(mostly) vintage funk, soul, afrobeat, and more! Secret Stash Records is an independent record label owned and operated in Minneapolis, MN.
We are dedicated to one thing, releasing great music in great collectible LP packages. Whether you are a DJ looking for rare grooves to sample, or just an average Joe looking for great music, we’ve got you covered. Buy Records: http://secretstashrecords.com/store/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SecretStashMPLS
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/secretstashrecords
After 56 years of sitting in the vault, Bull & The Matadors' "Where Did The Judge Go" is finally available! Pre-order your limited edition 7" now. Only 250 hand numbered copies available. When they're gone they're gone. Save 20% when you pre-order.
Pre-Orders are open for Bull & The Matadors “The Funky Judge” backed with the previously unreleased follow up, “Where Did The Judge Go”. Finished goods are here and orders ship July 12. Save 20% when you pre-order! Only 250 hand numbered copies are available. Order early to reserve a low number copy.
Bull & The Matador's "The Funky Judge" hit the Billboard R&B Chart in August of 1968 peaking at # 9, a massive showing for Chicago based Toddlin' Town Records. Tomorrow we open preorders for our limited edition 7" reissue backed with the previously unreleased follow up track, "Where Did The Judge Go". Get a load of this groovy trade publication ad for the track from '68.
Get more details on our new limited edition Bull & the Matadors 7". Pre-orders open Friday. Orders ship July 12.
Posted on June 18, 2024June 19, 2024 by Eric FossBull & The Matadors “The Funky Judge” B/W “Where Did The Judge Go” (Unreleased) PRE-ORDERS OPEN THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 21 ORDERS SHIP JULY 12 LIMITED EDITION 250 UNIT PRESSING HAND NUMBERED INCLUDES UNRELEASED TRACK SAVE 20% WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER Side...
Test pressings just landed for a new 7” release! Finished goods for another should be here later today or tomorrow. You didn’t think we were gonna come back just for streaming, did you!?!?
Streaming Friday: Nobody’s Child, “All My Friends Call Me A Fool” In the late 60s, Sound of Soul Records proprietor, August Moon, going by Dickie Diamond at the time, was booking bands from his new headquarters in Trenton, NJ. He eventually became the manager for Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles. When he needed a backing band for his new star attraction, he called on his longtime associate, Tyrone Thomas (AKA Little Tommy). Tyrone left his band, Brother Love, to form Nobody’s Children for the purpose of backing Patti and the Bluebelles. Geraldine Jones B/W All My Friends Call Me A Fool is the only record released by the group, though it’s credited as Nobody’s Child.
Photo: Cover from Tyrone’s next project, the August Moon produced Tyrone Thomas And The Whole Darn Family
From a collaboration with William Bell in Muscle Shoals ("Old Uncle Tom is Dead") to an instrumental banger with Little Richard's band in NYC (K.P.) and an absolute Northern Soul classic (Leave Me Alone), we've got 3 new tracks hitting streaming services today. Head to our Spotify playlist to hear all 3 (https://shorturl.at/hsEZ5) and be sure to "like" the playlist to stay up to date with our weekly drops.
A few weeks ago we dropped ’ “Cabbage Greens” on you and promised the flip to soon follow . Well, here it comes! Every bit as turned up and funky as Cabbage Greens, K.P. came from the same session which took place at Mirasoud Studios in New York City on May 12, 1966. If you missed Cabbage Greens, go back to posts from the week of april 1 to learn all about the and connections on both of these tracks!
K.P. is streaming Friday! Like our Spotify playlist to get it ASAP: https://shorturl.at/hsEZ5
“Old Uncle Tom Is Dead” By Nitroglycerine hits streaming services Friday! In the late 1960s, Sound of Soul Records’ met vocalist in Mobile, Alabama. By then, southern soul and the sounds of , American, Fame, and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios had captured countless chart topping hits. Around 1970 Moon and Saunders did sessions at both Fame and Muscle Shoals Sound which included contributions from legendary musicians like (drums), (guitar), (arrangement), (keys), and others.
“Old Uncle Tom Is Dead” performed under the name Nitroglycerine is a beautifully haunting gospel infused track featuring a powerful spoken word performance delivered by Moon atop a stunning recording of the muscle shoals band with jaw dropping vocal flourishes from the inimitable Larry Saunders.
Like our Spotify playlist to get it ASAP https://shorturl.at/bwJRW
What do Muscle Shoals Alabama, New York City, , William Bell, and Richmond, Virginia have in common? They’re all directly connected to the 3 tracks we’re releasing on streaming services this Friday!
“Old Uncle Tom Is Dead” By Nitroglycerine
“K.P.” By The World Famous Upsetters
“Leave Me Alone” By Oscar Wright
More info to follow this week.
Like our Spotify playlist to get them all ASAP (link in bio)
Oscar Wright’s “Fell In Love” along with its flip, “Leave Me Alone,” were recorded at New York City's Stea & Phillip studios in May of 1966. Wright was a rhythm guitarist and sometimes lead vocalist for The World Famous Upsetters. In fact, Upsetters bandleader Grady Gaines, is credited as songwriter on the original pressing of “Leave Me Alone.” It is our understanding that this session took place within days or possibly even hours of another August Moon produced Upsetters session 4 blocks away at Mirasound Studios.
"Fell In Love" hits streaming services tomorrow!
Friday we’re releasing Oscar Wright’s Fell In Love on all streaming platforms. We’ll also be including an instrumental mix! If you’re a Northern Soul aficionado this is a track that will likely need no introduction. It’s been a favorite on the scene for many years, leading original pressings to trade for hundreds of dollars online. Stay tuned this week as we’ll share a bit more about this record and some audio. Like to our Spotify playlist to get it as soon as it's available: https://shorturl.at/jklKU
PS- the flip will drop next week!
Back to new releases next week, but first...
Many soul music collectors know Otis Clay for his work on Memphis based Hi Records (Al Green, Ann Peebles). In particular we love the Trying To Live My Life Without You LP, which basically sounds like an Al Green record with a different, but also amazing frontman. But before his sides for Hi, Glades, Cotillion, and Dakar, Clay was one of the marquee acts at Chicago’s One-Derful! Records.
Starting as a teenager in Chicago during the mid-‘50s, Otis sang with many great gospel groups; Golden Jubilaires, Famous Blue Jay Singers, The Blue Jays, The Holy Wonders, The Pilgrim Harmonizers, Gospel Songbirds and eventually Sensational Nightingales.
In ‘65 Clay landed at One-derful!, where he stayed there for 3 years, exiting when label head George Leaner retired. During that time Clay recorded dozens of tunes, and for our money every single one of them are fantastic, including the unreleased material.
We were blessed to spend some time with Otis before his passing in 2016. Thankfully he left behind a massive body of work for us all to enjoy. We’re lucky to have been able to share his earliest solo work with listeners the world over. Head over to our Spotify playlist to hear some of it for yourself: https://shorturl.at/rwxLV
“A Human’s Prayer” b/w “Damper Down” by Bobby Davis (AKA Top Hat) was the first release on the Leaner brothers’ new M-Pac! Label in late 1962. During his lengthy career he also recorded for Bandera, LaSalle, Firma, Expo and C.J. Records. The majority of his releases were one-offs, including his M-Pac! single. In addition to being a powerful singer, Davis was also a skilled organist and drummer on the Chicago blues scene throughout the ‘60s backing such artists as Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and Otis Rush.
While “A Human’s Prayer” is a mellow ballad, “Damper Down” is a seriously uptempo rocker. Produced by Andre Williams and Otis Hayes, this rollicking track is among the most intense, hard rocking recordings the Leaners ever released. Mighty Joe Young’s biting guitar is unrelenting, female background singers chant hypnotically, while midway through Monk Higgins rips a roaring tenor sax solo.
…Excerpted from SSR-35.3 The One-Derful! Collection: M-Pac Records liner notes, available on CD and in our Spotify Playlist: https://shorturl.at/djwCF
More back catalog for you today! Vic Pitts & The Cheaters were one of Milwaukee's most popular R&B bands in the 60s. They had their own TV show, played some of the best clubs, and backed big name acts. The Cheaters underwent numerous personnel changes over the years, with drummer and founder Vic Pitts being the only constant member throughout. When they formed in May 1966, they were one of the few mixed race bands in Milwaukee and were somewhat of a supergroup, featuring members from other popular local bands, and found success immediately.
Between ‘69 and ‘70 they recorded over a dozen songs with producer Andre Williams at Chess’ Ter-Mar Studio. Some tracks reveal their roots as James Brown fanatics, others relate the happening sounds of Sly & The Family Stone and Chicago’s first record. The tapes sat unheard until the 2014 release of “The Lost Tapes”
In ‘73 they toured Europe and Vic never came back. He lived out the rest of his life in Paris where he was a well loved performer. Though he is no longer with us, we are lucky to have gotten to know his son, Robin Pitts, who is a remarkably talented musician and vocalist keeping the funk alive in Switzerland. Check him out!
The preceding was excerpted from the liner notes to our 2014 release of The Lost Tapes. Vinyl available, streaming everywhere, included in our Spotify playlist (link below).
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3AmTgm5FeBkYsa5HOsEehQ?si=ce14884273ef4b57
No new release coming this week. We just wanted to take a few days to shine a light on some of our back catalog (featured on our Spotify Playlist). First up, our dear friend, the queen of MN Soul, the inimitable Ms Wanda Davis. Little did Wanda know when she cut her version of “Save Me” for a single on Project Soul Records in 1971, that her first (and for decades, only) release would go on to become one of the most sought-after records in the history of American Soul, fetching well over $1,000 from collectors worldwide.
In September of 2013, Wanda returned to the studio with the downright spooky “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” (a 100+ year old murder ballad made famous by Leadbelly). Backed by The Lakers (Sonny Knight’s backing band), Wanda proved that her vocals hadn’t lost any of their power in the ensuing decades - if anything, she had upped the soulful sultry quotient tenfold! In the years that followed Wanda performed live several times with Sonny and The Lakers including at SXSW in 2014.
Sadly, physical copies of her Secret Stash release have been long out of print, but they do pop up on the used market now and then. The good news is, Where Did You Sleep Last Night is available on all streaming platforms and can be foud on our Spotify playlist (link in bio).
Today Wanda lives in Texas with her wonderful husband, Sam (dude is the best!) and we are blessed to call them both friends.
Test pressings for the upcoming limited edition 7" just shipped. We'll hitcha with more details once they are approved. Fingers crossed first time's the charm!
In addition to backing Little Richard in the 50s, The World Famous Upsetters were host to one very special guitar player in the 60s. Jimi Hendrix played in the group on a 1964 tour supporting Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. Jimi also played with Little Richard, but after The Upsetters had split with Richard. Sound of Soul label head, August Moon (AKA Mr Wiggles), had a well established relationship with Jimi, even giving him a place to stay in ‘65 when he was fired by Little Richard. Moon always insisted that Jimi played on The Upsetters tracks he produced. Sadly no session logs exist to confirm this, but the dates of their whereabouts and personal connections make it very possible. It should be said, however, that band leader Grady Gaines did not recall Jimi on those sessions. He recalled Melvin Sparks playing lead guitar. One thing is for sure, whoever it was had an absolutely stunning sound!
Listen for yourself on Friday when "Cabbage Greens" by The World Famous Upsetters drops.
Never miss a new release by adding our Spotify Playlist to your library: https://shorturl.at/lmwxZ
Cabbage Greens by The World Famous Upsetters will be streaming everywhere Friday! Who were the Upsetters? They were the backing band for none other than Little Richard.
He started The Upsetters in ‘54 but parted ways with the group when he quit secular music in '58. After that they kept busy backing Dee Clark, Little Willie John, Sam Cooke, and L.C. Cooke. Eventually they became the house band for Universal Attractions in NYC, where they played with countless R&B legends.
It’s worth noting that they were not just a live band. They backed Little Richard and many others on hits throughout the 50s and 60s.
Cabbage Greens was produced by Sound of Soul Records owner, August Moon (AKA Mr Wiggles), on May 12, 1966 at Mirasound Studios on 145 West 47th St. in New York.
Ahead of Friday's Mr Wiggles release, we wanted to share a bit of his backstory and some thoughts on our decade together.
Posted on September 5, 2023September 5, 2023 by Eric FossMr. August Moon, A Legend Remembered On July 12, 2023 we lost our dear friend and collaborator, August Moon. What follows is a personal account from Secret Stash founder, Eric Foss… No need to sugar coat it one bit. When August Moon (or as h...
STREAMING EVERYWHERE FRIDAY!
From the early 1960s on and off through the 1980s, Richmond, VA native August Moon ran the Sound of Soul family of record labels, churning out a string of funky soulful singles that have become nothing short of legendary among collectors today. Though the label's roster included a bevy of serious talent, it was the records fronted by Moon himself under the stage name Mr Wiggles in the 60s and early 70s that truly defined Sound of Soul.
Sadly, we lost Moon last July. Though we've reissued some of his work over the years, after his passing we thought it important to pull together all of the Mr Wiggles material in one place for fans new and old to easily access, enjoy, and share.
Hey Y’all, it’s Sonny Knight’s birthday! He would have been 76 today. We're sharing some of the good times he gave us over on our Instagram Story fee. Pop over there for some smiles.
https://www.instagram.com/secret_stash_records/
Photo by Mike Madison
What a week! A few days ago we sent off the masters for our first new release in YEARS. For now all we can say is that it will be a hand numbered limited edition (250 units) 7" record available only through our website. Be the first to learn more and know when it is available by signing up for our email list.
Happy birthday, Sonny!
Miss yah.
Thanks for all the good times.
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Bull & The Matadors “The Funky Judge” b/w “Where Did The Judge Go” pre-orders ship on Friday! Save 20% when you pre-order, so prices go up on Friday. Limited edition, 250 unit hand numbered pressing. Learn a little more, see the finished record, and hear the previously unreleased side in this video. Only available at our website. Link in bio. #northernsoul #45rpm #recordcollecting #chicagosoul #soul #vinylrecords #limitededition #vinyl #bullandthematadors #7inchvinyl
After 56 years of sitting in the vault, Bull & The Matadors' "Where Did The Judge Go" is finally available! Pre-order your limited edition 7" now. Only 250 hand numbered copies available. When they're gone they're gone. Save 20% when you pre-order.
This is it! Our first physical release in YEARS! Bull & The Matadors “The Funky Judge” b/w “Where Did The Judge Go”. The A side hit #9 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1968. The B side is an unreleased follow-up they recorded later that year. Limited edition, 250 hand numbered copies, ONLY available at our website. Pre-orders open Friday. When they’re gone, they’re gone. Orders ship July 12. #45rpm #vinylrecords #soul #northernsoul #funk #chicagosoul
NOW STREAMING! Sebastian Williams was born Roger Williams in Norfolk, Virginia. His band the House Rockers backed him on his only release on Sound of Soul, “Too Much” b/w “Home Town Boy.” Sebastian also sang the baritone part on Mr. Wiggles’ song “Home Boy.” In addition, he recorded “Here Today And Gone Tomorrow,” for Mr Wiggles which sat unreleased for decades. The House Rockers also recorded “Wigglin’” (Parts I & II) under the name The Wigglin’ Men. Sebastian Williams died in 2005. Be sure to save our Spotify Playlist to your library so you never miss a new release! Link in bio.
Prepping some audio to send off for cutting and was just floored by this little break!!! #drumfill #basssolo #vinyl #mastering #drumbreak
Coming to streaming platforms soon. Might need to press this one up ‘eh? #funk #soul #45rpm
This stunning ballad by Patti LaBelle's late-60s backing band is now available on all streaming platforms. Never miss a new release by liking our Spotify playlist: https://shorturl.at/ADJNU
Streaming Friday: Nobody’s Child, “All My Friends Call Me A Fool” In the late 60s, Sound of Soul Records proprietor, August Moon, going by Dickie Diamond at the time, was booking bands from his new headquarters in Trenton, NJ. He eventually became the manager for Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles. When he needed a backing band for his new star attraction, he called on his longtime associate, Tyrone Thomas (AKA Little Tommy). Tyrone left his band, Brother Love, to form Nobody’s Children for the purpose of backing Patti and the Bluebelles. Geraldine Jones B/W All My Friends Call Me A Fool is the only record released by the group, though it’s credited as Nobody’s Child. Photo: Cover from Tyrone’s next project, the August Moon produced Tyrone Thomas And The Whole Darn Family #soul #pattilabelle #ballad
From a collaboration with William Bell in Muscle Shoals ("Old Uncle Tom is Dead") to an instrumental banger with Little Richard's band in NYC (K.P.) and an absolute Northern Soul classic (Leave Me Alone), we've got 3 new tracks hitting streaming services today. Head to our Spotify playlist to hear all 3 (https://shorturl.at/hsEZ5) and be sure to "like" the playlist to stay up to date with our weekly drops. #soul #northernsoul #muscleshoals #littlerichard #nowstreaming
NOW STREAMING Oscar Wright’s northern soul classic, “Fell In Love”! Give it a listen on your streaming service of choice, and don’t forget to like our Spotify playlist so you never miss a new release (link in bio). #northernsoul #soul #newmusicalert #newmusicfriday #soulmusic #augustmoon
NOW STREAMING Oscar Wright’s northern soul classic, “Fell In Love”! Give it a listen on your streaming service of choice, and don’t forget to like our Spotify playlist so you never miss a new release (link in bio). #northernsoul #soul #nowstreaming #soundofsoul #augustmoon
Speaking of Otis Clay, check out this clip of “Tired of Falling (In and Out of Love)” from @wutangonhulu (ep3.08). #soul #sample #hiphop #beats #hulu #wutang
Excerpted from the Otis Clay "Tired of Falling (In and Out of Love)" master tape. #otisclay #mastertape #onederfulrecords #chicagomusic #chicagosoul
Afro Funk’s Body Music LP was recorded and released in London, England in 1975. The one-off studio project was headed by producer Tyrone Patterson, a Jamaican living and working in London at the time. Patterson scored a hit in 1969 with his band The Cats and their Rocksteady version of the theme from Swan Lake. He would go on to work with Nigerian legend, Peter King, as well as Australian Prog Rocker Barrington Davis (Check out his Tracks of Mind LP!), and funky crooner Ray Pereira before the Afro Funk project. By the mid 70s London was host to a vibrant African and Caribbean music scene. The massive success of Osibisa created a swarm of young bands trying to use London as a launching pad for international stardom. Unfortunately, Patterson’s Afro Funk did not find the success he was looking for and Body Music became their only album. The deep funk grooves featured on this rare LP have made it a desired addition to record collections around the world. After its small private press release in London on “Kabana Records,” Body Music was also released in extremely limited quantities by Kojo Asare’s Chairman Records in Ghana. Despite the well crafted mix of various West-African and Carribean styles with American funk, without the support of a label and no major touring it quickly faded into obscurity. Original copies rarely surface, but in 2012 Secret Stash proudly presented the first ever reissue of this collectable piece of music history. While that’s long out of print, the album is available on streaming services everywhere and featured on our Spotify playlist (link in bio). Today Tyrone Patterson lives in rural Jamaica where he tunes pianos for a living. We still speak with Ty at least once a week and continue working together on new projects regularly. #funk #secretstashrecords #afrobeat #worldmusic #drumbreak
Look what the cat dragged in! Test pressings arrived yesterday and have been approved. We should probably go ahead and tell yah what’s on ‘em soon, eh?
Vic Pitts And The Cheaters "The Lost Tapes" ON SPOTIFY: https://shorturl.at/ckFSU #funk #soulmusic
God bless the fade out jam, am I right!? Working on more new music. Stay tuned. #soul #soulmusic #inthestudio #recordingstudio
Available on all streaming platforms Friday! Stay tuned this week to learn more about this incredible band (who you may already know but didn’t know you know if you know what we mean). As always you can add our Spotify playlist to your library so you never miss a new release. Link in bio. #funk #soul #rnb
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