June 1967, London 

My passion for Aretha’s first Atlantic LP, released in Britain in April is expressed in an article I write for the UK Atlantic newsletter, “Uptightanouttasight” (edited by Janet Martin, who works at Atlantic’s London office) which provides some background on her career.  I have no idea that anyone sees it other than the British soul fans who subscribe to it. One late June day, the postman delivers a package to my home address, postmarked ‘New York’. I’m completely shocked and thrilled at the same time: inside, a typewritten letter signed by Aretha’s producer Jerry Wexler who has seen the article and is writing to me personally to thank me! And… he’s delighted to send me a ‘hot off the press’ promo copy of Aretha’s next 45 ‘Baby I Love You’ which he declares is going to be another ‘smash’ for Atlantic’s newest hitmaker! I am elated and can’t wait to share the 45 with William, now ‘officially’ my boyfriend. We both dance around his bedroom to the groove-a-licious ‘Baby I Love You’. In the weeks that follow, it is actually the flipside, Aretha’s emotion-filled reading of the Howlin’ Wolf blues favourite, ‘Going Down Slow’ with its unbelievable sax solo from King Curtis, with Aretha blues-moanin’ along and a final ‘cry- from-the-depths-of-her-soul’ note at the end of the track that leaves me shaking my head. Little do I know that the blues of ‘Going Down Slow’ will soon becomes my own refrain…

Meanwhile, I get word from Dave Godin that there’s been a mysterious’ overnight burglary at Soul City in Deptford. All the stock is gone and whatever cash was on the premises too. There’s insurance on the shop but it will take a while to be sent. Dave concludes that it’s time to move Soul City uptown to the West End – which makes me wonder if the burglary has been planned! He says he’ll keep me posted suggesting that I might want to consider returning once the record shop relocates…