60s NORTHERN SOUL KIM WESTON UNKNOWN? LP TRACK UK MGM

	£		36
	$		48

60s NORTHERN SOUL

TREMENDOUS LP TRACK

STRICTLY FOR DANCERS, ON THE LP

"FOR THE FIRST TIME"

by KIM WESTON

(LP, UK: M-G-M MGM-CS-8055, 1967)

Record conditon: Excellent +++

Labels condition: Spotless

Cover condition: Excellent -

This is a near mint copy of the very rare UK version of Kim Weston's first M-G-M LP, "For The First Time" - which is priced at £75 in my copy of the Record Collector Price Guide. The majority of tracks are rather lounge jazz-style, which a lot of black singers tried in the 60s - Billy Eckstine and Barbra McNair even attempted it at Motown. One of the more successful singers who recorded a lot of music in this style was Nancy Wilson. However, dig through the majority of Wilson's LP tracks and you'll find some truly marvellous stuff that is full-blooded soul music.

The same applies here. "I Got What You Need" was her first M-G-M single in both the US and UK, and came complete with a picture cover in the former. It is an amazing debut from a singer who was always in the shadow of Mary Wells, Diana Ross and Martha Reeves while at Motown. Set at a frantic pace, with arrangement by the great Sonny Sanders, it augured well for the former Detroit singer. However, it failed to ignite many buyers, despite the claims on this LP cover that the "record was pushed by the public to the top of the best-seller list". I can just see the look of horror on soul fans faces when they forked out their hard-earned cents/shillings for the LP, expecting it to be full of similar stuff. Nine out of the eleven tracks are of more interest to fans of Ella Fitzgerald, which I'm not knocking in any way.

However, the set opens with her best track EVER, in my opinion. "Where Am I Going" is a breathless performance, fully-orchestrated, and with Kim's voice reaching the dizziest heights imaginable. It would never have got spins in my days on the Northern scene (I was forced to leave by a rather bad stroke - end of sob story). Now, it's perfect, totally perfect. I don't know how to do a sound clip/byte, so you'll have to take my word for it, but it's got real potential in any DJs hands. It's mid-tempo, moody, melodic, magnificent, and all other words beginning with mmmm. That's certainly what I say every time I hear it.

Mmmm.

Track listing:

Side One:

1. "Where Am I Going"

2. "Free Again"

3. "Everything In The World I Love"

4. "When The Sun Comes Out"

5. "I Got What You Need"

Side Two:

1. "The Beat Goes On"

2. "In The Dark"

3. "If You Go Away"

4. "Come Rain Or Come Shine"

5. "Come Back To Me"

6. "That's Life"

The vinyl looks as near mint as possible, and appears almost as if it were made yesterday. Both labels are completely unmarked and in pristine condition, and are of the old deep yellow design, with those quaint words that only a vinyl freak will appreciate - 'Long Playing Microgroove. Unbreakable 33 1/3". The M-G-M lion is almost licking his lips in smug self-satisfaction.

The cover has no tears or other damage, and there is no friction to the spine credits. The front (see scan one) is fully laminated. The unlaminated back (see scan two) has medium ring-wear and general signs of age. It has two black and white publicity photographs, and the usual obsecious liner notes from Del Shields, in which he repeats Duke Ellington's description of Kim as "a beautiful ebony-hued satin doll whose generous physical adornments are well distributed".

I'm in the process of changing over to US copies, hence the sale of this beauty.

The higher start price reflects the LP's rarity.

Money back if not well-chuffed.