Ralph, I have a question for you......

[Doug-Morgan]

I was going back through the archives and discovered a post from June 12, 2002. It was [[alas) during a bad period in forum history, and you agreed to take over as moderator of SD, a job that must be akin to hearding cats.

OK, here's the question. In your almost 10 years of keeping herd over this unrully mob, what's your high point? What threads have thrilled you the most, who were you most suprised to see show up?

And thank you for doing your part to help keeping this place afloat.

[ralpht]

Doug,
Let me think about that a bit. Good question. What about you? You've been around here a good while. Any high points for you?

[grapevine]

...if I may interlope ...the high point for me ...and I expect many ...was when the Motown Topics/Forum section was created withing the Soulful Detroit Forum ...for all us refugees ...looking for a new home after the closure of our Motown Message/Bulletin Boards site ...c. 2004

...the other highpoint ...has been 'meeting' so many wonderful soul music and Motown enthusiasts here over the years

...thank you

...and long may SDF continue

[westgrandboulevard]

Grape [[just to keep the conversation going, while Doug & Ralph take time to think... )

Ditto! Couldn't agree more.

I did the same [[so am unfamiliar with SDF before that time), 'lurked' during the following years, then started posting when the Forum changed a little in August 2010.

I now sign in and post when I can, keeping a watchful and extremely interested eye on the proceedings, every single day. There is something to be learned on each of those days.

To me, SDF represents as much a centre of a Motown family today, to people worldwide, as Hitsville did to those who were directly connected with Motown half a century ago.

Differences and disagreements occur now, as they did then, [[except some now want to kick Ralph instead of Berry Gordy!) but everyone who is pleased to be signed in as a member here is lucky still to have the opportunity to be a part of it, and to share.

[robb_k]

The high point for me is the discussions of Detroit music production in the late '50s and '60s with people who were part of the production teams and also those who were buying the records and seeing the live performances back in the day.

This refers to threads both on The Motown Forum AND threads about Detroit non-Motown labels on The SDF regular Forum, which had people like Joe Hunter, Jack Ashford, Spyder Turner, Clay McMurray, Frances Nero, Ron Murphy, Ralph and Russ Terrana, Dennis Coffey, Ray Monette, Carl Peligrino, Stu Bass, The Count, Lorraine Chandler, Bob Ohlsson, Mike McLean, etc. posting their memories, providing information, and scans of photos, posters, play lists, record labels and the like, so a lot of that information wouldn't be lost, and we could have a better understanding of what went on so many years ago.

I did NOT attempt to list all the posters in those categories [[only a small sample),-so please forgive me if I didn't list you.

Although I was around back then, - thanks to SDF, I know MUCH, MUCH MUCH more about what went on, than I did before joining SDF around the beginning of 2002.

I'll be curious to read what Ralph writes.

[ralpht]

Doug, I gave this question a little thought overnight. I've concluded that it isn't quite possible to boil it down to one event or memory. This is what I came up with:

1: Connecting with old friends I haven't spoken with in a long time. Seeing these people post on the forum from time to time thrills me and evokes the best of memories from my past.

2: Getting acquainted with publisher and forum member, Dave Randell and his invitation to write my story. This resulted in two books, "The Road Through Motown" and "Russ Terrana's Motown". Neither book, I'm sorry to say, can be found on the New York Times best sellers list [[sorry Dave, I really tried) but it fulfilled something I thought about a bit over the years. My beautiful daughter, Alisa, first broached the subject of my writing the story, many years ago. I thought about it at the time but could never quite act on the thought. Not until Dave Randall pushed me over the edge and made me write.
An act he may be regretting today.

3: But I suppose my biggest thrills created through the forum was meeting you, the forum members, from time to time. A couple of years back, my sister- I- never- had, MillieVanilly, aka Millie Coffey, set up a get-together on my behalf during a visit home, to Detroit. What a night. Everyone and then some were there, from Clay McMurray, Spyder Turner, Gil Bridges, Dennis Coffey, etc etc and even forum member, Bob Kali,[[hope I got that right, Bob). The Count was there. You long term members remember The Count, I'm sure. What a guy. We lost him to cancer a couple of years back. [[this probably marks my saddest moment on the forum. I was very fond of The Count)

Last summer I got to see and meet the guys in the New Stylistics. Russell and the crew blew the lid of the place[[ well..it was an outdoor show.....) and is a show I must see again.

The summer of 2009 Russ and I were invited to Chicago to participate in a Motown Weekend the Oak Park library was holding. I finally got to meet what has now become "The Chicago Mob". What a crew, headed by forum members Chidrummer, GeeTee and Pallidan. It was a too short two days, but those two days were a riot. I'll never forget that weekend and how forum friendships were solidified simply by coming together once and for all. It was great.

A couple of years back I got to meet forum member Robbert and his wife when they were in Monterey for the annual Jazz Festival. We had a nice visit in a local restaurant and am looking forward to the next time they visit.

Just a couple of weeks back I missed a chance to meet forum member MikeW. He was in town nearby but I had a previous commitment, so we missed an opportunity. Next time for sure, Mike.

These are just a few of my thoughts, Doug. Great question, not just for me, but all members here, which I'm pleased to see are chiming in.

[Doug-Morgan]

If there is one shining moment that sticks out in my mind, it's the old "eeeerrrruuuughhhhh....." thread from many moons ago. Alas, it's not available in the archives, but if there's ever an SDF "Hall of Fame", it should be at the top of the list, but not for the obvious reasons. Admitedly it was the funniest thread ever on SDF, rife with creativity and charm.....with a touch of vindectivenes and sarcasm thrown in for good measure [[all in a good natured way), but that thread solidified my belief that posters here had an uncanny knoledge of pop music and culture that is not touched by any music board I've ever seen.

I mean, somewhere in there I mentioned that I had to go out for an appointment, afterwhich I was going to stop at Mae's Cafe for some coffee......and lemon pie. It was an obscure reference to an obscure Ed Sanders LP, "Sander's Truckstop". Within an hour, someone [[Mark?) referenced "The Johnny Pissoff Credo" and it was at that point that I realised I was right where I belonged.

Over and above that, I've spent 11 or 12 years feasting off the experiences of others. The ability to learn about the Detroit music scene from people who know it inside and out, and as the board branches out, music from other areas of both the country and the world. All I ever brought was a white suburban kid's perspective [[Ferndale High School '66...GO EAGLES!). On the other hand, all of my questions have been answered not with "Doug, you jerk" attitute that you see some places, but with kindness, and the willingness to share information across a broad platform.

THAT's what I like about this place, and I thank every one of you, both famous and non, for your assistance.

[ralpht]

Doug,
I have to agree, the ERRRGGG threads were a riot. It was a rather spontaneous thread that just got funnier as it went. That is one of those situations you can't make happen. It just does. Hopefully once again in the future.

[mark speck]

Doug, now that I think of it, I was probably the one who brought up Johnny Pissoff...what else would you expect from a Fugs fan?

I have a BIG high point...the 2003 Memorial Day get-together...meeting a host of wonderful folks that weekend [[Joe Weaver buying me a beer had to be a classic moment from that first night...what a delightful man!), people like James Ellis, Vicki Alexander, Chico Leverett, Stanley Mitchell, Maxine Woods, Artie Fields, Dennis Coffey and many other folks, but most importantly, the four guys I spent that weekend with...David Meikle, Harry Desai, Kevin Goins, and last but not least, my roommate Carl Dixon. Five very intrepid explorers, none of us having a clue how to navigate around the Detroit area, but somehow or another, we got to everywhere we needed to go that Saturday, and had a blast doing so. And yes, next time I visit Detroit, I will remember to bring a dress shirt, tie, dress slacks and shoes, in case I wind up at the Claussen Steak House again!!

Of course, it was our visit to the then-unmarked grave of Darrell Banks that got the ball rolling on the efforts to get him a much-needed tombstone. I'm sure Darrell was smiling down on everyone that day when his grave finally got that stone!

Best,

Mark

[ralpht]

Mark,
The Darrel Banks tombstone definitely marked a high point in the credibility of Soulful Detroit.

[paladin]

If there is one shining moment that sticks out in my mind, it's the old "eeeerrrruuuughhhhh....." thread from many moons ago. Alas, it's not available in the archives, but if there's ever an SDF "Hall of Fame", it should be at the top of the list, but not for the obvious reasons. Admitedly it was the funniest thread ever on SDF, rife with creativity and charm.....with a touch of vindectivenes and sarcasm thrown in for good measure [[all in a good natured way), but that thread solidified my belief that posters here had an uncanny knoledge of pop music and culture that is not touched by any music board I've ever seen.

After lurking for a while that thread and ones that were similar made me realize that this is where I belonged. The old Temptation threads and The Motown Philly ones were the real deal. The many people who are no longer here during those days make me a little heartsick, the majority of them were way cool and down to earth, but admittedly some had to leave for crossing boundaries that should have never been crossed.

Around this same time there became a nexus of East Coast/Midwest/West Coast threads that clearly defined the diversity and breath of Motown knowledge of the posters. Because of this forum I've met and made some life long friends, I won't drop any names because they know who they are. For that I am more than thankful.

Not only was this Forum the best on the web, but where else could you start a thread about the Temptations and wind up talking about Quick Draw McGraw and Bobalooey ?


Doug, I think you're right Ralph has done a hell of a job over the years and its dam shameful that he gets attacked for managing the forum.......but like he always says it goes with the territory. Whenever I see the negativity coming......I simply resort to my cocoon of silence and hum these words from a very famous group :

Some people, are made of plastic
You know some people are made of wood
Some people have hearts of stone
Some people are up to no good...........

Its kind of like yoga .........or a Turkish bath, just hope I don't run into Charlie Sheen........

[stephanie]

Believe it or not it was not the great threads I remember I liked being one of Stubass Daddy Girls!

[ralpht]

I completely forgot about that riff, Steph. It always brought smiles.........

[arrr&bee]

i was going back through the archives and discovered a post from june 12, 2002. It was [[alas) during a bad period in forum history, and you agreed to take over as moderator of sd, a job that must be akin to hearding cats.

Ok, here's the question. In your almost 10 years of keeping herd over this unrully mob, what's your high point? What threads have thrilled you the most, who were you most suprised to see show up?

And thank you for doing your part to help keeping this place afloat.

wow,forget about all this[sdf]stuff yeah it's fun yada yada yada....ralph you hearded cats???wow how cool is that i bet you were like that guy on[rawhide]...head em up move em out,and how did you keep em from stampeding out on the prairie? An coughing up all those furballs? Ralph you da man!!!

[moe]

The Malletcatraz thread.........Dyva, Juice, Funky, Wonder B, Wicked, yours truly.........
The Ergggg threads........killers!
The Old Miner..........he's probably back in his shed
My hands down favorite: R&B getting stuck in a one man conversation- Ralph & Juice I KNOW you two remember this!! Juice may be 1 of 2 Forum Members who actually saved this!! The other may be Des

[ralpht]

I've had a fur ball or two coughed up on me arr&bee.

Moe,
Good memories. Those threads were a lot of fun and showed how much humor was floating around the forum.

[arrr&bee]

Oh we had some times,i lived for saturdays because it seemed that everyone was here[all the legends mentioned by moe]andthensome[hi mel]and the great[stubass-king of the one liners]oh the times we had,you know ralph sometimes i see a glimer of that old spirit and i hope that it's a sign of things to come...soulful detroit[and ralph]forever!!!

[bankhousedave]

Like Ralph. I've been a musician so long that I had to sit around for a few years for someone to invent an instrument. But I wandered from the paths of righteousness and became a journalist and general ne'er do well. When that whole thing went pear-shaped and I had to find another racket quick, I moved over into book publishing, mainly to publish a project of my own in the first place. As sooon as that was done, I started to think about all the musicians, artists and creative folk who had transformed my life when I was evolving from a trilobite to whatever the hell I am now. How would I contact all those people I admired, whose stories should be told?

A colleague of mine, who at that time was more Google happy than myself, discovered Dave Meikle and Lowell's Detroit site. From there I arrived on SD. I cannot begin to tell anyone the value of that to what I have been doing for the last ten years. A musician can always talk to other musicians; a Motown loony can always talk to other Motown loonies. What was lacking was the means, and what came into being with SD was just that.

I am knocked out now to call Ralph, and many other genuine Motown people, my friend. What more could a lifelong Motown fan hope for? This place is the real deal. Accept no substitutes.

I am so honoured [[UK spelling) that Ralph lists me in his post above. I might wish it was a bit longer so the next spelling of my name was right, but you can't have everything. My greatest respect to you Laughing Eagle and cent anni to the forum.

[ralpht]

HUGE apologies to my publisher, DAVE RANDAAAAAAAAAAAll. In all honesty, Dave, I did realize I had misspelled your name in my above post and meant to correct it, but alas, the length of my teeth has caused my brain to compromise my immediate memory and the misdeed remained uncorrected.That is until now.