A long pot

I can often be found bouncing around tInternet like a cue ball that’s been given a good tonking by Ronnie O’Sullivan. This week, as I careered from cushion to cushion (or should that be url to url) desperately trying to work out where the side should be taking me, I bumped into a couple of references to the Pockets “Come Go With Me”. Seems this is getting some fresh action on the Modern scene, here in the UK at least, and it’s in demand - watch it go and all that.

Some of us remember when this was a new release. As you can see from the label scan that was, again in the UK at least, late in 1977. Verdine White and Kalimba Productions in the credits give it away that Earth, Wind & Fire had a lot to do with this single, and the Pockets first two LPs. They hailed from Baltimore and lasted, in recorded form at least, a mere three years and three albums.

Why did I write on my labels then? I must have been mad! I can come up with reasons, but they sound pretty lame.

Along with three school friends we ran a mobile disco and we used to pool our records, hence my name on the label. But they were friends of mine - didn’t I trust them?

Then there is the word “fades”. I guess that was me trying to be a DJ, but hell, most records fade. Why didn’t I just accept “fade” was a default and write “sudden” or “stop” on those that had that particular type of ending that all DJs, back then, hated. Thankfully my penchant for writing on labels didn’t last long, I graduated to writing similar information on sticky labels (peelable, thankfully), and then eventually gave up the whole stupid habit altogether.

As for the date that was the anorak in me coming out, but at least that now serves some purpose and tells me the exact date I bought the record, and I kind of like knowing that. Of course my memory would have put it a bit earlier, in the summer. But that’s a common trick of the memory – the sun is always shining in fond memories, and if the sun is shining it must be summer.

I do remember clearly where I first heard this record, prompting me to buy it. It was on Robbie Vincent’s Radio London Saturday soul show. I should qualify that statement. I clearly remember it, as opposed to clearly hearing it, but it must have been a clear day when I heard it. This was of course before the Internet and DAB radio had been invented, even FM hadn’t been around that long. Robbie Vincent’s show was broadcast on good old MW/AM and Radio London’s broadcast catchment area was, well, London only I guess. Nevertheless, I was listening to Robbie’s show some 120 miles west of London so hearing it all was something of a feat. I couldn’t pick it up every week but with good weather and a following wind sometimes I would be lucky and the show would come through, just. Returning to my dodgy snooker metaphors - rather like that elusive long pot into the corner pocket (ouch!).

Pockets – Come Go With Me 1977

You can buy Pockets "Golden Classics" here