Romel Westwood

Here is another local Seattle modern soul lp that I completely remember being released. This album was literally everywhere. I can recall hitting thrift stores all day long looking for records and passing hundreds of copies of this up at each store. Romel was the winner of the KFOX Budweiser showdown talent contest. There is a 12" single that was released prior to this lp. I love the cover picture of him standing in front of the Paramount theatre. As with everything else that gets over looked or forgotten I had a hard time finding my copy of this when I decided I should have one. I figured I would find one the first day I went out and looked. Not the case at all. My man Trace Blends hooked me up with this copy. I did find two copies at a friends house but her mom didn't want to give up the goods. I eventually contacted Romel's wife and explained to her how I'm in the process of preserving the history of Seattle soul music and wanted to make sure he got his due credit after all these years. I wanted to include this in the Wheedles movie as well. After telling me she would relay the message I heard absolutely nothing from no one. It has been over a year now. I finally contacted the producer Nick Manson who has a test pressing with no label or cover art and tried to charge me an astronomical price for it. I declined as I knew I would get my hands on a copy sooner or later. It turned out to be sooner.


Romel Westwood - "Our Night Out"

http://www.divshare.com/download/9116680-83e
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Real G's Rock Tapes

Real G's Rock Tapes from richdirection on Vimeo.

I'm not "Retro Metro Electro". Classic!!!! J Zone is that dude. We need more people like this around the game in this day and age.

Pop Opera

Made my long awaited return to Vancouver, Canada this past weekend. Wow, I totally love this place!!!! It is beautiful. To top it off the party people just plain love good music. No commercial crapola b.s. was played period. Although I did get one request for a song from a drunk girl that appeared to wonder into the wrong club! The club itself was pretty dope.







There were two rooms and the long time homies were playing on the other side. J Swing, Flip Out & Kut Korners. Good seeing every one. It's been way over due. I used to come up here and hang out all the time. The border started getting really strict over the years and it was tough even if I just wanted to come go shopping and party. I got to meet DJ U Tern who is totally dope. Have you heard this guys edits?! BANANAS!!! He has a dope radio show as well.


U Tern

His lady Nina Mendoza warmed it up for me (Thanks!!!) and did a wonderful job. She really knows her ish.



Right when I was set to go on I got a surprise visit from the homie CL from Digiwaxx!!! N.Y. in the bldg.


Supreme La Rock & C.L.

Then in came the rest of the posse.......


Benito Blanco


Flip Out

I touched the decks and the party continued on....





It was definitely a fun one and a good one. Hope I get to do it again?!

Sipreano even partied with us until closing time!!!! Then I walked back to my hotel room after not seeing a cab in sight.


I Immediately knocked out and hit Beat Street records first thing in the morning.



Did a nice interview for a local tv show....



Grabbed a handful of records of course!



That M.C. Supreme was not one of them! I had to post a pic on g.p. though. Then off to the "Medina" cafe for one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in my lifetime! Yum. They were pumping joints in there too. I swear they had a dj hidden behind a wall?



After that a pit stop at the Safeway for some ketchup flavored potato chips to bring back to the homestead. Had to get back to rock Twilight lounge for the Tiffany Rodriguez calendar release party. Made it back exactly in the nick of time. Boy was I tired. Downed a 5 hour energy shot and rocked the house till 3AM.

Unique

This is another Seattle record from the 80's that I totally remember when it came out. It was every where. Every record store, every used record store and every thrift shop in town. 20 years later guess what? I never ever see it around! I thought it wasn't very good back then but I was also, a lot younger and my ears preferred listening to underground east coast hip hop at that time. Since I've been working on this movie documentary about NW music etc. I pulled this and gave it a listen. Not too shabby! This is UNIQUE and the record is a 12" single with three tracks on it. This one being my favorite. Not much has changed, B side wins again!


Unique - "Is It Real"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8997017-ba3
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Vintage Electronics

If it wasn't already bad enough with my obsession for records I now have one for original analog equipment after watching this!!! On a side not I was label mates with Moby at the very beginning of our careers.

Little Curtis & the Blues

This one is not from the Seattle area but Vancouver, Wa. About an hour and a half drive from where I'm at. Another local record that took me years to locate. Trust me when I tell you I look everywhere for these things. I even contacted Mike Klinger the name on the record. He didn't even have a copy! He is still around teaching music in Portland, Oregon. I actually found 2 inferior copies prior to finally acquiring this mint one minus the writing on the label. The first copy I found was cracked and the second one was scratched beyond belief. Conrains a killer super heavy hammond b3 organ workout. The flip side is a nice northern soul tune.


Little Curtis & the Blues - "Soul Desire"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8878723-91a
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Cold, Bold & Together

Ok back to the funk! This is from local funksters Cold, Bold & Together. Aka: the first band Kenny G was ever in! Out the four 45's I have from this outfit this one is my favorite one. I picked this one because it is just raw straight up the way it should be. I hate when something is too polished and perfect. I want the raw hardcore soul and funkiness. This delivers it.... I talked with band leader Tony Gable earlier this week. He's still gigging around town to this day.


Cold, Bold & Together - "Hey Hey Devils & Fools"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8867172-494
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Ken Elhard & Express

Next up on the local hit parade. A slice of modern soul from Tacoma, Wa. 1977. I found Ken through some slight detective work and was provided with the following information. Their band Express was formed in August 1976 with Rick Thompson on Guitar and vocals. Steve Cox on Drums and vocals. Ken himself on Keys and vocals. They then added Greg Buhre on horns, Mike Meyerdick and Terry Toperke on Bass. In February of 1977 they hit the studio and tracked "Free Spirit". The band then toured up and down the West coast for the next two years and disbanding in 1979. "Free Spirit" was the only record they ever did.




Ken Elhard & Express - "Free Spirit"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8857098-13b
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Everyday People

I chose to post this record as the follow up to the Jonahs Whale joint. Because both records were on the same "Valane" records label. I can not find out much information on this band. They are one that no one remembers or mentions when doing research on this stuff. Hmm.... Too bad because they were pretty funky. I have never seen another copy since I found this one years ago in an antique store.


Everyday People - "Double Lovin'"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8842463-923
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Jonahs Whale

Not sure exactly when and where I found this one. What I do remember was reading the address on the label of the location of the "Valane" records label. It just so happened to be three blocks away from my residence! I immediately went over to see what was good. Well it's now a Quiznos sandwich shop. So no luck on finding copies or getting much more info. I guess they were a pretty popular band as everyone I talk to that was in the scene back in the day knows of them. I did find a second Jonahs Whale single on the Treesong label but didn't pick it up. Perhaps I should have?


Jonahs Whale - "Feelin' Loose"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8823904-69c
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A Historic Day In Seattle

I promised this week would be all music and I'm sticking to my guns. However the good guys over at Bold View Productions shot this video over to me this morning and of course I immediately had to share it! Big huge thanks to Matthew Chernicoff, Raul Anaya & Schick Soto for producing, editing and making this video happen. Enjoy.

Teleclere

As we continue on with or second installment this week of seatown soul I bring to you the 80's modern soul/boogie band "Teleclere". That is a young Tony Benton on the cover. This was his group. Tony is still around these days and many people know him as the director of community affairs at clear channel KUBE radio station. He hosts a talk show on Sunday mornings on the station. He also, runs "Musica" a local organization that supports many different music programs. He along with mayor Greg Nichols presented me with the city of Seattle "Dj of the year" award a few years back. I never really knew Tony but knew of him and totally remember when this record was released. I used to see it around the local shops. His band was also, the backing band for early local rappers the "Emerald Street Boys". I may post that up later this week? At any rate here is my favorite track off the e.p. An up tempo electro boogie number called "I will steal your love". He went from Teleclere to clear channel. What's with the clear connection?!


Teleclere - "I Will Steal Your Love"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8817143-ad7
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PUSH

Starting today for the next week straight I'm going to post records from Seattle, Washington that I find were to my liking. In other words get ready for the winter heat!!! I'm really going out on a limb and doing my absolute best to find these records and post them up here for the world. Most of these great bands have been long overlooked and forgotten. What a shame. Today I'm going to start off with a nice hunk of modern soul from the band PUSH on the Sounds of Seattle record label. They only released this one and only 7" 45 RPM. Only a hand full of copies are known to exist. It's rare and not easy to find even here in Seattle. I know of 2 people that own a copy besides myself. They recorded a full albums worth of material which I recently acquired after meeting one of the original band members Harry Wilson. I'm going to sift through the material and see if a release should be in order. They recorded two takes on this track. One in Seattle and one in Portland, Oregon. The one posted up is the Portland, Oregon session. This is not the one on the 45.




PUSH - "You Turn Me On" (Portland Session)

http://www.divshare.com/download/8799922-131
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The Great Pretenders

On my quest to find anything funky from my hometown city of Seattle I came across an album by local rock band The Great Pretenders. I guess this either originally was or had band members from the Wailers who went on to be quite successful. Keep in mind this is a rock group but like with a lot of things in the 70's is just pretty darn funky if you ask me! The opening drum break will get the break beat collectors and hip hop producers pretty amped. The song over all is ok and no disrespect to the vocalist but I personally could have done with just the instrumental. As far as I know they recorded two albums. Both live from some tavern.


The Great Pretenders - "Hand Jive"

http://www.divshare.com/download/8736797-f56
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