Funky16Corners Blog v.3.0 b/w Pat Lewis – Look At What I Almost Missed

By , January 24, 2010 9:08 pm

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The Soulful Miss Pat Lewis

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Listen/Download – Pat Lewis – Look At What I Almost Missed

Greetings all. And welcome to the new digs
Surprised?
Me too…
Here’s the deal, in the shortest form possible at the moment.
The Funky16Corners Blog has been in business for just over five years (business being a term used in the loosest way…).
Things got started over at Blogger, and after two years, thanks to Blogger’s dismal tech issues, I moved over to WordPress, where I remained until just about now.
Last week, a couple of blogging friends were shut down by the powers that be at WordPress with no warning, and – adding insult to injury – no explanation.
Neither of the blogs in question were ‘outlaw’, at least in the sense that they were not de fact file sharing repositories, where people rip commercially available CDs and upload the entire thing for download.
These blogs were along the lines of what you see here. Interesting, obscure tracks, offered with commentary and historical background, engineered so that the readers (that’s you) develop a taste for the sounds in question, and then head out into the real world to purchase it on your own, i.e. educational. Certainly, not everyone follows these guidelines as much as the next guy. Some folks pop by, listen to the track in their browser and then mosey along. Others, those not inclined to fill their house with mountains of vinyl, collect and listen to the files on the MP3 delivery device of their choice, and since the vast majority of what gets posted in this space is unavailable any other way, that’s cool too.
The bottom line is, that I have, and will continue to put my heart and soul (no pun intended, but it works, so…) into this enterprise, and I don’t want some cowardly technocrat to destroy it all with the push of a button, without any kind of due process (that being the main issue).
It’s not like WordPress (or any other free blogging service) is getting complaints and then approaching the blogger in question, investigating the situation and then making a determination. They are summarily pulling the plug because “terms of service” have been violated. I do know one blogger that was able to come back from such an outage, but their experience is an exception.
I understand that they have the right to do this, I just think it’s an unfair, shitty way to do business.
As a result, I made the decision to install the WordPress software (related to, but separate from the blogging service) on my own web space (which I have maintained for years in order to store the files and pics I post on my blogs, the content for the webzine and the podcast archives) and relocate the Funky16Corners blog to a new URL. You’ll still be able to reach it by using www.funky16corners.com, but if you’ve been using the https://funky16corners.wordpress.com , I’d ask that you update your links (especially if you have us on the blogroll at your own blog or website) and henceforth proceed to:

https://funky16corners.lunarpages.net

That is the new home of the Funky16Corners blog (though you can change the link to www.funky16corners.com and that’ll work just as well).
You might notice that the look of the blog has changed. When I switched to my own set up, I was unable to keep the blogging template I was using at WordPress, so I had to do a little investigation and find a template that I was happy with design-wise, and that would allow me to use my own banner. The new template (Panorama) includes rotating banner images (which is why the banner may change each time you return to the blog).
The links for the Podcast Archive, Guest Mix Archive, Pre-Wordpress Archive and regular archived posts (more on that in a moment) appear in tabs at the top of the blog, along the bottom of the banner, as well as the familiar sidebar links.
The blogroll still appears on the right side of the blog.
When I moved from Blogger to WordPress, I created an archive of all the old posts. I wanted to import the entire WordPress version of the blog (posts, links, archives and all) in order to create as close to a seamless transition as possible. Without getting too technical, the export/import file from the old blog was (thanks to more than three years of content) far too large to move in one piece, so I had to rebuild. I did move all posts for the last two months into the main page of the blog. All previous posts will be moved (in one-month increments) into the ‘Archived Posts’ link in the header. It’s not as convenient as I would have liked, but It does preserve the old material.
Hopefully, the new look won’t prove too daunting, and your eyes and brains will adjust accordingly over the coming weeks.
As far as commenting, the link to comment is on the top, right hand side of each post.
The overall layout of the new template is a little bit wider, but I think it’s readable. Same basic white background, same typestyle.
That said, I hope you’ll take the time to follow Funky16Corners to its new home.

If you blog, or run a website, please update your links.
It would be greatly appreciated.
And now, how about some soul?
The 45 I bring you today is one that I chased for years and years, generally being outbid at every turn. It’s not a super-expensive record, but it doesn’t usually go for cheap, so when I saw a, how do you say “distressed” looking copy, graded at VG+ (and starting at ten bucks) I figured I’d take a chance. I ended up getting it at the starting bid, and basically kept my fingers crossed that it would be playable when it fell through the mail slot. Smart bunch that you are, you’ve already figured out that it was.
I have to say, that in all my years of digging, this 45 may have the highest level of sonic satisfaction, when balanced against the visual condition of the record itself. There’s some crackle there, but not enough to ruin a great record.
The record in question is Pat Lewis’s storming 1966 version of ‘Look At What I Almost Missed’.
If the song sounds familiar, it’s because the tune’s author George Clinton re-did it with the mighty Parliaments a few years later on the Revilot label.
Lewis’s version (the OG as far as I can tell) was the first 45 released on Detroit’s storied Solid Hit label. Lewis had four 45s (a full third of the label’s discography) released on Solid Hit in the label’s short, two year history, one of which is the ultra-rare, ultra-amazing ‘No One To Love’.
‘Look at What I Almost Missed’ is a dynamite bit of Northern Soul, with a snappy guitar opening, magical Motor City sound and best of all, a great vocal by Lewis herself.
Lewis, who recorded numerous backing vocals for Motown as part of the Andantes, and can be heard as one of the female voices on Isaac Haye’s ‘Hot Buttered Soul’, also recorded one 45 for Golden World.
That said, I hope you dig the sounds, and that you’ll stick with the Funky16Corners blog.

PS – Funky16Corners at Master Groove, @ Forbidden City, NYC Wed 1/27
Be there, or be somewhere less entertaining…

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Peace

Larry

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Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

 

PS Head over to Iron Leg for a new psychedelic mix.

PSS Check out Paperback Rider too.

PSSS Don’t forget to hit up Funky16Corners on Facebook

You can also follow Funky16Corners on Twitter

14 Responses to “Funky16Corners Blog v.3.0 b/w Pat Lewis – Look At What I Almost Missed”

  1. whiteray says:

    Congrats on your own space, Larry! I may do the same thing soon.

  2. Donna says:

    Hi, I saw your comments on the ASCOTS from Providence RI.
    Actually they all where from Barrington Rhode Island
    I dated one for some time.
    Peter Mayhew , Mark Vinbury are in Bristol R.I, Ted Medberry is in Ca. and his brother Vinny passed away some time ago.
    This tickeled me to see this on line.
    Thanks for the memories. I would love to hear their songs again.
    Donna

  3. Donna says:

    Not sure where Rick is from the Ascots.

  4. Bruce Warren says:

    Larry – Congrats! New look, but same crates of hot stuff!

  5. alejandro says:

    I like the move! Link updated. Great song too to get things started.

  6. gswisher says:

    I’m with you, keep up the good work

  7. AMD says:

    As one of the deleted blogs, I’m glad to know you’ve gone independent.

    In WP’s defence, they did respond to me, and sounded reasonable enough, basically saying: “Look, we know it pisses you off, but we’ve got to cover our own backsides here, so sorry but you now how it is.” And, unlike Blogger, they do not delete the whole blog without warning, so you can back up your stuff and export it.

    Well done on finding a great theme; I’m still looking for one that does everything I want.

    Oh, and GREAT song!

  8. JazzyPier says:

    We was shuted off in august 2009…it’s an old story..WP is a shame in the blogosphere…Long life to F16C!!!!

  9. brianbrora says:

    Not having to depend on a blogging service provider will be much better, I’m sure. Best of luck and good wishes.

  10. Stu says:

    Looking good, Larry!

    Man – I don’t know what I would do if the F16C just up and diappeared!

  11. Larry Grogan says:

    I don’t know what I’d do either, Stu. 🙂

  12. Gail says:

    Great work Larry! And what a track to start your new site with – Pat Lewis – another soul sister completely under-rated IMHO. Long live F16C!

  13. Love the new look!!

    I’ve updated links as well

    Keep on keepin’ on

    Mr Double Down

  14. TG Chicago says:

    Sorry you had to deal with the hassle of switching things up, but I’m glad the move seems to be going relatively headache-free (at least, from this follower’s perspective it is). Keep up the amazing work!!

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