SIXTIES

The manager of a white rock group called the Decisions who wanted to release a record contacted Dave and, ever open to new ideas, ‘Tears Tears’ / ‘Don’t You Know It’s Love’ became Topper’s fourth release. It is now a revered collectors’ item for fans of that style of music. Though of no immediate interest here it shows how Dave would give any music a chance both from an esoteric and financial point of view. (Darrell claims that Dave’s favourite TV programme was actually the Grand Ole Opry!). The studios did a lot of work for radio advertising, made jingles and recorded many gospel groups there; all good business to keep Dave’s own music going and to pay the bills.

Dottie Haynes and Millie Weaver were two girls who hung around the studios, often providing backing vocals on the recordings. They also cut a very good record for Dave entitled ‘Nothing In This World’ and ‘Talking ‘Bout My Baby’. The backing track of the A-side also turned up on a Chicago recording by Monique on Maurci Records called ‘Never Let Me Go’.

Topper’s last release, Tobi Lark’s ‘Challenge My Love’, also had its music ‘borrowed’ for another Monique Maurci release called ‘If You Love Me’. Neither Dave nor Darrell could explain this phenomenon so we’ll just put it down to the darker side of the record business.

Darrell finally got to work with Tobi, whom he greatly admired, on the B-side of ‘Challenge My Love’, the oddly-named yet captivating ‘Sweep It Out In The Shed’. The backing track on this one was also re-used to good advantage, but this time by Dave himself.

Topper produced some first rate records but saw little success. Darrell’s explanation was that radio play in Detroit was heavily influenced by Motown in the form of Berry Gordy’s sisters who plugged records for their company. Obviously the radio stations didn’t want to upset the #1 source of soul music in the whole country, so they went along with them. Topper had to cultivate other markets and DJ Donny Simpson was particularly helpful in the Pittsburgh area, where he also worked part-time on promotions. Darrell took time to develop the Arkansas market, amongst others, but he wasn’t an expert at that kind of work and lack of sales in the Detroit catchment area proved fatal. The last Topper release was in 1966.

Continued