

The Undisputed Truth: Their Aim Is Higher Than High
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1975
WITH THE increasing use of theatrics within the sphere of our music, it is interesting to note that Motown's Undisputed Truth were just about the first ...

The Impressions
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1975
Ever since I became interested in our music, I can hardly remember a time when the Impressions have been absent from the charts. ...

Ike and Tina Turner: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Chris Salewicz, NME, November 1975
WELL, TO BE quite frank I thought they were fairly ...

Betty Davis: Nasty Gal
Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, November 1975
THIS IS IT funk y'all
This is it right here
This is it do ya hear me girls
And well they can't do it for
ya no nastier than ...

The Temptations: House Party
Review by Cliff White, NME, November 1975
IT'S COMFORTING TO have a few acts that you can rely on to keep supplying the goods, and The Temps certainly do ...

Rufus: Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan (ABC)
Review by Penny Valentine, Street Life, November 1975
AMERICAN BLACK music (that which is loosely termed 'soul') has been going through a disturbing period. It continues to do so. Where once the arm of ...

Darrow Fletcher
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1975
WE OFTEN hear tell of child prodogies – those rare breed that begin their careers at some more than tender age! Frequently, in the crazy world ...

Rufus' Chaka Khan: Golden Lady
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1975
IT'S DIFFICULT to believe that much of the power, strength and soul that you hear when you hear Rufus stems from anyone as petite and almost ...

Dionne Warwick and Thom Bell: Hitting The Road Together
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1975
WITHOUT ANY question, one of the most significant musical marriages of our decade was the one that brought the team of Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach and ...

Jimmy Bo Horne
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
TRYING TO interview Jimmy Bo Horne is a strange mixture of a journalist's idea of paradise and bedlam because whilst for half of the time he ...

Tamiko Jones
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
IT'S AMAZING how many of today's super-soulstars can be traced back to the Ric Tic-Golden World family for their very first step into showbiz. The list ...

Chuck Jackson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
ONE OF the major disappointments in what has otherwise been a very good year for our music was the cancellation of the proposed All Platinum Tour, ...

Oliver Sain
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
WITH OLIVER Sain's current double headed hunk of disco funk climbing into the British charts at his customary high placing, the timing could not be better ...

Sheer Elegance
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
WITH THE interest in home-grown soul now reaching the point where it's acceptable to feature British based artists and groups in the soul charts, one name ...

Mike and Bill
Profile by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1975
THOUGH IT hasn't developed into being the monster success that we predicted, Mike & Bill's highly commendable (and danceworthy!) 'Somebody's Gotta Go' has established the new ...

Kool and the Gang: Spirit Of The Boogie; Ohio Players: Honey
Review by Richard Williams, Let It Rock, December 1975
OCCUPYING ROUGHLY the same area in the impressively wide spectrum of contemporary Black music, these two orchestras both play for dancers but nevertheless perform entirely different ...

The Staple Singers: Let's Do It Again
Review by Cliff White, NME, December 1975
IF MAYFIELD'S lyrics are anything to go by, this film must be whole lots of scenes of funky loving in which they do it again and ...

Martha Reeves: Our Martha Aims Higher And Higher
Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, December 1975
"IF I won any fans over here on my first trip I still have them. They're so much more devoted than the people back home, they ...

The Miracles: City Of Angels
Review by Cliff White, NME, December 1975
WHAT A ...

Betty Davis: Nasty Gal
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, December 1975
ON HER FIRST two albums, Betty Davis staked out a peculiar brand of kinky, tongue-in-cheek funk that garnered her a cult following in Philadelphia and a ...

Bobby Womack: Safety First
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, December 1975
BOBBY WOMACK is the kind of guy who lights up a room when he enters, and this suite in the Plaza Hotel is no exception. Sunday ...

Stephanie Mills: The Wiz Kid!
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 1976
"This young lady has gusto, tenderness, sweetness, and Soul... all the qualities to make her more that just another singer – a Star!" David Nathan goes ...

Margie Joseph: The Real Divine Miss M
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1976
ONE MAJOR criticism which is frequently levelled at the bigger record companies is how, with a relatively large roster, some of their strongest potential stars get ...

Betty Wright
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1976
FOR EVERY successful sound, there always has to be a pioneer. For Motown and Detroit, I guess it was Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; for Philly, ...

David Ruffin
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1976
IF YOU check your American charts this week, you'll find that David Ruffin – after a break of some two years – is riding both singles ...

David Ruffin: Who I Am
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, January 1976
THIS IS AN encouraging album. After a celebrated re-signing with Motown last year, the ponderous Norman Whitfield-produced Me 'n Rock 'n Roll Are Here to Stay ...

Johnny Guitar Watson: Beware The Guitar Gangster
Profile and Interview by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, January 1976
SUPERSTAR? MAYBE not. But despite a lack of any major hits, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson has long been acknowledged as a super-talent of the black American music ...

Sheer Elegance
Interview by Harry Doherty, Melody Maker, January 1976
From obscurity to a hit in two moves...just luck? Not true, Sheer Elegance tell HARRY DOHERTY ...

Earth Wind and Fire: Signs Rise for Shining Stars
Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, January 1976
LOS ANGELES – "Music is a sacred thing and we take it very seriously," Earth Wind & Fire founder/percussionist Maurice White offers during a rehearsal break. ...

Gene Page In His Own Right
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1976
He's worked with Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Diana & the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Aretha, the J5, Martha Reeves, and many others. Now it's time to discover... ...

D.J. Rogers: Songs Of Love And Hope
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1976
A young man whose West Coast reputation is spreading fast. ...

Lamont Dozier: Stretchin' Out
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1976
WHEN THE time comes to chronicle the names of some of the top producers and songwriters of the sixties and seventies, there is no question that ...

Evelyn Thomas
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1976
WITH THE Chicago Soul Road-show only weeks away from kicking off its British tour, the timing of 20th Century's Evelyn Thomas could not be better as ...

Brass Construction
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1976
I'M NOT prone to making rash statements (as most readers of B&S of any long-standing will bear witness) but I am going to predict that Brass ...

Donna Summer
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1976
GETTING A record banned by the dear of BBC is as surefire a way of getting a hit as I know of and it's a route ...

Jean Plum
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1976
MAKING HER debut in the British soul charts this week is vivacious Jean Plum, whose London release of 'Look At The Boy' has been hotly tipped ...

Kokomo: Grown Some Funk Of Our Own
Report and Interview by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, February 1976
THE SUBDUED shufflings of a hotel chambermaid were gradually coaxing Alan Spenner, Kokomo's friendly grizzly bear of a bass payer, out of sweet slumber. ...

Earth Wind & Fire: Gratitude
Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1976
PROOF AT LAST that EWF deserve all the acclaim that's been heaped on them in the last couple of ...

The Blackbyrds: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1976
BETCHA DIDN'T know there's such a thing as Black-byrdomania. Neither did I until this concert, when a quietly slumbering stalls suddenly became a heaving sea of ...

Gladys Knight: The Best Of…, A Little Knight Music, Gladys Knight And The Pips
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, February 1976
DON'T BE MISLED – The Best Of... actually refers to the best of Gladys and the 'Pips' Buddah output, but such is the strength of the ...

The Isley Brothers: Twist And Shout, Super Hits
Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1976
SOME RECORDINGS CRY out to be reissued. In fact they never should have been deleted in the first place. Others should never even have been released ...

The Future Of Rock 'N' Soul
Comment by Kevin Allen, Record Mirror, February 1976
JUST ONE glance at the pop charts over the past decade is sufficient to indicate the domination of black music in general and soul music in ...

Gil Scott-Heron: London
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, February 1976
"HEY, BRIAN, it's sold out – there's a line in front of the theatre!" That's one of the Midnight Band's glamorous female entourage calling out in ...

The O'Jays: Family Reunion (Philadelphia International)***
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, February 1976
THERE'S A HIT on this record, in case you're interested – 'I Love Music'. I needn't elaborate on that one, as if you're reading this you're ...

Ann Peebles: Tellin' It
Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1976
IN 1968 IN Memphis, Tennessee, Willie Mitchell succeeded to the board of an ailing record company called ...

Kokomo/Kursaal Flyers: Guildford
Live Review by John Tobler, NME, February 1976
A VERY strange billing, Kokomo as support to the Kursaal Flyers. Now that seems to say something about relative popularity and the length of time it ...

The Mighty Clouds Of Joy
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1976
HALF A Million Hustlers Can't Be Wrong. That's how many buyers Eddie Drennon attracted for 'Let's Do The Latin Hustle' – in the States alone. Now ...

Betty LaVette
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1976
ANY LIST of legendary 'deep soul' sisters would be totally incomplete without the name of a young lady from Detroit whose emotion-packed recordings have been known ...

KC and Sunshine Band
Interview by Richard Cromelin, Phonograph Record, March 1976
"I'd just put out the George McCrae album, and I kept hearing one of my tunes come busting through the wall up there." H.W. Casey – ...

Bobby Womack
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1976
ROOT-RAPPIN? Whassat? Well, it's like this...John Abbey got to talking with Bobby and the conversation drifted to his very early days – his ...

Barbara Pennington
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1976
ACTUALLY, I must confess that when you ask me about hat-tricks from Blackpool, the first name to spring to mind would be Stanley Mortenson. But the ...

L.J. Johnson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1976
COMPLETING THE other half of Ian Levine's winning double hand from Chicago, is L.J. Johnson who is comfortably placed in the higher echelons of both pop ...

Esther Phillips
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1976
MS. PHILLIPS feels that new doors have opened up for her since 'Day'. She deeply regrets the cancellation of her Euro tour but looks forward to ...

Dobie Gray: Capricorn Rising
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, March 1976
IT IS, I GUESS, the third time around for Dobie Gray who, at the present moment, is stretched out full length on a bed on the ...

Gladys Knight & the Pips: Gladys Knight and the Pips (DJM)
Review by Simon Frith, Street Life, March 1976
SHE'S JUST GONNA have to get used to it. When you're the greatest pop singer in the world (and she is) and have been together with ...

The Discreet Charm Of the Black Bourgeoisie: Barry White and Company
Review by Penny Valentine, Street Life, March 1976
WHEN YOUNG American blacks threw off their jeans, gave them to the white kids, and emerged supercool in their three-piece suits, brogues and cashmere sweaters the ...

Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, March 1976
THIS MUST Rank as the most Perplexing gig I've ever seen. All I was left with at the end was a burning desire to rush off ...

Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, March 1976
POLE-AXED BY SKIN-CRAWLING hot and cold flushes, with a head full of demented panel-beaters, the last thing I wanted to do was travel 50 miles to ...

Bobby Womack: Safety Zone
Review by Cliff White, NME, March 1976
IF YOU WANT to do Bobby Womack a favour, you'll ignore this ...

Jermaine Jackson
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1976
Having experienced the whole J5 explosion, how are things with Jermaine Jackson since goin' out on his own? Well, seems things are pretty fine, as our ...

Graham Central Station: The Graham Standing at Platform 3 Will Call At All Stations
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1976
"Constant change is the key these days," says Larry Graham of Graham Central Station. Having recently made inroads into the 'crossover' market, they're now striving for ...

The Impressions: Imps In The Mood For Love
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1976
WITH EVERYONE into disco music, the Impressions concentrated on a love mood for their 'Loving Power' set. And that move seems to have paid handsome ...

The Staple Singers
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1976
ONE OF the most welcome sights of recent months has been the re-appearance in the pop and R&B charts of that much-loved and extra-soulful family known ...

California Soul Hits The Big Apple
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1976
A special report by David Nathan on the on-stage and behind-the-scenes activities at Warner Brothers' special "California Soul" series of concerts during end of February at ...

Brook Benton
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1976
AFTER SOMETHING like twenty years of continuous success in the States, Brook Benton looks like finally achieving the breakthrough that has eluded him during the era ...

The Softones
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1976
VERY FEW of the soul super-groups break through into the really big time without serving a kind of apprenticeship and, with out wishing to blow our ...

Bobby Womack
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1976
...AAH, WHERE were we now? Oh, yeah, Bobby and the Valentinos had just got to their first real hit with 'It's All Over Now' on Sam ...

Al Green: Full Of Fire (London) ****
Review by Barbara Charone, Sounds, April 1976
AL GREEN stands in the middle of the ring, caught in combat between an elastic rhythm section and a resilient horn section. Producer/engineer Willie Mitchell is ...

Archie Bell and the Drells Still Dance All Night
Profile and Interview by John Morthland, Rolling Stone, April 1976
NEW YORK – Archie Bell interrupts his rushed, businesslike replies for a moment and works up the faintest trace of a smile: "I didn't know what ...

Al Jarreau: Jarreau Gig At La Coupole Goes Molto Bene
Report and Interview by Cliff White, NME, April 1976
"THERE'S NO reason for my deserving this interview any more than the man out there pouring drinks, except that I try to say something through music ...

A Walk On War's Wild Side
Interview by Steven Rosen, Sounds, April 1976
FAR OUT Productions, besides being War's Hollywood headquarters, seems to be a favourite hangout for streetwalkers. They seem to think that all the black gentlemen frequently ...

Ike & Tina Turner: Her Man, His Woman
Review by Cliff White, NME, April 1976
RECORDED AND FIRST released as the Get It, Get It L.P. on the L.A. Cenco label circa 1965, this album was snapped up by Capitol when ...

Johnnie Taylor: Eargasm
Review by Cliff White, NME, April 1976
THAT THIS ALBUM has already been such an overwhelming success in America must surely be due to US Columbia's marketing techniques rather than the music, for ...

Brook Benton: This Is Brook Benton
Review by Cliff White, NME, April 1976
THIS MONTH'S MIND-BLOWER: The Benton basement tapes surface after 18 years in the can and turn out to be a bag of fun for all 50s ...

Diana Ross: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Caroline Coon, Melody Maker, April 1976
WHEN WILL THE real Diana Ross sing up and be counted? ...

Smokey Robinson: Smokey's Family Robinson (Tamla Motown) *****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, April 1976
"A VOICE on the stereo singing softly, Describing what I feel about you, The singer seems to know all about it, Seems like the writer must, ...

Edwin Starr
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1976
YESSIREEBOB, VENUS and Mars are alright tonight! The past year has been relatively quiet for Edwin Starr but he seems happier than at any time before. ...

The Manhattans: Kiss And Say Hello To The Manhattans
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1976
The Manhattans have been kinda bubbling under for a long time. Now destiny has caught up with them and their new osculatory single is currently the ...

Melba Moore: Okay Melba This Really Is It
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1976
No messin' this time – the lady means business! Ms. Moore's Peach Melba album paved the way and now she's really cracked it with her new ...

Marvin Gaye: I Want You (Tamla Motown) ****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, May 1976
MARVIN GAYE is in the fortunate or unfortunate position of being regarded as a prophet-cum-saviour. ...

Al Jarreau: A Man And His Laundry
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, May 1976
"IT DON'T make no moth a fugging difference what happens to me, Going to be there in my own time, in my own way..."
– Al Jarreau, ...

Gladys Knight and the Pips: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, May 1976
HAVING BEEN privileged to see two out-of-London sets of G. K. and the P's, I was rather more picky than most of the London audience. ...

Gladys Knight & the Pips: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, May 1976
HORACE SILVER to Brain Case, NME, May 1st 1976. "I'd prefer just reports on concerts rather than a critique." Quite right too, Horace. O.K. then. No ...

The Temptations: Wings Of Love (Tamla Motown)****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, May 1976
VERY NEAT structure to the new Temps release. Side one has all the funk, all the dancers, and Side two has what you could call either ...

Soul Albums Reviewed
Review by Simon Frith, Street Life, May 1976
Temptations: Wings of Love
Marvin Gaye: I Want You
Lee Garrett: Heat For The Feets

EVEN SOUL musicians grow old and, though black music has never been ...

Average White Band: Edinburgh, Scotland
Live Review by Barbara Charone, Sounds, May 1976
"I'VE GOT an announcement to make," Alan Gorrie told a sold out Edinburgh audience the night after Scotland had beaten England. "If there's any dodgy singin' ...

Lee Garrett: Born A Loser
Profile and Interview by Cliff White, NME, May 1976
Meet the man who put dues-paying into the big league: LEE GARRETT. Born blind into a poor family and a drifter by his teens, Garrett has ...

Average White Band: Young Rascals Searching For Your Soul
Interview by Barbara Charone, Sounds, May 1976
Barbara Charone talks to Scotland's most famous sons, the Average White Band

'I'm sure people will put us down...I hope they don't put us down but I'm ...

Bootsy Collins
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1976
"SAY MAN, do you think these shades make me look just a little like Bootsy Collins? ...

Archie Bell & The Drells
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1976
ITS AN old saying that you can't keep a good man down, right? Well, that saying has never been better proven than by our old friends, ...

Al Wilson
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1976
ANY LONG-TERM reader of B&S will know what I mean by a "backbone of our music singer". They are the artists who don't attain superstar status ...

The Real Thing
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1976
AT A time when being black and British seems to be in vogue, it is important that we don't forget a group who have been around ...

Candi Staton
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1976
WITH THE greatest respect in the world to the delightful Candi Staton, I would have taken virtually any odds against ever seeing her sitting on top ...

Luther Are Good For The Soul
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1976
2008 introduction: "Luther are three girls and two guys whose debut single for Cotillion is attracting a lot of attention. They are not headliners yet, but ...

Willie Mitchell: Changing Sounds In Memphis
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1976
Willie Mitchell's distinctive Memphis sound has been the driving force behind many golden hits over the years. Now he feels it's time for a change. The ...

The Sylvers
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1976
WHEN PAT, Angie, Olympia, Edmund, Leon, James, Ricky and Foster (with Charmaine off sick that day) were seated around the table in Capitol's conference room, eating ...

Millie Jackson: Free And In Love
Review by Cliff White, NME, June 1976
OOWEE, LORD HAVE mercy. This girl just turns me to jelly every time she opens her ...

Natalie Cole: Natalie (Capitol) 35 mins ***
Essay by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, June 1976
IF YOU get right down to it I suppose pop/rock is composed of a set of quite different musical idioms within which almost everyone sounds exactly ...

The Emotions: Happiness Is…
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1976
Happy days are here again for Wanda, Jeanette and Sheila. They learned a lot from the quiet times and that knowledge is serving them well now ...

The Crusaders: 26 Years Young And The Best Is Yet To Come
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1976
'Tis strange to think that the Crusaders were laying down their distinctive sounds before some of their fans were even a twinkle in their daddies' eyes. ...

Millie Jackson: Free And In Love (Spring/Polydor) ****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, July 1976
MILLIE JACKSON has purchased a slinky new catsuit for the sleeve of this album, suitable for a liberated courtesan. And she can afford it too, seeing ...

Crusaders: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Max Bell, NME, July 1976
THE HELL WITH it, let's be dogmatic and lay down a truth that was already manifest before their historic visit. When it comes to pumping out ...

Jerry Butler: The Iceman Cometh, Yet Again
Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, Black Echoes, July 1976
IT WAS deejay George Wood who originally tagged Jerry Butler "The Iceman" because of his on-stage cool and it's still an especially appropriate nickname, not just ...

Melba Moore
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1976
Okay folks, this is it....the lady gives her views on the music biz, artistic temperament, women in business, hit records, coping with success, and other topics. ...

This Lord's A Lady
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1976
C. M. Lord offers a diverse range of talent...a little bit of everything. But the little lady aims to avoid being pigeonholed when a hit does ...

Sam Cooke: Twistin' The Night Away
Review by Cliff White, NME, August 1976
BETWEEN 1960 and 1963 more Twist albums hit the market than the total spinoff products from Elvis, The Beatles and Jaws. ...

Tavares: Sky High Tavares
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, August 1976
THOUGH Tavares are scoring for the first time in Britain with 'Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel', the quintet of brothers has been together as a ...

The Real Thing
Interview by Cliff White, NME, September 1976
THE REAL THING seems to be an apt name for a trio who are determined to succeed on their own merits and not as a homegrown ...

The Emotions: Flowers
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, September 1976
SALVAGED FROM THE debris of the Stax bankruptcy, the Emotions have reemerged with one of the year's most refreshing soul albums. Producer Maurice White, who was ...

Johnny Guitar Watson
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, September 1976
I WAS SUFFERING an unprecedented fit of nerves as I stood clutching my dime by the pay phones in Little Lucy's El Adobe Restaurant in downtown ...

Moon: Is This The Dark Side Of The Moon?
Interview by Chas de Whalley, Sounds, October 1976
"ARE YOU using Memorex?" asked Moon's Noel McCalla, leaning quizzically over my cassette machine. "You gotta use Memorex for us, you know. Only the best, ...

The Meters: Trick Bag
Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1976
DAY ONE: can't get past the third track. Before reaching it, 4.08 mins of 'Disco Is The Thing Today' revealed a commercial, characterless leap onto an ...

Natalie Cole, Tavares: New Victoria Theatre, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1976
NATALIE COLE is an MOR sophisticated lady, right? An exceptional singer in the mould of Aretha Franklin who's chosen to, or been persuaded to, don the ...

Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life
Review by Bob Woffinden, NME, October 1976
RUMOURS THAT the New Musical Express has deliberately pursued a course of hostility towards Stevie Wonder are, of course, utterly without foundation; but (even at the ...

Marvin Gaye: Cool Soul Genius Wows Albert
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1976
Marvin Gaye: Royal Albert Hall, London

THERE HAS to be a reason for hiring the Albert Hall. It's true that information sometimes gets lost over the Atlantic, ...

Marvin Gaye: Soul Searching
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1976
MARVIN GAYE's chosen an interesting stage of his career to re-visit these shores after a 12-year absence. ...

Aretha Franklin: Sparkle (Atlantic)****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1976
SUBTITLED 'Music From The Motion Picture', Sparkle is a soundtrack album, that plays like a record. It doesn't, unlike most of the genre, hang limply like ...

James Booker: A Winner Never Quits, A Quitter Never Wins
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, November 1976
'THE BLACK LIBERATCHI' That's what it says on the card and you can tell that it's going to be one of those interviews when you look ...

Gil Scott-Heron And Brian Jackson: It's Your World (Arista) ****
Review by Mick Brown, Sounds, November 1976
WITH IT'S Your World – his fourth English but sixth American album – Gil Scott-Heron takes another step in carving out his singular niche as jazz ...

Johnny Guitar Watson: Newcastle Polytechnic
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, November 1976
THE GIG at Newcastle Poly was Johnny Guitar Watson's first British date for a ...

Curtis Mayfield: The Creative Mastermind
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1976
TO TRY and describe Curtis Mayfield's enormous contribution to the music world would take far more adjectives than we have at our disposal. ...

Brothers Johnson: Good To Ya, Good For Ya
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1976
ONE OF the success stories of 1976 in terms of 'newcomers' on the scene is concerned must involve George & Louis Johnson. Although they'd worked for ...

O'Jays: Message in the Music
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, December 1976
NOW THAT the Staples are unabashed sex merchants, the O'Jays are pop's foremost message mongerers. But the O'Jays don't write or produce their albums, so their ...

Bobby Womack: Home Is Where The Heart Is (Columbia)****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, December 1976
WHEN BOBBY's excursion into country'n'western finally made it into the racks this summer, his long-cherished project met with mixed reviews. ...

Ike and Tina Turner
Profile by Bob Woffinden, NME, December 1976
THAT THE Tina Turner-Phil Spector combination should have produced one isolated tour-de-force 45 was perhaps not surprising; after all, Tina more than anyone else was the ...

Return of the Wicked Pickett
Report and Interview by Michael Lydon, unpublished, 1977
"I’VE ALWAYS WANTED to be a star," said Wilson Pickett. He clapped his hands and fell back into a deck chair behind his house in Englewood, ...

Barry White: I'm in a Beautiful Mood
Report and Interview by Philip Norman, Sunday Times, 1977
BARRY WHITE is the singer who turned black Soul music into a product closer akin to soggy white blancmange. ...

Tower Of Power: Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now
Review by Max Bell, NME, January 1977
THIS IS essentially transitional meat from Oakland, Soul City's finest. ...

The Average White Band: Person To Person
Review by Tony Stewart, NME, January 1977
WELCOME BACK the musically credible and eminently excellent Average White Band with this defiant poke in the ear for all those people who seven months ago ...

Gladys Knight & The Pips: New Victoria, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, January 1977
THERE IS AN unwritten guarantee with every ticket for a Gladys Knight & The Pips concert. A guarantee of aural, visual and emotional satisfaction. I've never ...

In A Changing World, There's Always Gladys Knight
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, January 1977
Gladys Knight and The Pips: New Victoria, London ...

Al Green: Have a Good Time
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, January 1977
IF HIS RECORDS ARE ANY indication, Al Green is a troubled, no, haunted man. ...

Gladys Knight And The Pips: The Family That Eats Together Hits Together
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, January 1977
Since their last visit eight months ago, nothing much has changed for Gladys Knight and the Pips. ...

Kokomo: The Roundhouse, London
Live Review by Chas de Whalley, Sounds, January 1977
WELL, JOE Cocker wasn't there. At least I don't think he was. After a very hard weekend of various rock 'n' roll activities the strain began ...

The Sylvers: Something Special
Review by Lester Bangs, Circus, January 1977
WHAT'S WRONG with disco music? All my friends hate it, so I know there must be something good about it. They say it's inhuman; I've always ...

Phyllis Hyman: This Lady's Got Star Karma
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, March 1977
"This lady's got star karma...The buzz about Phyllis Hyman started amongst the superstar elite. It hasn't taken long for the word to get ...

GC Cameron
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, April 1977
PERHAPS ONE of Motown's most underrated artists must be Mr. G. C. Cameron. With the release of several singles and now with two albums firmly under ...

Billy Paul: It's The New Billy Paul, Let 'Im In
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1977
Billy's bubblin' over about his new recordings. He tells B&S about his hopes for them, and about his new act, his production plans, and his deep ...

Ronnie Spector: Hi There, Big Boy! Wanna "Interview" Me?
Interview by Cliff White, NME, April 1977
Mmm-mm. Eighty-eight pounds of compact yumminess on parade for all you heavy guys out there. CLIFF WHITE, hot from New York, on delectable RONNIE SPECTOR's sizzling ...

Michael Henderson: Here There And Everywhere
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1977
ALTHOUGH YOU'RE probably totally unaware of it, there's probably been some point in your musical 'life' when you've heard Michael ...

Time Out With Junior Walker
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, May 1977
ONE OF the most consistently popular Motown artists of all time has to be Jr. Walker. His ratio of chart records may not be what it ...

AUDIO: Wilson Pickett (1977)
Interview by Michael Lydon, Rock's Backpages Audio, May 1977
After Michael Lydon's swift intro, an avuncular Wilson Pickett talks about his gospel roots, The Falcons, hooking up with Atlantic and working in Memphis and Muscle ...

The Brains Behind Brass Construction
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1977
B&S SuperEd, John Abbey, goes a-rappin' with BC's Superleader, Randy Muller... ...

The Chi-Lites: Theatre Royal, London
Live Review by Paul Rambali, NME, May 1977
THE HOUSE LIGHTS dimmed and the musicians took their places. There was a buzz of activity on the darkened stage for a minute or so and ...

Joe Tex: The Soul Of An Underdog
Profile and Interview by Joe McEwen, Boston Phoenix, May 1977
THE SHOW was held at South Philadelphia's Spectrum, still a brand-new facility in 1969, but it could well have been the fare at North Philly's rattier, ...

George Benson: It's A Man's Man's Man's Man's World
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, June 1977
"YOU'RE SAYING that women are equal to men and all that crazy stuff!" George Benson laughed in astonishment.

Hold on a second I must be hallucinating this. ...

Parliament: Live: The P-Funk Earth Tour
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, June 1977
"THEY SAY the bigger the headache the bigger the pill!" Dr. Funkenstein shouts. ...

Ben E. King/Average White Band: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, July 1977
THIS ISN'T an original thought but it bears repeating: Ben E. King is an excellent singer, and highly individual with it – unmistakeable in a blindfold ...

'Minnie Bird': The 5 - Octave Soprano Is Back
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
MINNIE RIPERTON'S press bio reads: "The lady with the five and a half-octave coloratura soprano voice is a star". Without taking away from her talent in ...

Brothers Johnson: Those Prolific Brothers Johnson
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
With their 'Strawberry Letter 23' smash, George and Louis have consolidated their sensational breakthrough of last year. David Nathan caught up with them in New York ...

Bob James: A Profile Of Mr Low Profile
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
FIRST, there was One. Then Two. Naturally, then, Three And now there's Four. ...

Aretha Franklin: Queen Aretha #1 – From Detroit to The Columbia Years
Retrospective by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
An appreciation of the career of Aretha Franklin ...

Aretha Franklin: Queen Aretha #2 – The Golden Years
Retrospective by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
"THERE WAS a great zest, love and feeling for the music," states Jerry Wexler and when pressed further on the subject of that first session on ...

Aretha Franklin: Queen Aretha #3 – Into the '70s
Retrospective by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1977
1969 IS GENERALLY acclaimed as the year that saw something of a decline on Aretha's part. The decline was, in a sense, inevitable. The ridiculous pressures ...

The Gap Band: The Gap Band
Review by Chas de Whalley, Sounds, August 1977
SO I PICKED through the albums lying in Master Barton's dusty drawer and there, amongst the dross, was a name I recognised. The Gap Band. ...

The Miami Transfer: Florida Soul
Review by Cliff White, NME, August 1977
AFTER SEVERAL year's of British release through President Records, earlier this year Henry Stone's Miami-based TK conglomerate switched outlets to RCA who have already ...

Aretha Franklin: Queen Aretha #4 – The Brand New Aretha
Retrospective by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1977
Part 4 of an appreciation of the career of Aretha Franklin, by David Nathan... ...

Aretha Franklin: Queen Aretha #5 – The Future
Comment by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1977
David Nathan concludes his in-depth appreciation of Aretha Franklin ...

Meco Has Lift Off
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1977
Exclusive inter-galactic communication with the Star Wars ...

The Unique Mr Lucien
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, October 1977
"IT'S IN a developing stage. My career is moving to another level," are Jon Lucien's opening remarks the day before his New York appearance with Ramsey ...

Rose Royce Find Success The Norman Whitfield Way
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1977
"IT'S KJLH, the station of Kindness, Joy, Love and Happiness," the deejay smoulders on the car radio, and goshdarn if you couldn't almost believe all that ...

Deniece Williams / Lenny Williams: Rainbow Theatre, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1977
REGULAR PATRONS of theatre gigs in Britain have become so wary, not to say weary, of suffering rent-a-stooge warm-up acts that many now don't bother to ...

Brothers Johnson: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1977
AS BONES OF contention go, there is currently none more fat and juicy than the one being wrestled between the main pack of legit music journalists ...

Shirley Brown: Shirley Brown
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1977
IF IT was Clive Davis, head of Arista, who's responsible for the release of Shirley Brown, I'd like to invite him to hold his next barmitzvah ...

Millie Jackson: Feelin' Bitchy
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, October 1977
HEY, MILLIE? This is Vivien.
I'm writing to you 'cos I dig the way you move onstage. I saw you foolin' round with that guy onstage at ...

Scifi Funkiness: Triple Threat Guitar From Funkadelic
Interview by Steven Rosen, Guitar Player, December 1977
ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO, a group of singers organized themselves from a rather large barbershop group into a pop/soul conglomeration called Parliament. They moved from record ...

When You're Hot You're Hot
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1978
ONE OF the biggest international hits of 1977 belongs to three, very attractive, very intelligent young women who go by the name of ...

Eddie Kendricks
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1978
There's the man who goes on stage to work and the guy off-stage who's just a member of the public. "It's important those two people are ...

T-Connection Make It 3 In A Row
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1978
THOUGH THE disco boom of the past two years will no doubt have its negative after-effects, there can be no disputing the fact that it has ...

The Drifters: We haven't sung soul since Clyde McPhatter left!
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1978
GROUPS COME, groups go. One day it'll rain, next day it'll be sunny. But one thing that you can rely upon is the fact that the ...

Gil Scott-Heron: Bridges
Review by Paul Rambali, NME, January 1978
DID THEY really get what they wanted? They being black Americans. Gil Scott-Heron doesn't think so. He thinks that what they got came only on official ...

The Emerald Behind The Floaters Gem
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1978
HAVING FOUGHT their way back to prominence, the Detroit Emeralds are now set to consolidate themselves – not only in their own right but also as ...

Earth Wind & Fire: Maurice White
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1978
WITHOUT A shadow of doubt, Earth Wind & Fire is the most successful group that our music has ever given the world. In fact, after seven ...

Mille Jackson: The Primal Scream Therapist Of Soul
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, February 1978
MILLIE JACKSON yanked me over to her side of the fence the first moment I heard her belting out some juicy slice of angst on Caught ...

Millie Jackson: Odeons Birmingham And Hammersmth
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1978
Millie's preoccupations, said The Guardian, are sex, sex and more sex; can't argue with that. ...

Earth, Wind & Fire: All 'n All
Review by Cliff White, NME, February 1978
CBS HAVE A problem. To be sure, it's the sort of ticklish little teaser that most record companies would be glad to scratch, but a problem ...

Millie Jackson: Another Day, Another Dollar
Report and Interview by Cliff White, NME, February 1978
A COLLEAGUE FROM another paper and I were swopping reactions about Millie Jackson. He'd interviewed her in London; I'd caught up with her a couple of ...

The Bar-Kays
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1978
The Bar-Kays put the city back on the world's musical map...
"Shake your rump to the funk", the guys suggested, and the world tuned in to the ...

The Blue Notes wanna be the black Beatles!
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1978
The original Blue Notes, having endured the splits with Harold Melvin and Teddy Pendergrass, are aiming for versatility and the kind of musical freedom that the ...

Hot Chocolate: City Hall, Newcastle
Live Review by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, April 1978
IT WAS the funniest ending to a concert I've ever seen. Hot Chocolate said their goodbyes, walked off and, I imagine, stood in the wings awaiting ...

Bootsy's Rubber Band, Raydio: Felt Forum, NYC
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, April 1978
SELF-STYLED Player Of The Year, Bootsy Collins is hip to the dynamics of Showtime. As his music is a fantastic flight from bases built by James ...

The Manhattans: There’s No Good In Goodbye; It Feels So Good
Review by Joe McEwen, Rolling Stone, May 1978
IN A FIELD ONCE glutted with heavyweights, lightweights and pretenders, the Manhattans stand almost alone, a throwback to an era when an orange sharkskin suit, white ...

Cuba Gooding Comes In From The Cold
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1978
The former lead singer with The Main Ingredient has been away from the recording scene for just a year. In between, he's been busy preparing his ...

Mandre: 'Soular' Soul From Outer Space
Profile by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1978
ACCORDING TO Motown Records' press release: "Unknown to but an enlightened few until now, we have been visited many times by denizens from the other side; ...

The Originals: A New Chapter Begins
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1978
Until recently, the Originals had spent their career at Motown, and enjoyed great success. But, they felt it was time to move on and now the ...

Sweet Thunder: Versatility Is The Name Of The Game
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1978
AS THEIR biography says, the name of Sweet Thunder does sound like a paradox but if you listen to their new and charted album – simply ...

Heatwave: West Runton Pavilion, Norfolk
Live Review by Ian Penman, NME, June 1978
Waiting for the Getdown gestalt ...

Bootsy Collins: 'Don't Leave Home Without Your F.U.N.K!'
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, June 1978
"I WANNA PLAY with the kids", Bootsy Collins said, yearning. Walking down the gravel path winding past the white neo-Classical pillars of Kenwood House, Highgate, Bootsy ...

Martha Reeves: Martha's Happier Than Ever Before
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1978
WE MEET AGAIN is the apt title for Martha Reeves stunning debut album for Fantasy Records because it reunites her with one of the men most ...

The Soul Children: Back On A Good Thing
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1978
The threesome are back in business with David Porter and their 'Can't Give Up A Good Thing' single is lighting the way for the Stax return ...

The O'Jays
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1978
John Abbey talks to lead singer Eddie Levert and newest member Sammy Strain, and reports on just why and how the O'Jays have remained in the ...

Quincy Jones: Feelin' Great In '78
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1978
Quincy Jones finds that the ideas and his music are just flowing these days, he feels like a man on the sea, just going with the ...

Evelyn "Champagne" King: Bubblin' Over
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, July 1978
Currently the recipient of numerous accolades and predictions is the young lady known as Evelyn "Champagne" King. She certainly deserves all the praise she's getting. For ...

Bootsy's Rubber Band: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, July 1978
A MESSAGE from the Mothership: "If you ain't gonna get it on, take your dead ass home." Some did...some of those dead asses...they couldn't cope with ...

Boney M: By The Rivers (well…sands, beaches, coves, quays and bays) Of Babbacombe
Report by Penny Reel, NME, July 1978
TORBAY OR NOT Torbay – that is the question! I am standing at the barrier of Platform 2, Paddington, one chilly Saturday morning expressing Brandoesque mutterance ...

The Fifth Dimension
Overview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, August 1978
AFTER A period of time out of the recording limelight, The Fifth Dimension are back – with a new album ("Star Dancing"), a new record company ...

Ohio Players Come Out Of Hibernation
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1978
John Abbey talks to Satch Satchell, the Ohio Players' spiritual ...

Raydio: Raydio & A Moon In June Reality
Interview by Cliff White, NME, August 1978
RAY PARKER Jr., creator and main man in Raydio, the American sextet who recently toured with Bootsy and are just scoring their second British hit with ...

Aretha Franklin
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, September 1978
In one of the very rare interviews she grants, Lady Soul gave this in-depth story to B&S' David Nathan at her beautiful Encino, California home. Hopefully, ...

The Stylistics: Back 'In Fashion'
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, September 1978
In Fashion just happens to be the title of the group's debut album for the Mercury label and it looks like giving them their biggest success ...

The Commodores: Motown's Black Beatles
Profile by Cliff White, NME, September 1978
HOW'S about it, Expressways Moosik? We're broadcastin' at ya from the command module, Commodore Steamship, Commodore Country, sitting right down town, Tuskogee, Alabama, modulatin', right straddled ...

Etta James: Payin' The Cost
Profile and Interview by Bill Millar, Melody Maker, September 1978
YOU CAN ENJOY Etta James as a throwback to the rockin' Fifties. You can admire her as the apotheosis of Sixties soul performing ghetto clubs while ...

The Impresssions
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1978
After more than 20 years as a group, the guys are now bigger than ever in Europe. Recordwise, plans are afoot for them to record with ...

Solo Randy Will Always Be Part Of The Jacksons
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1978
THIS MONTH sees the release of the debut single by the latest of the super-talented children of Joe Jackson. Collectively, they are known to the world ...

KC & the Sunshine Band
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, October 1978
WHENEVER you think of the Miama Sound, the name of K.C. & the Sunshine Band immediately springs to mind. Via a long string of golden hits, ...

Rose Royce, Stargard: Odeon, Birmingham
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1978
IT SURE WUZ A GREAT PAAAARTY... ...

The Crusaders: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, NME, October 1978
ON STAGE, as on record, The Crusaders an elusive synthesis of assorted musical elements which, although generally bonded in a cohesive sound that is unmistakably Crusaders, ...

Rose Royce: Socio/Political Conscience? Waal, Ah'm Rilly Into Chutney
Interview by Danny Baker, NME, October 1978
"SO HOWS about up at number two, we have the one and only Rose Royce with 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore'...goodness gracious yes..." ...

Ray Charles: Love And Peace
Review by Penny Valentine, Melody Maker, October 1978
IT'S RARE FOR any artist to re-emerge successfully from a long period of musical sterility. Harder still, somehow, for black musicians, whose problems – brought about ...

Mtume: Not Just Funnin', Mtume Mean Real Business
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, November 1978
Mtume's jumping off point came when two of the guys wrote a hit for Roberta Flack, but they are more than just a songwriting team ...

Isaac Hayes: Chronicle/For The Sake Of Love
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, November 1978
IT'S MY CONTENTION that, whatever bizarre circumstances caused the flurry of lawsuits circulating round Isaac Hayes prior to the demise of Stax Records, and the subsequent ...

P-Funk: Bernie Worrell, The Keyboard King
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1978
THE LATEST Parliafunkadelicment member to shoot solo shots is Bernie Worrell, the keyboard king of Funkadelia. Entitled All The Woo In the World, the album is ...

The Brides Of Funkenstein: The Solo Talents Within The Parliafunkadelicment Thang…
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1978
AS ONE would imagine, monogamy isn't in keeping with Dr. Funkenstein's image and so I guess it was only natural that when he launched his chosen ...

P-Funk: Mike Hampton – Kid Funkadelic
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1978
REPRESENTING the younger generation of Funkadelicans is Mike Hampton, a long-haired extrovert who plays perhaps the meanest guitar within our musical sphere. "I am not a ...

George Clinton
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, December 1978
Coinciding with the arrival of the whole Parliafunk-adelicment entourage in Britain for concert dates, B&S concludes its exclusive interview with the mastermind of the whole Thang... ...

The Jacksons: Destiny
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, December 1978
THIS IS AN important album for the Jacksons – now five again, with a small letter at least, Jermaine's defection having been balanced by lil' bro' ...

Chic: C'est Chic
Review by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, December 1978
DISCO, THE People's Music, is the modern blues: the truest expression of a generation's thoughts, bitter sweetness with a backbeat. The old blues celebrated the things ...

Parliament/Funkadelic/Parlet/Brides Of Funkenstein: Bellevue Kings Hall, Manchester
Live Review by Mick Middles, Sounds, December 1978
THE WORLD funk extravaganza circus comes to Manchester. ...

The Brides of Funkenstein: Funk Or Walk; Parliament: Motor Booty Affair
Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, December 1978
IF ROCK stars had the kind of union that insisted on overtime bans and frowned on over-productivity, George Clinton would undoubtedly be the subject of some ...

Dobie Gray Is Driftin' Back
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1979
"PEOPLE TEND to think that if you're not on the top of the charts, you fall flat on your face," states Dobie Gray. "Well, I've found ...

Cameo: Sitting Pretty With Their Ugly Ego
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, January 1979
If the group's second album was two steps ahead of their debut set, then the new one is five steps ahead of either, they feel. With ...

Heatwave
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, January 1979
LONDON, England, is hardly renowned for its temperate climate but it can boast one long and consistent Heatwave because it is – and probably always will ...

Hot Chocolate: Everyone's a Moneyspinner
Profile and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, January 1979
GREAT POPULAR music is generally not a cynical or synthetic product, but something personal to one individual that many, many others find appealing. ...

War: Youngblood (MCA)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, January 1979
WAR WAS a multi-platinum album act in America with such classic Top 40 streetfunk singles as 'All Day Music', 'Cisco Kid', 'The World Is A Ghetto' ...

Marvin Gaye: Here, My Dear
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, January 1979
EDITOR'S NOTE: A couple of weeks ago, Vivien Goldman trashed Marvin Gaye's new album in these columns. A dissenting voice pleads to be heard – ...

Donny Hathaway
Obituary by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, February 1979
THE TRAGIC news of the death in mid-January of Donny Hathaway no doubt shocked the gifted singer-songwriter's many admirers across the world and it was with ...

Randy Muller: Dance To The Music
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1979
"The new Brass Construction album will have the same kind of rhythm pulse and good groove as the first ...

Rose Royce: A Very Satisfying Year
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1979
UNDOUBTEDLY, 1978 was The Year Of The Groups. Earth Wind & Fire, the Commodores and Rose Royce almost held a monopoly on the awards. Though slightly ...

The Jacksons: Ten Golden Years
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1979
The guys recently celebrated ten years as a headlining act and B&S took the opportunity to talk to them individually and gather their thoughts on their ...

The Neville Brothers: A Family Affair
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1979
THE NAME of Neville is synonymous with the whole New Orleans sound. The eldest brother, Art, has invested more than twenty years into the music of ...

T-Connection: Out To Kill
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, February 1979
AFTER TWO rather varied albums, T-Connection have made up their minds that their about-to-be-released third album will be the one to kill the ...

The ADC Band: All Fired Up
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1979
THEIR BIOGRAPHY calls them a "funky renaissance band" and I guess that does just about sum up the ADC Band, Detroit's own band who have just ...

The Commodores: 3 Times a Winner
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1979
Lionel Ritchie and the Commodores triumphed in 3 sections of the recent B&S Poll. Here Lionel, who won the award as Best Songwriter, tells why the ...

Sylvester: Step Three
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1979
The man triumphed in both Disco sections of the annual B&S Poll but, surprisingly, tells us that his next album might actually be his last in ...

Switch: Talent In Depth
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, March 1979
Lead vocalist Greg Williams explains how a chance meeting with Jermaine Jackson led to the guys achieving their big breakthrough. Now they're readying their second album ...

Sister Sledge: We Are Family (Cotillion U.S. import)
Review by Richard Williams, Melody Maker, March 1979
I WAIT for new work by Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers in the way that I once waited for the latest items from Phil Spector ...

Earth, Wind & Fire: Wembley Arena, London
Live Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, March 1979
PITY THE poor reviewer covering a show of the astonishing calibre of Earth, Wind & Fire's weekend extravaganza at the Empire Pool. ...

Earth, Wind & Fire: Maurice White's Band of Hope
Report and Interview by Vivien Goldman, Melody Maker, March 1979
There's more to America's biggest soul band than bread and circuses. VIVIEN GOLDMAN followed them to Staffordshire to talk about the Bible, spinal fluid, reincarnation, levitation ...

Sister Sledge: Family Breakthrough
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1979
WHOEVER CAME up with the idea of putting that beautiful family quartet, Sister Sledge, together with platinum Chic hitmakers, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, is deserving ...

Chaka Khan: Chaka Really Is Every Woman
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, April 1979
OVER THE years, we have covered just about every possible facet of Chaka Khan's career. So, during a break whilst recording a new album with Rufus ...

Tavares: Madame Butterfly (Capitol)
Review by Simon Frith, Melody Maker, April 1979
MADAME Butterfly opens with the familiar dance floor sounds – brass riff, flowing strings punched out guitars, tightly strung percussion – but this isn't really a ...

Percy Sledge: The Venue, London
Live Review by John Pidgeon, Melody Maker, April 1979
THE SIMPLISTIC idea that the fundamental difference between country and soul in the Sixties was that one music was made by poor whites in the Southern ...

Joe Simon
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1979
I DON'T know about you, but my impression of Joe Simon has always been of a sober, conservative character. Maybe it was his clean approach to ...

Maze: The 'Inspiration' Behind Maze
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, May 1979
B&S raps to Maze leader Frankie Beverly who reveals the formula behind their 'rapid' rise to ...

Bobby Womack: Roads Of Life (Arista)
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, May 1979
THE FORTUNES of gravel-voiced soul vet Bobby Womack have taken a dip of late. ...

Patti LaBelle: It's Alright With Me (Epic)
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, June 1979
I GUESS it's all of eighteen years since I first heard 'Down The Aisle' by Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles – and when I put it ...

James Brown: The Original Disco Man
Report by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
'People are doing what I was doing ten years ago and calling it ...

How Minnie's Cooking Tempted Stevie Wonder
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
MINNIE RIPERTON has a new album out and it marks her debut set for Capitol Records. She's feeling justifiably pleased with it and has good reason ...

Mary Wells: Back On The Right Track
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
Showing every sign of being ready to get right back into the swing of things, we recently had the opportunity to rap with Ms. Mary Wells, ...

Mary Wells: Back On The Right Track
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
Showing every sign of being ready to get right back into the swing of things, we recently had the opportunity to rap with Ms. Mary Wells, ...

Bruces Hawes: Young Gifted Determined
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
Perhaps one of the most encouraging signs in the black music field right now is the slow but sure emergence of a whole crop of new, ...

Grover Washington Jr: The Man
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
By way of many fine recordings and countless live performances, Grover has become acknowledged as one of the decade's most talented musicians. But what of the ...

Dionne Warwick
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
David Nathan provides a penetrating and objective insight into the evergreen Dionne Warwick – an artiste of undisputed pedigree and longevity... ...

Minnie Riperton
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, June 1979
2008 introduction:This interview was David's second face-to-face conversation with Minnie; at the time, she was dealing with health challenges – in 1976, she had been diagnosed ...

Mass Production: Purest Mass Production
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
ALTHOUGH THEY don't actually top the charts with their every release, Mass Production have established themselves over their three year recording stint with Cotillion as one ...

Mike Theodore: High On Success
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
WITH HIS second album on Westbound – High On Mad Mountain – seasoned producer/arranger, Mike Theodore is further consolidating on the success of his first disco ...

Narada Michael Walden: The Disco Awakening
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
ALTHOUGH he has just come off of one of Atlantic's biggest ever disco records – 'I Don't Want Nobody Else' – Narada Michael Walden wants to ...

Prince Phillip Mitchell: Atlantic Crossing
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
AFTER TEN years of giving his best songs to other acts – notably 'Starting All Over Again' for Mel & Tim, 'Hurt So Good' for Millie ...

Tasha Thomas: The Glamor of Disco
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
AS WE have so often said, one of the great things about the disco boom is that it has brought to the surface a whole host ...

Taste Of Honey Chase More Sweet Success
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
It ain't easy emulating the huge success of a record like 'Boogie Oogie Oogie' but the hit group are setting out to do just ...

Sister Sledge: We Really Are Family
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
THERE IS a certain closeness, a certain warmth about a family unit that is totally indestructible. It positively glows and when you are lucky enough to ...

McFadden and Whitehead: Ain't No Stoppin' Gene and John Now
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
The McFadden and Whitehead story began back in the 60's when they toured with Otis Redding as members of the Epsilons. Then, in the early 70's, ...

The Beck Family
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
The family group explain how the Jacksons inspired them to switch from gospel to contemporary ...

The Ohio Players: Up An' Dancin'
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
"Arista are famous for their pre-programming scheme and they could afford ...

Lamont Dozier: Lamont Takes To The Road
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, June 1979
Lamont Dozier is putting together a show to promote his new album and these will be his first live gigs for some 20 years! ...

The Isley Brothers: Winner Takes All
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, June 1979
3 + 3 DON'T MIND they just keep on jamming. Strings and horns? Uh-uh. They just go up to Bearsville. Ernie puts down the drums with ...

Eternal Spinners
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1979
TIMING AND distinctive sound are two of our favourite comments when it comes to reviewing music in B&S. Timing (and the inborn knowledge when to make ...

Van McCoy: In Memory of
Obituary by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1979
JULY HAS been a devastating month for our music because of the tragic, sad deaths of Minnie Riperton and Van McCoy. Both were highly creative people ...

The Floaters: Floating Into The Future
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1979
WE'VE MADE this point on numerous occasions before – sometimes, a blockbuster hit can be the worst thing that can happen to a new act. The ...

The Commodores
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, July 1979
THE COMMODORES have attained a peak that no black group before them has ever been able to attain. For 1978, they were the fourth best selling ...

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson: What The Hell Is This ****½
Review by Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, July 1979
THIS IS a real mutha for ya, from the first seconds of the title track which go for your vitals with a rivet gun of a ...

Bootsy's Rubber Band: This Boot Is Made For Fonk-n (Warners)
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, July 1979
THE WORLD'S zaniest bass-player is back, whatever the truth of reports about a nervous breakdown; or, as he tells us himself: "I dug the concern when ...

Barry White: The Message Really Is Love
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, August 1979
IT'S an old criticism that so few people practice what they preach. But, in the case of Barry White, the title of his new album – ...