Hot hits

[Lord Thames]

You've got a Renault 12, Soundhog? I love them - used to have a white N-reg estate. Went down to a scrapyard in Pease Pottage about twenty years ago, and still much missed. By me, anyway.

There were 20 Hot Hits LPs in all, plus some 'hits of the year' round ups from 1967-73. By 1973 relations between MFP and BWD had deteriorated, and they went elsewhere for their cover versions (namely Syd Dale and Adrian Kerridge's Beatt International.)

For the Johnny Harris discography, I've pinpointed one MFP LP he arranged ('Soul Hits', the cover features the price and track listing written on a woman's stomach) and I've got at least one Top 6 EP with a Harris credit.
No idea about the RCA stuff, though it's not impossible he's involved.

[Matt Hero]

I'm a bit sad that I couldn't hold on to my second car - couldn't afford to keep it on the road - a very nice black and gold mini 1275 GT (1293cc overbore actually). Very 70's 'boy racer'.

Much cooler than the rusty German estate car I've got now

On the Johnny Harris front, I'm assuming the Top 6 EPs you're all talking about are those on Avenue right ? The boy Boogiejuice was talking to me about them (he's quite the authority on JH) and mentioned that he'd arranged a couple of them.

[Lord Thames]

No, these are EPs on the 'Top 6' label, though it probably provided Avenue with the inspiration for them.
Johnny Harris actually got credited for his work on some of the Top 6s, unusually. Tony Hatch heard some of them, and got him in to arrange one of his LPs, and that's how the whole JH bandwagon started - without the Top 6 EPs we'd never have had 'Movements'!

As for the Avenue ones, I know Cy Payne had a go at the arranging side of things (I think he did most of the 60s ones), and of course Alan Caddy, though how much he was involved in them is somewhat debatable, as his name was sometimes put on things he had nothing to do with.

I've been told by someone who's been there that the bustling hub of Avenue Records is some bloke's house in Chingford....wonder if there's any old stock in the attic?

[wilkinss77]

hot hits

does anybody have a copy of hot hits 16? i'd like to see the pic on the back cover,as all the album cover websites only show the front, & i'd like to see what the sexy wetsuit-clad skindiver babe looks like on the back!

[The Divine One]

does anybody have a copy of hot hits 16? i'd like to see the pic on the back cover,as all the album cover websites only show the front, & i'd like to see what the sexy wetsuit-clad skindiver babe looks like on the back!

Is this a record? Bringing a thread back from the dead after SIX YEARS!?

Go and introduce yourself before everyone jumps to the conclusion that you're just a pervert...

[Rich Hero]

...Before everyone jumps to the conclusion that you're just a pervert...

Too late.

[Malice-Cooper]

I like the one with the bow and arrow best. My mum had that when I was a kid, would be 1972/3

[Rich Hero]

I like the one with the bow and arrow best. My mum had that when I was a kid, would be 1972/3

Alright version of 'Walk On By'. Like a condensed cover of Isaac Hayes's version.

[eclectiktronik]

Does anyone know whether JH worked on a Spanish RCA series of disco albums, credited to a group called Blackbuster (groan) around about 1976 / 77? I found one last week (volume 6) which credits a "J.Harris" as producer. .

Blackburster was a phillipino outfit, as far as I know.
another 6 year gap between Q&A.
we should do this sort of thread revival more often, helps prople have 'closure'!

[alanmck]

Blackburster was a phillipino outfit, as far as I know.
another 6 year gap between Q&A.
we should do this sort of thread revival more often, helps prople have 'closure'!

same outfit that did a track called "Old Man", as comped by Juliano The Fat Gangster on "Funk Mode"?

[thisguy]

They were based in Guildford, and still listed in the Yellow Pages until about ten years ago. Bill Wellings is sadly deceased, with the BWD catalogue now in the hands of his wife Dee.

close, but no cigar. Bill Wellings is my dad, and news of his death is, I'm pleased to say, exaggerated. He is, in fact, still alive and living a blameless life in Midhurst, West Sussex. The company is still going, as you rightly say, under the stewardship of his ex-wife, Dee, my mother.

i stumbled across this post while googling the old chap, and am pleased to resuscitate it one last time, possibly making it the lazarus of all blog posts.

[eclectiktronik]

Thanks for your response - all information is gladly received in these parts. And even better news that the old fella is still alive and well. It would be great to hear his reminiscences if you're ever visiting with a tape recorder!

[Lord Thames]

They were based in Guildford, and still listed in the Yellow Pages until about ten years ago. Bill Wellings is sadly deceased, with the BWD catalogue now in the hands of his wife Dee.

close, but no cigar. Bill Wellings is my dad, and news of his death is, I'm pleased to say, exaggerated. He is, in fact, still alive and living a blameless life in Midhurst, West Sussex. The company is still going, as you rightly say, under the stewardship of his ex-wife, Dee, my mother.

i stumbled across this post while googling the old chap, and am pleased to resuscitate it one last time, possibly making it the lazarus of all blog posts.

Thanks so much for putting me right - one of the frustrating things about looking into this area of music is there's so little info out there, my sources aren't always 100% reliable, quite clearly! As you may have guessed, I'm a great admirer of your dad's work. Do pass on my best wishes!

[Dr Rubberfunk]

Great news! Thanks for the update, and my best also to Mr. Wellings Snr!
I'm still striving to make records that sound as good as the BWD recordings