January 1968, London

The plans to launch our own Soul City Records’ label are in full swing, despite my reservations about the finances of our shop (with its unique approach of selling only American R&B and soul recordings). Dave Godin has enlisted the assistance and support of Trevor Churchill who works at EMI Records, specifically overseeing the Amy-Mala-Bell catalogue.  Trevor is responsible for such masterpieces as 1965’s “You Better Make Up Your Mind” by Brooks O’Dell, a great soul tune (co-written by Horace Ott, who also works with Nina Simone on tracks like “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and produced by Larry Maxwell whose Maxx label features Gladys Knight & The Pips) being released in the UK on a compilation called “An Album Full Of Soul,” which is a best-seller at Soul City.  And…’60s soul buffs will notice the undeniable vocal presence of Dee Dee Warwick (in particular ) with Cissy Houston, Sylvia Shemwell and Estelle Brown on the background vocals on the song!

Trevor who will become one of the founders of Ace Records, the outstanding UK label responsible for reissuing a massive amount of soul music over decades is  friends with Dave and agrees to sub-license tracks for us to release on Soul City. Our very 1st 45 will be a track which to my ears is very very uncommercial and not in keeping with the kind of soul music that is in vogue in 1968 when hitmakers for Tamla Motown, Atlantic Records and Stax Records are gaining much ground in the UK. Dave prevails and enlists the services of Henry Giles who has created the blue and magenta decor of the shop to design the label with the slogan ‘Soul As Deep As You Like…And Then Some…’. On the plus side, I reflect that at 19, I’m partners in a record label releasing music that has become so integral to my life in the span of just four years and unaware then that decades later I will start my own label SoulMusic Records with the very same commitment to sharing the amazing music of Black America as Dave Godin would call it back in 1968…

Photo is of Trevor Churchill and Dave Godin, outside Soul City shop…