Various Artists - Grapevine - The U.K. Singles Volumes 1, 2, 3 - Rare Soul (MP3 573MB)

Reissue labels Rarely attract a cult following among collectors,but this highly respected northern soul outlet is an exception. In its 1970s heyday, Northern Soul was big business. Thousands of clubbers spent a small fortune travelling to venues across the Midlands and the North, and any money left over went on vinyl (dont i know it!). The scene created some of the most expensive records of the era, but it wasn't just about top rarities. By the end of the 60s, a fully fledged soul revival was underway. Contemporary Motown 45s were ignored in the rush for vintage Tamla 'hits', while independent labels like Sue and Soul City mixed freshly licensed imports with older classics. By the early 70s, the soul scene was dominated by re-releases. Jay Boy issued a string of dancefloor fillers, mostly from the Mirwood label, Mojo and Contempo concentrated on ultra-modern funk, but still found room for Northern Soul, like Tami Lynn's 'I'm Gonna Run Away From You', which charted twice (No. 4 in 1971 and No. 36 in 1975). Pye's Disco Demand imprint was equally successful. The label combined essential compilation LPs with novelty revivals like Wayne Gibson's 'Under My Thumb'. Black Magic capitalised on the interest in Dobie Gray's mid-60s obscurity, 'Out On The Floor". Less enticing was the 'new' Northern Soul, whether that was Wigan's Ovation's pop, out and-out novelties like "Footsee' by Wigan's Chosen Few or the bland re-recordings of Northern favourites which blighted the other-wise worthy Casino Classics series. By the end of the 70s, other labels had arrived. Like Destiny, Soul Stop and Inferno, who compiled perhaps the most essential Northern Soul compilation, 'Out On The Floor'. And then there was Kent, of course, in the 1980s. Because these labels had hit and miss rosters, they attracted the scorn of diehards, who preferred to scour record bins for obscure US originals. But in 1977, a label was founded which felt totally in tune with the Northern scene. Although its three year output was patchy, it combined modern soul with classic Northern Soul rarities. Its name? Grapevine. Grapevine was the brainchild of John Anderson, a Glasgow born soul collector exiled in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. John was the driving force behind importers Soul Bowl, who introduced DJs and fans to 70s Northern sounds. One of the first to make record buying trips to the U.S., he discovered many of the decade's top Northern sounds....i even bumped into him once in New York!....John built up an impressive contact list, including a Philadelphian named Bernie Binnick, who'd worked at Swan Records in the 60s where he licensed the Beatles"'She Loves You" from EMI in return for some Freddy Cannon and Three Degrees sides which ended up on EMI's Stateside Label here in the UK. A devoted soul fan, Binnick later branched out into the export business, which is how he met John Anderson. Both men had come across unissued recordings from the 60s, notably those produced by ex-Motown bandleader and Detroit producer Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie. Since Detroit 60s soul labels have a special significance on the Northern scene, Anderson knew there would be a huge demand for these tracks. In 1977, the two men founded the Grapevine label. One of Anderson's keenest customers was influential Northern Soul DJ Richard Searling, who worked in RCA's promotions department in Manchester. Searling persuaded his bosses that Grapevine could help them capitalise on a brand of music impossible to create in house and a meeting was arranged in London's West End in January 1977 to finalise plans for the label. So Grapevine found a distributor and manufacturer. Searling's role as a DJ was vital, in spinning the label's forthcoming attractions to ready made audiences at all-nighters. He'd play a new discovery at the Wigan Casino, and within two months, it would be available on Grapevine. Most Grapevine 45s sold 5,000+ copies, and some almost charted (Judy Street and the Del Capris came closest). Grapevine consistently supplied quality soul, no tailor-made Wigan's Ovation-type crap on this label. The label's critics hinted that Grapevine was merely a legalised bootlegging operation, like the infamous Sue label in the mid-60s. But, as we shall see, this ill informed view is complete nonsense. Grapevine was responsible for nearly 50 singles during its relatively short lifespan from June 1977 until summer 1980, plus three essential LPs which combined some of those singles with exclusive and often unissued tracks. This is a fantastic collection of sounds and essential to any soul lover/collector...With a total of 5 Volumes to look forward too..The guys at Grapevine did make a slight spelling error in the names of The Tomangoes, they spelt it with an `a`but really who cares ?

The UK Soul Brothers

                                                                                                       The Tasters! 

                                                                                                          The Tasters!

                                                                                                       The Tasters!