Hey - just joined!

Well I do have an extensive JK record selection and was playing 'Lick A Smurp'. With the Mattell fiasco it is crying out for an update (and re-release).

How about 'Sucking A barbie'? I would buy it!

Well I do have the excellent 'Box Of Hits', but I do feel that there are alot of rare tracks still out there that I have no heard yet. How about a 'complete collection' or 'rare tracks' selection?

I would love a DVD release as well with classic performances and any promo films. Online streaming is OK, but I am a sucker for official releases.

Oh, one other thing....

I have Una Paloma Blanca (great driving track) and the B side is 'Inpraiseofuk' BUT a second copy has an instrumental track ALSO called Inpraiseofuk. Two tracks, one title. Anbody help me out with this one?

Thanks - and I look forward to spending some quality time on this great site.

ReadyTeddy

Glad you spotted the topical coincidence RT - so did I!

InPraiseOfUK was a controversial B side.
Tabloids (as expected - deliciously predictable) slagged me off because this B side was just a spoken advert for all the rest of my UK Records releases.

Prompted by the angry red tops, customers started returning to the shops to complain.

"We've paid good money (50p those days?) to get a bloody commercial!!!".

So I replaced it with a faceless and tuneless throwaway instrumental to make my point that nobody bought a single for the B side but it earned just as much as the A side for the writer (me) composer (me) publisher (me) and performer (me). Not to mention the label (me).

Then the tabloids started getting complaints from angry parents saying their little children were reading out the title and it said FUCK!!!

I smiled and banked the increased royalties.

Thanks for the reply JK - and from the mouth of the man himself!

Well that explains the dual track / single title conundrum - thought I may have a rare mis-pressing on my hands.

On another subject, I been trying to find out how 'The Same Old song' was presented on TOTP. It was a big smash I know, but despite watching all the 'sounds Of The 70's' I have never seen it on TV. You say that it was not as good as the original version, but for me it is one of my fave tracks of all time. That violin hook - just thinking about it gives me the shivers!

Cheers, RT

I'm glad you liked The Weathermen RT but Motown are pretty unbeatable - ditto The Four Tops.

And after my version there was a terrific one by KC and the Sunshine Band.

But mine remains the biggest hit UK/European treatment.

I never did a Top of the Pops for it and they used a photo of my car, a white Daimler limousine, for the many weeks of chart rundown. If I remember, Pan's People danced to it.

ReadyTeddy wrote:

On another subject, I been trying to find out how 'The Same Old song' was presented on TOTP. It was a big smash I know, but despite watching all the 'sounds Of The 70's' I have never seen it on TV. You say that it was not as good as the original version, but for me it is one of my fave tracks of all time. That violin hook - just thinking about it gives me the shivers!

Cheers, RT

First, welcome to the forums ReadyTeddy. I've been here now about 6 or 7 months and is always an interesting read covering many diverse subjects and issues. I always enjoy reading what JK has to say about many things because I do trust and value his opinions which have been right on the ball since the world at large first saw him in 1965!

As for TOTP clips, sadly about 97% of shows broadcast between 1964 and 1975 no longer exist which is why you haven't seen many on retro shows and why TOTP2 showed certain clips over and over again. They were either never recorded (notably the earlier all live shows) or were later wiped so there are quite a few JK items missing.

We are fortunate though to have a handful of JK TOTP clips from the 60s and early 70s. "Moon" and "Let It All Hang Out" have been repeated in the last decade (notably before the trial - both can be found in the Deep Throat section along with many more wonders!) and there is an amusing audience dance to "Sugar Sugar" accompanying a countdown from 1971. The real rarity unseen since I would guess 1972, is a film clip of "Loop Di Love". It is there in the BBC archive but it's unlikely they'll ever screen it again which is a real shame.

I was born in 1972 so the JK clip I most remember has to be "One For You, One For Me" in which of course he donned THAT wig! I was listening to that just the other day and what struck me is the really long intro before any vocals come in... not many hit records that got away with that! Holds up well too and had me singing along inanely! I also have wonderful memories of "Entertainment USA", JKs' reports from the USA on TOTP and "No Limits".

Someone somewhere, must have the classic clip where Noel Edmonds, I think it was it was, asked him how he coped with that hair in the morning.
And he said, "It`s easy I just take it off", and threw it oacross the room.
I can honestly tell you we had no idea, and were horrified!

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Well, I have enjoyed reading some of the older postings very much. I thought it was about time I signed up and contributed as well.

Concerning the trial, at no point did I feel JK had done any wrong and was 100% confident he would be vindicated. I made that clear when my coleagues made any negative comments at the time. I am not usually outspoken about such matters but I was sure of that fact.

Thanks again,

RT

Yes, welcome, RT.

I too continue to be uncharacteristically outspoken when defending JK to friends and colleagues. It disturbs me on many levels that some of them, whom I would regard as more intelligent than myself, seem unable to question the trash they are fed by the media.

Interestingly, when you let them know that Max Clifford was involved with his false accusers, you do get some raised eyebrows and they become more sympathetic to your argument!

Anthony wrote:

Interestingly, when you let them know that Max Clifford was involved with his false accusers, you do get some raised eyebrows and they become more sympathetic to your argument!

I will admit I was unsure about the whole JK case and didn't like what I read and saw about it. I just knew something wasn't right about it and I was learning that the British media were not to be trusted anyway... there are always two sides to a story. It wasn't until curiosity led me here to look deeper into the case that I was able to learn what really happened and I have staunchly defended JK ever since.

Indeed I have had many an argument but it is amusing learning just how little the dissenters actually KNOW about the case. I point out facts such as the one that JK was actually acquitted and it does get them thinking again. The Clifford factor is also a good factor too because as soon as you mention that Clifford was involved then they know something was wrong.

It really is a question of karma... more people are waking up to the facts and reality of what happened to JK whereas I have never met a single person who has any respect or trust for Max Clifford. The amount of misery that guy has created and caused and profited from means his karma must be real bad because the public know what Clifford is capable of.