The Staple Singers - Uncloudy Day (1959)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

The Staples are better known for their period with Stax in the early 70s but they had been a performing, recording unit and stars on the Gospel circuit since the early 50s.  This dates back to '59 and whilst CDs have been issued with the same title they usually are compilations including the title track and a couple of others featured here. "Don't Knock" is a song included on Mavis Staples wonderful 2010 album "You Are Not Alone " but this shows the roots of her family's work - it's breathtaking but more so with the era in which it was created in mind.  I have this as a friend found a number of albums in a loft of a house he bought and this was one of them (thanks Tony) - before that this period of their career was lost on me.  The Staples were contracted to VeeJay records during this period and this is a rare UK issue on the Joy Special label which was distributed by President.

Joy Special - JS 5019

Various - Fillet Of Soul (1974)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Another Stax compilation proving that the second phase in life of the Memphis label had some real talent. Not sure why this was a full price release yet the earlier post for "Takin' You There" was sold for 50p!  This does include the wonderful Staple Singers, William Bell, Frederick Knight, MGs, Bar-Kays and the Dramatics.

This was given to me by a friend at Polydor who knew I was a soul fan.  This was a real education and brought a whole new string of discoveries for me.  If you don't know the Dramatics "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" then search that track alone.

Stax - 2362 035

Here's a brief 4* review from Blues and Soul 1974

Various - Takin' You There (1972)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

One of my favourite compilations.  This was released as a 50p sampler which summarises the revitalised Stax label's new found success.  Stax suffered a huge blow when the classic masters from the label's first phase Redding/Sam and Dave, Bar-Kays were deemed to be owned by former distributor Atlantic.  The label reorganised, recognised the in-house talent of Isaac Hayes and Davis Porter who had written many hits for Sam and Dave, The MGs who played on virtually all of them; the old hands of Carla and Rufus Thomas and; the developed the new signings of The Staple Singers, Dramatics, The Emotions and The Soul Children. 

This is mixed, so gapless and really works.  I think this may have been put together by Carlos(?) the in-house Polydor engineer who ran many demos for UK acts including the Jam.  It's the Stax album that made me look further.  It again shows that SOUL isn't a 60's genre and that the period 1970 - 1975 (prior to the arrival of mainstream disco) is often ignored or wrongly dismissed with that tag.  All real gems in this track list and available elsewhere.  But to me these songs belong together in this order.  Find it if you can.


Stax - 2369 008