Edwin Starr 25 MILES -- a UK First

[jsmith]

Edwin was always popular in the UK and visited here from 1966 on a regular basis [[before eventually moving to live in the UK).
His tracks were regular sellers here from April 66 onwards with many of his cuts / 45's getting reissued a number of times.
By 1968, his profile here was greater than back in the US. A bit earlier, he had been booked to play a big gig at the Saville Theatre [[London) in Feb 67. This venue was owned by the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. On the night, Paul McCartney turned up to watch the show. But it was the UK mod/soul crowd that really took Edwin to heart.
He again visited the UK early in 1968 and played all the top club venues ... for instance at the Twisted Wheel he was on there both Jan 21st & Feb 3rd. He was still playing in the UK in mid May. Back in the US he cut some new tracks and these included "25 Miles".
After a big show at the Apollo in August [[also on the bill; Gladys Knight & P's, Dynamics, Cliff Noble Group, Bandwagon), he returned to the UK and was granted a big reception at EMI's London HQ at which his new single was unveiled -- 25 MILES. The UK release of this track was a 1st and it only followed at a later date in the US. EMI put a lot of effort into promoting this 45 which actually made it into the shops here on 27th Sept 68. Edwin immediately hit the UK clubs again, playing club venues in Bath & Worthing in early Oct.
EMI's effort to get Edwin a hit 45 initially failed but as 25 Miles had immediately become a club anthem, they repromoted the 45 about 12 months later and this time it did make the UK Pop Top 40. This was his 1st UK Motown hit, though he'd been on the sinlges charts here 3 times before with his Ric Tic stuff.
........ ANYWAY ... now to my question ....
I'm trying to track down the dates in 68 when Edwin was in Motown's studio and in particular, the date he cut 25 Miles.
Were many of the other tracks that appeared on his 25 MILES album also cut in 68 or did some date from 69 [[when the LP escaped in the US & UK).
I know there's a web site that lists all the recording info on Motown acts but can't recall what site it is.
Any help much appreciated.
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[marv2]

I first heard "25 Miles" on Canadian radio's CKLW. Edwin later performed it on Canadian television.

[masterblaster]

According to the web site 'Don't Forget The Motorciry'. 25 Miles was recorded at Hitsville - GW and completed on 26th July 1968. Great web site for Motown Fans, it's my bible!

[marv2]

According to the web site 'Don't Forget The Motorciry'. 25 Miles was recorded at Hitsville - GW and completed on 26th July 1968. Great web site for Motown Fans, it's my bible!

Thanks Masterblaster.

[jsmith]

Thanks ... here's a pic of Edwin @ the EMI bash laid on for him ...
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[marv2]

Thanks ... here's a pic of Edwin @ the EMI bash laid on for him ...
14040

You must have a magnificent newsclips file! Thank you as always JSmith!

[theboyfromxtown]

According to the web site 'Don't Forget The Motorciry'. 25 Miles was recorded at Hitsville - GW and completed on 26th July 1968. Great web site for Motown Fans, it's my bible!

He recorded 3 leads 18th 19th and 26th July 1968

[jsmith]

Thanks for that additional info .....
It's difficult from DFTMC to sort out when Edwin was in the studio doing his lead vocals ...

[jsmith]

Further to my post above ... I believe that when some of Edwin's tracks were completed, he wasn't even in the US .. ... FOR INSTANCE ........
Soul City [[Open Your Arms To Me) BY Edwin Starr; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 03-Oct-68 ; produced by Richard Morris
so the completion date for this track is stated as 3rd Oct 68 ... this date would fit in with the cut's 1st release which was on the 25 MILES album in April 69 ...
BUT for his UK 45 release of "25 Miles", EMI held a special reception & launch party for Edwin at EMI House in Manchester Square [[London -- see pic above). That 45 was released on 27th September 68. Edwin then had gigs around the UK, the 1st of which I have definite info on was at the Pavilion in Bath on Monday 7th October.
..... So Edwin must have already have been in the UK on 3rd October 68 ..
that means that he must have done his lead vocals for the track ahead of 3rd Oct and additional backing vocals or instruments or mixing work was what was actually done in early Oct to allow the cut to be finished on 3rd Oct.
Anyone help out with info on the track completion dates quoted on DFTMC ??

......... I said in my opening post that Edwin seemed more popular in the UK than in the US in 68 ... but he did manage to land a least 2 week long gigs at the Apollo that year ... so he must have been doing well for big live gigs in the US ... one of the Apollo bookings was in late August [[info posted above), with the other one in late April ..
14042

[marv2]

Further to my post above ... I believe that when some of Edwin's tracks were completed, he wasn't even in the US .. ... FOR INSTANCE ........
Soul City [[Open Your Arms To Me) BY Edwin Starr; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 03-Oct-68 ; produced by Richard Morris
so the completion date for this track is stated as 3rd Oct 68 ... this date would fit in with the cut's 1st release which was on the 25 MILES album in April 69 ...
BUT for his UK 45 release of "25 Miles", EMI held a special reception & launch party for Edwin at EMI House in Manchester Square [[London -- see pic above). That 45 was released on 27th September 68. Edwin then had gigs around the UK, the 1st of which I have definite info on was at the Pavilion in Bath on Monday 7th October.
..... So Edwin must have already have been in the UK on 3rd October 68 ..
that means that he must have done his lead vocals for the track ahead of 3rd Oct and additional backing vocals or instruments or mixing work was what was actually done in early Oct to allow the cut to be finished on 3rd Oct.
Anyone help out with info on the track completion dates quoted on DFTMC ??

......... I said in my opening post that Edwin seemed more popular in the UK than in the US in 68 ... but he did manage to land a least 2 week long gigs at the Apollo that year ... so he must have been doing well for big live gigs in the US ... one of the Apollo bookings was in late August [[info posted above), with the other one in late April ..
14041

He had been popular in the Detroit area since the mid-60s with "S.O.S." and others. Once "25 Miles" hit, he was on local and Canadian television performing up several times.

[jsmith]

I know that, but he seemed to have a bigger profile in the UK from 66 to 68 ... he spent much of his time between Oct 66 and Oct 68 in the UK. For instance, he played the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester on :- 27th Oct 66, 4th Feb 67, 27th Jan 68, 3rd Feb 68 and 11th May 68 .... all these gigs coming during UK nationwide tours he undertook. He was then back here in Sept / Oct 68 as detailed above.
25 Miles even got it's world premier here in the UK and was released here way ahead of it's US release. 25 Miles only hit in the US in late Feb 69.

[snakepit]

I believe that Motown in the USA weren't keen on releasing 25 Miles UNTIL Edwin appeared on a TV show singing the song. Apparently Motown were flooded with calls about the song, and they subsequently issued it.

Edwin toured the UK in 1966. He did not know about Ric Tic being bought by Motown. He said that he left the US as a Ric Tic artist and returned on Motown

He appeared at the Twisted Wheel often, and my first visit to the club was to see him there, in 1970.
"Backstreet" was a huge record there....the lyrics could have been written with the Wheel in mind.

[snakepit]

Re his appearing at the Apollo, there is a scene in the movie "Shaft" where the Apollo marquee is showing...Edwin Starr...

[jsmith]

Shaft was shot in early 71, so he was probably on at the Apollo coz "War" had been such a big hit in August / Sept 70.
I have a copy of an official Apollo publicity photo from an earlier appearance at the venue for Edwin [[probably in 66/67) ..... but I'm up to my full jpeg capacity & so can't post a copy up.

[rovereab]

Wouldn't a double CD set on Edwin be good to celebrate the popularity of this well respected Motown artist.

[jaybs]

Can never understand why no one ever did a biography, one of the most genuine guys I ever interviewed and worked with, just an amazing live performer.

[jsmith]

I interviewed him about his 'Cleveland years' and at that time asked if he'd ever write / assist a writer in doing a book about his life / career ... he said NO instantly. It seems he had some things that he regretted doing down the years & didn't want to risk bringing them back into the light.
... IN CONTRAST ... he was really keen to talk about his Cleveland years and made a postitive effort to ensure our interview went ahead [[he said he was totally bored with being asked the same questions about Golden World & Motown in almost every interview he had to do).

I've now had time to delete some old jpegs I posted on long forgotten threads, so can now post up the Edwin Apollo pick ... no idea when this show took place but guess it was in the 66/67 period ... Edwin was mainly backed up by musicians from Cleve at that time. His band being ... Victor Stubblefield on trumpet; Julius Roberts on bass; Gus Hawkins, leader and tenor sax: Tyrone Hite, drums, and Anthony Hawkins on guitar.
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[marv2]

JSmith will you be able to share some of the comments Edwin made about his time in Cleveland?

[jsmith]

I can post the full interview up here if you like ... it wasn't the best of efforts as I hadn't got a decent list of the clubs in Cleve back then made out in advance to run past him .. I mainly trotted out the names of similar Cleve based doo wop / soul acts from those years [[late 50's to early 60's) and took down what he remembered about them & any other relevent facts that he recalled.

[marv2]

I can post the full interview up here if you like ... it wasn't the best of efforts as I hadn't got a decent list of the clubs in Cleve back then made out in advance to run past him .. I mainly trotted out the names of similar Cleve based doo wop / soul acts from those years [[late 50's to early 60's) and took down what he remembered about them & any other relevent facts that he recalled.

Anything that you post will be much appreciated.