Edwin Starr - Time

[northcountrybob]

Hey y'all, 

 

I was listening to Time by Edwin Starr on my way into work today (actually I was giving a Northern Soul playlist a shot while on the commute) and I got really into the bass part. 

I'm trying to work out who is playing on it but googling it seems difficult. I'm not sure if it's VC L Veasey. I'm not clued up on Northern or Non-Northern / Multi-geographical soul so looking for assistance! 

 

 

[Reggaebass]

21 minutes ago, northcountrybob said:

I'm trying to work out who is playing on it

I had a quick look out of curiosity and according to songfacts, Time is on the album War & Peace 1970  , Bob Babbitt played on the track War on the album but it doesn’t say about Time 

[Huge Hands]

7 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I had a quick look out of curiosity and according to songfacts, Time is on the album War & Peace 1970  , Bob Babbitt played on the track War on the album but it doesn’t say about Time 

I seem to remember Edwin Starr was part of Norman Whitfield's producing stable, so assume this is probably correct - early stuff would have been Motown  guys (i.e. Bob) and then I once read that later the band that became Rose Royce were originally put together to back Edwin on tour and in studio, so would have been Lequient "Duke" Jobe on his later stuff.

 

I got to do some stage management and sound with Edwin on a few gigs in his final years as he lived in the UK then.  He always had a really good band with him.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Huge Hands

[Burns-bass]

Love Edwinn Starr. Was 25 miles that got me into soul music. 

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

I had a quick look out of curiosity and according to songfacts, Time is on the album War & Peace 1970  , Bob Babbitt played on the track War on the album but it doesn’t say about Time 

 

Sounds like Bob Babbitt to me.

[northcountrybob]

Good info. I did wonder about Bob Babbitt... Apparently Starr's early band became Black Merda but may have been out before war & peace was recorded. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by northcountrybob

[Cliff Edge]

I met him once when my band supported him at some minor festival somewhere in the UK. He came across as a nice guy in the short time I had to talk to him, but by then his career was on the decline. 

[northcountrybob]

I don't know much about the fella. I plan on digging a deeper into both Babbitt and Black Merda. When I woke up I just decided that being from the region close to Wigan, I should probably be a bit more aware of what folk call Northern Soul. Deffo been missing out. Checked out the Gloria Jones version of Tainted Love for the first time. Banger. Obviously some lovely bass work in a bunch of those jams but it's all new to me. Feel free to make recommendations! 

[Huge Hands]

26 minutes ago, Cliff Edge said:

I met him once when my band supported him at some minor festival somewhere in the UK. He came across as a nice guy in the short time I had to talk to him, but by then his career was on the decline. 

I met and worked on a couple of his gigs in the early 00s just before he died.  I never got to speak to him personally, but his tour manager was a character.  He always told us to keep drinks away from the stage as Edwin was staunchly against alcohol and would walk off stage if he saw any.  On one gig a load of staff got up and started dancing on stage with him - me and the tour manager had to run around and quickly grab their beers off them!

 

I also remember Edwin refusing to have vocal monitors, unlike his percussionist who wanted all percussion mics in his wedge and would take us an age during soundcheck setting up, trying to stop the big congas resonating and feeding back at the high volumes he wanted! 

[tauzero]

He moved to Tamworth (well, just down the road - Polesworth). At the time, Tamworth had quite a healthy local music scene, and he was kind enough to come and help judge the Battle of the Bands. Very nice chap.

 

https://tamworthbands.co.uk/history/battleofthebands/1986.htm - I was in Caprice at the time.

[BassBunny]

5 hours ago, northcountrybob said:

Feel free to make recommendations! 

Northern Soul is right up my street. I'm of an age where I used to go to Wigan Casino allnighters and the Twisted Wheel so a massive Northern fan.

Three classics to check out are the "3 before 8". The same three numbers were played at Wigan leading up to 8am Sunday morning every week These became known as the '3 before 8':

Time Will Pass You By - Tobi Legend

Long After Tonight Is All Over - Jimmy Radcliffe, and

I'm on My Way - Dean Parrish.

Then try:

Right Track - Billy Butler

Out on the Floor - Dobie Gray

Landslide - Tony Clarke 

You're Gonna Make Me Love You - Sandi Sheldon

The Night - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

Soul Time - Shirley Ellis

 

I could go on for ever. If it's still available on BBC iPlayer, check out "Northern Soul at the Proms". It was an absolutely stonking show and a great choice of Northern numbers featured.