Sapphires

Evil One / How Could I Say Goodbye

His Master's Voice : POP 1461

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Detail

  • Artist: Sapphires
  • A Side: Evil One
  • B Side: How Could I Say Goodbye
  • Label: His Master's Voice
  • Format: 45s

Condition

Condition

  • Vinyl Condition: M-
  • Label Condition: M-
  • Sleeve Condition: M-

Key: View

Description


Description

Rare vintage 60's British Northern Soul 45s that influenced the MODS at clubs like The Scene, The Twisted Wheel, The Mojo, Club A-Go Go, Flamingo etc. The trick though, is to locate and acquire them in tip-top investment condition, now there is a challenge. So often labels have been written on, 4 prong centres removed, not to mention the vinyl is invariably not in the condition you'd hoped for. It's not a good feeling, that "our-of-sleeve" inspection when it disappoints.

Before you today, is not only impeccable silky-smooth girl-vocal-group excellence, conceived by East Coast studio-men, one a son of Philadelphia, the other a boy from the Bronx. You are viewing one of their greatest sessions, Jerry Ross & Joe Renzetti aided and abetted by Artie Resnick, Kenny Young Victor Millrose. A team that seamlessly hooked into the girl group phenomena after fellow Philadelphian Richie Barrett had blazed the "girl sound" trail with huge success a few years earlier.

The Sapphires vocal style gives-up the very essence of girl-group Northern Soul with more than a few considered timeless Northern Soul classics. Here is one of their greatest, "Evil One" in its highly coveted format, the 27 August 1965 press, in magnificent eye-popping near mint minus condition! A rare combination indeed, for this particular 45.

The genius of a 22 year old Kenny Gamble hidden away in the background and the experience of a 10 years his senior Jerry Ross and Joe Renzetti construct an an upbeat finger-snapping dance journey into a young-girls' realization of male duplicity. Carol Jackson honeyed vocal floods a vibe-filled Motown-esque brass filled arrangement; with her every sentence echoed by a shrill uncredited girl-group presence. With the male "Sapphires", George Garner, Joe Livingston limited in contribution. Going back in the day, right from it's first plays "Evil One" delivered the pace and the punchy power to become a Northern Soul club classic.

But today, after decades of being hidden away, I'd to implore you to check out the dreamy flipside, a haunting floater dead-right for "Beat Ballad Heaven" and beyond. It is a "lost" girl masterpiece, fitting like a glove into today's broader Sunday chill vibe.

Two killer sides, so hard to acquire in this derisible British form.

Condition Report

Two clean labels, 4 prong centre intact, full gloss vinyl revealing only a few soft sleeve storage hairlines when angled under light. Still housed in birth sleeve. A beauty!

A Side

  • Title: Evil One

    B Side

  • Title: How Could I Say Goodbye
  • Year: 27th August 1965
  • City: Hayes, Middlesex, England

    Tracklisting