THE JOB INTERVIEW and LUTHER VANDROSS

The Time was now about Late October of 1988, I had a Job Interview with the Local County Council to Work as a Cook in an Old People's Day Centre, about 2 Miles from Home!

I Remember going to the Interview, as Clear as Anything, this is because, there Must have been about 6 People in the Interview Plus Me!

They had the Day Centre Manager and her Deputy, they had the County Council Area Manager and his Deputy, there was the Cook who was Leaving and a Couple of Others, I Thought I was going for a Job as a Brain Surgeon Not a Cook!

One of my Main Worries about going to the Job Interview was, Do I Tell them about my Bankruptcy, that had Just gone through, or Not!  

I had Decided to Tell them, as they would Probably find out anyway, if not now, but Later.

So after I had about an Hours worth of Grilling, I told them what had Happened with my Previous Employment, i.e having my Own Takeaway and Going Bankrupt as a Result of Failure, I didn't Know at the Time, if this went Down Well or Not!

The Previous Cook, who had the Job was on Maternity Leave and had Decided Not to come back to Work, so she was in the Interview, but there was also another Cook who they had Working there on a Temporary Basis, now I Knew this other Cook, she was the Older Sister of one of my Aunts (although I Never got on with this Aunt).

She had given me a bit of Useful Advice on Getting the Job, but when I left the Interview, it seemed my Only Worry about getting the Job was, I was a Male and they had Never had a Male Working there, Apart from 1 Male Van Driver (although he Never Worked inside the Centre, Just on the Vans), Nowadays that would Never Happen with All this Equality and PC Crap!

There was Something else I Learned from the Interview, if I did get the Job, I would Not be your Normal Run of the Mill Cook, I would be Called "Cook-In-Charge" 

I Don't Know who I would have been In Charge of, Because I was the Only Person Working in the Kitchen, and I had to do My Own Washing Up as Well!

So I Left the Interview and was Told, they would Contact me Either Way in a Couple of Days Time, so I went Home and had to Wait while they went through All the Usual Cr@p, what them Sort of Manager's go through!

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Now for Some Music, Back in July of 1981, Luther Vandross Released his Debut Solo Single, which was Taken from his Debut Album to be Released on August 12, 1981, they were Both Entitled "Never Too Much"

The Song was Written and Produced by Luther Vandross and on the "Epic Record Label"

It Features the Great "Marcus Miller" on Bass and Cissy Houston and Tawatha Agee (Mtume) on Backing Vocals!

The Track Reached Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100, it also Charted in the UK at Number 13, this Turned out to be his Highest Ever Chart Position in UK for one of his Solo Singles!  

           

                    The "Never Too Much Album" in Full

                                

                    

THE 185th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 185th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "MixTape #4"  its been Mixed by Fog City Soul Radio and it Features some Great  Tracks From: Ohio Players, The Moments, Mtume, Earl Klugh, Lamont Dozier, Chi-Lites, DJ Rogers and Eddie Kendricks.

For a Full Track Listing and Download, Go Here!

THE TAKEAWAY OPENING and MTUME

We got the Keys to the Takeaway Shop in October 1987, soon after me and Susan started to Clean the Place from Top to Bottom, it was more of a Mess outback than I thought it was!

Every day after the Kids went off to School , we went down the Shop for more Cleaning, I'm not too sure but I think we took about 2/3 Weeks to thoroughly Clean it, we couldn't spend to much Money on the Shop, because I Needed that for all the Ingredients, Meat and Food etc etc.

After the Shop was Ready and all food stuffs brought, I then Started   doing some Homemade Pies etc, I had Planned to Make most things Myself, but in all the Rush, I ended buying some things, with the Idea to do more Home made Cooking after the Opening! 

We had a load of Flyer's Made up by a Printer in the Area, and by this time I had thought of a Name for the Takeaway, as my Father (now Diseased) had Helped with the Shop, I decided to Call the Shop "G.C's Takeaway" that was my Father Initials "George Charles"

So around Mid November of 1987, I Finally Opened the Takeaway, the First Session was a Night Time I believe, I was out Front of Takeaway doing the Food and Serving, Susan was out the Back, Keeping Everything Else Under Control!

As it turned out, My Mother, Never Helped at all, she Never did anything, in Hindsight, it would have been Easier if She had Helped, in some sort of Way!   

Anyway the First Night went O.K, I Remember I didn't make a Mint, but all I wanted at that Stage, was to Make enough to Keep the Takeaway Ticking Over!

I Remember I soon got into a Routine, I used to Work between 12 pm and 2 pm and 6 pm and 10 pm, on Week Days and A bit Longer on a Saturday and Half Day on Thursday and Day Off on Sunday, and when Lunch-Times were Slow, I would be Making all the Food Stuffs for later, Susan and the Kids used to come to the Shop a Few Times During the Week, but Always came down on a Saturday Night when it got Busier.  

I Remember Susan Used to Peel Fresh Potatoes for Chips, but this was too Time Consuming, so I ended up Buying a Fresh Bag of Ready Cut Chips, from a Seller Named "Westrup" in Great Yarmouth and he Used to Delivery most days, I Remember they were £6 per bag!

So after a Couple of Weeks of being Opened things were Going Alright, Money and Coping Wise, and with the Christmas Trade coming up in a Few Weeks time, things were Looking Great!
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As for some Music, a Band I see in Concert back in 1984 was Mtume, see this Post for that, I Remember the Concert was Great, and One of their Better Tracks, that had been released a Couple of Years earlier was "Juicy Fruit"

The Track was taken from their 4th Album of the Same Name and it was on the Epic Record Label, they eventually Released a Total of  6 Albums.

The Single Turned out to be their Biggest Ever Hit, Reaching Number 1 on the US R&B Chart and Number 45 on the US Hot 100 Chart!

The Album Reached Number 3 on US R&B Chart and Number 26 on US Pop Chart!

The 2 Vocalist in Mtume were Band Founder James Mtume and Tawatha Agee.

James Mtume went on to Write Numerous Tracks for other Artists and Bands.




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THE 128th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 128th Mix selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Matthew Africa, its called "To Busy Saying Yeah 24, Live at Sweaterfunk, there's some Classic Funk on here, all Mixed from Vinyl, including some Cameo, Bernard Wright, Dayton, The Gap Band, Mtume  and Aurra!

Go to WebPage  to Download! 

1. Cameo : Please You
2. The Jimmy Castor Bunch : Space Age
3. Jesse James : Love Vibes
4. Sabata : Man for My Lady
5. Tony Cook & the Party People : On the Floor (Rock-It)
6. The Limit : She's So Divine
7. Dynasty : Check It Out
8. Vin Zee : Funky Bebop
9. Ellis Hall, Jr. : Back It Up (Try It Again)
10. Starshine : All I Need Is You
11. One on One : Body Music
12. Bernard Wright : Master Rocker
13. Dayton : The Sound of Music
14. APB - All Points Bulletin : Rock Your Spirit
15. The Escorts : Make Me Over
16. Soul Mind & Body : I Took Your Love (To Be True)
17. Shalamar : There It Is
18. Oliver Cheatham : Just to Be With You
19. The Gap Band : I Owe It to Myself
20. Aurra : Like I Like It (Timmy Regisford remix)
21. Mtume : Hips

THE NORTH SEA and GREAT MUSIC!

After picking up several Workers on the route to the Heliport at a Place Called Beccles, (which is about 15 Miles from where I was Living), we had Arrived!


It was still about 2 Hours to take-Off and still Dark, but we all had to go through a Safety Film and Talk, they tell you all about what to do if the Helicopter goes down in the North-Sea, that was Riveting, and I think it was about this time, I was wondering what I had got myself into! 


After about 2 Hours of sitting around and listening to someone tell you "How Not To Drown, if you Fall in the Sea" the Call came over
the Intercom, Please get your Lifejackets on and get ready for the Flight to "The Leman Field"


By this time I wouldn't say I was Scared, but I was about Half a Stone Less in Weight then when I first Arrived at the Heliport!

I remember going through all these different Checks, until we were moved to another part of the Heliport, we could now see in the Winter Day-Light (November 1983) the Helicopter's through the windows, they were Noisy as Hell!


Then we Finally got the word and we were walking over the Tarmac, towards the "Paraffin Budgie"


I Finally got on the Helicopter and to my seat, the First thing I always remember thinking "Christ, its Stinks in here" the Aviation Fuel was so Strong, you could Taste it!


So with the Terrible Smell and the Deafening Noise, it was something I would not recommend, but, I suppose now over 25 Years later, that aspect has no doubt improved! 

After what seemed Hours (probably only minutes) of just sitting there , looking out of the windows, we finally started to move, we moved right along the tarmac area and then back again, what the hell was going on! I thought.


Then we sat there again for ages, then suddenly, the Rotor Blades, seemed to go 10 times Quicker (and noisier), and we just went up in the Air!


It was Fantastic, I know I was not there for the Helicopter Ride (but, to go to work) but it was Marvelous, and all my Fears, just went, like that, the Sights down Below were Great!

I remember looking out of the windows, trying to spot a Landmark I knew, as we only about 15 Miles from my Town, and to my surprise in about 10 minutes we were actually over the Back-Way to our House, we backed on the a Large playing Field's, and I spotted them and in turn I see our House!


It turned out that the Helicopter's Flight Path, went from Beccles Heliport over to Great Yarmouth (near where we lived) and then out to the "Leman Gas Field" in the North Sea.


Next I could see was the  Seafront at Great Yarmouth and then just Sea for Miles and Miles!

As for Music in 1983, some Great 12" Singles were Released including "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie, "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, "Crazy" by the Manhattans, "Aint Nobody" by Rufus and Chaka Khan. My favorite out of those 4 , would be "Rufus"

I remember back then, I used to record my Vinyl onto Tape, to listen to through my Walkman, well I say Walkman, actually I never had one of those (could not afford one) I had a Cheaper Version, but I always had the "Rufus" Track back to Back with the Dennis Edwards  Track, "Don't Look Any Further" (which came out the following Year) Great Music!

THE 78th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 78th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Matthew Africa, there's some classic Soul and Funk Music Tracks on here, Its called, 2 Busy Saying Yeah 24 Live at SweaterFunk!

Its features Cameo, Bernard Wright, Gap Band and Dayton, Mtume and Aurra to name but a Few!

Check Out Web Page For Track Listing and Download.

BANDS & SINGERS I HAVE SEEN IN CONCERT!!!!! part 2

Some of the other Acts I have seen in concert over the years, I see my Favorite Band "Slave" about 25 years ago at a place called "The Pink Elephant" in Luton uk.

Steve Arrington had left them by this time, but they still put on a Great Show!

The picture above was taken by somebody I know at the Hammersmith Odeon Concert in London a few days later!

A few other Acts I have seen are "Change" Kleeer "Steve Arrington" Level 42 "Gil Scott Heron"Dante "Mtume" Brass Construction "Dazz Band" Alexander O'neal " Cherrelle" Michael Jackson"

Of these I would say the Best Concert was Brass Construction, before the Concert I actually met all the Band members including Randy Muller, I also have a signed Program from all the members.

I also thought Kleeer, level 42 and Mtume were Great! but these are among my Favorite Soul Bands, so perhaps thats why I liked them more!

GSH was alright, allthough he did start knocking "White People" during his show, as my Wife clearly remembered and always reminds of!

Steve Arrington was Good, although he never did any of the "Hall of Fame" stuff!

The Micheal Jackson Concert was the "Bad Tour" the one that Princess Diana attended!
I would not probably have seen "Jacko" but I used to have a Shop in them days, and I used to sell "Pepsi" and entered a Competition with them and Won!
2 tickets to see Jacko, so I went with my Wife, who does like "MJ"
It was a Good concert, but not really my "cup of tea" Susan thought he was Great!

Alexander O'neal was Alright, but I have recently seen him in a different light, through the English Television Show "Wife Swap" please watch this program, its in 5 parts!, you will see what I mean!

As for the "Dazz Band" please come back in the Future and read " Part 3" of this Blog entry!

THE FIRST FUNK/SOUL/DISCO MIX--VOLUME ONE

Here's the 1st Mix for F.S.V.B, The Rewind Volume 1, Its been Mixed by Mr Bigg Mike of Sacramento, there's some classic Funk and Soul Tracks on here, including Cameo, Zapp, Aurra, Temps, Barkays, Mtume and Surface, to name but a few!

Either press play to listen or press link to go to my Podomatic page and download to your pc.

see my podcast page for full track listing!

80'S OLD SKOOL MIX

FSV Podcast