60s NORTHERN SOUL ART GENTRY MERRY-GO-ROUND ONYX ORIG

	£		34
	$		45

ALL MY SALES ARE ALWAYS PLAY-GRADED

AND NOT JUST GIVEN A VISUAL ONCE-OVER

THE ITEMS I AM SELLING COME FROM NEARLY FORTY YEARS OF COLLECTING.

I AM NOT A DEALER.

There will be some real gems, so make sure you keep your eyes open.

SOME OF MY LISTINGS NOW CARRY 'BORROWED' SOUND CLIPS BENEATH THE TITLE.

I AREN'T QUITE ADVANCED ENOUGH YET TO PROVIDE MY OWN!

MOST OF THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE.

POSTAGE RATES ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

IN BETWEEN CAN BE FOUND LOADS OF WAFFLE!

ALL MY ITEMS START WELL BELOW BOOK VALUE

SOME FROM AS LITTLE AS 99p.

60s NORTHERN SOUL

THE BEST MEMPHIS STOMPER OF THEM ALL

LATE 70s SOUL SAM/RICHARD SEARLING COVER-UP

FROM THE SORELY NEGLECTED

ART GENTRY

"I CAN'T MAKE IT (WITHOUT YOU)"

b/w

"MERRY-GO-ROUND"

HEAR HERE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGU-88rEb5c&feature=related

(US: Onyx 0100, 1968)

Vinyl

Record conditon: Excellent - (A); Excellent (B)

(plays Excellent ++ (A); plays Excellent ++++ (B))

Labels condition: Excellent +

As many people already know, I'm trying to update my collection from issue copies to promo's - where they exist. The only kind of promo I don't collect is those that have the same track on both sides (such as the vast majority of post-1966 Motown singles). In this case it has to be an ordinary issue, so that I'm getting two tunes for my money. Having defined the main reason for my sales, I was all set to put this one back on my shelves, since I'd never seen a demo of it before. Then, lo and behold, I spotted one on youtube. So they definitely exist, and the search is now on.

There was an earlier Art Gentry, but most of his material appeared only on 78 rpm shellac format, which is a bit too early for my particular tastes. Art Gentry the soul man was criminally under-recorded, with just two 45s released over a period of  half a decade. The second appeared in 1972, on the A-Bet label, and comprised a fine crossover dancer on one side, and a lovely ballad on the other. This one was also picked up by UK Mojo as one of it's finest releases. Then there's "This Is My Chance", pulled from Excello's back catalogue for inclusion on a Kent promo-only LP.

This is a copy of Art's debut 45, recorded for the Onyx label in 1968. The bottom of the label design proclaims 'Onyx Studios of Memphis', but "Merry-Go-Round" is about as far removed from the usual Memphis sound as you can get. If you've never heard it, then the youtube link should prove my point. The intro is identical to that of the only other known single on Onyx, "These Windows" by The Village Sounds - except that the latter title has a couple of seconds of guitar/bass/drum bashing, before the six short stabs of brass appear. Both titles were produced by Gil Caple and Bob Manuel, and while "Merry-Go-Round" was also written by the same pair, "These Windows" was penned by John Manisco. All this is purely for anoraks, but it happens to be raining at the mo.

The Art Gentry single is numbered 0100, and The Village Sounds is number 0-102. It looks as if there ought to be a number 0101 in between, but as far as I'm aware it's not been unearthed yet. I paid £17 for "These Windows" at Wigan, way back in 1979. Soul Sam had been spinning it as "These Windows Can't Hide" by 'Melvin Thomas', and I think Mr. Searling picked up on it - or it could have been the other way round. £17 went a very long way in the late 70s, and it was the most I'd forked out for a record up to that point - how times have changed!

Records of this quality often command astronomical prices, but not "Merry-Go-Round". It's currently booked at around the £50 mark, but rarely appears for sale on eBay. Wish me luck in my search for that elusive demo!

A. Quality sweet/deep soul ballad; femme backing; picks up a solid, slightly funky beat half-way through; aching lead vocals and falsetto femme backing

B. You know it's going to be amazing even before the vocals kick in; all the fun of the fair, and then some; listen in full via the above youtube link. The posting features a copy that sounds very slightly off-centre. It's NOT my copy, which plays perfectly.

The vinyl has a few lightish "spiders webs", more so on the A-side. The A-side has very light background noise in one place; the B-side plays like new from beginning to end.

Both labels have a very light touch of ring-wear.

This record has been played on both sides to verify condition, but there's a full money-back guarantee on all my sales, and I'll refund anyone who isn't totally captivated.

Domestic postal rates (sent recorded delivery, unless the winning bid is under £5):

One 7" single: £1.90; 40p per 7" afterwards.

One 12" single/LP: £2.90; 80p per 12"/LP afterwards.

YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO PICK UP THE ITEM IN PERSON.

Overseas postal rates (all sent recorded delivery):

One 7" single: £7 or £10; 50p per 7" afterwards.

12"/LPs at a cost to be determined later.

DUE TO A NUMBER OF LOSSES/CLAIMS RECENTLY, ALL OVERSEAS WINS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE CHARGED £10, WHICH I WILL THEN ADJUST, ACCORDING TO THE SALE VALUE.

OVERSEAS BIDDERS WHO WIN AN ITEM UNDER £30 WILL BE CHARGED £7 FOR A FULLY INSURED PACKAGE.

OVERSEAS BIDDERS WHO WIN AN ITEM OVER £30 WILL BE CHARGED £10 FOR A FULLY INSURED PACKAGE.

THIS IS NOT TO DETER PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS, BUT TO ENSURE PEACE OF MIND.

PLEASE DON'T BID IF YOU DISAGREE.

IF YOU ARE AN OVERSEAS WINNER, PLEASE WAIT FOR ME TO AMEND YOUR INVOICE BEFORE PAYING.

IF YOU ARE AN OVERSEAS WINNER, PLEASE WAIT FOR ME TO AMEND YOUR INVOICE BEFORE PAYING.