Rare 1960s Doo Wop 45 Record THE NOBLETONES

$

41

Times Square Records was the first label truly devoted to doo-wop. With fifty odd singles released between 1961 and 1964, Times Square spearheaded the R&B group harmony revival of the early sixties and directly inspired the Relic, Lost Nite, and Candlelite labels also specializing in doo-wop reissues. The first two releases on Times Square were "(Here) In My Heart" by the Timetones and the Summits' "Go Back Where You Came From," two original songs issued in 1961 which were far superior to many records actually produced in the fifties.

The story of the Times Square label is linked with that of the Times Square Record Shop, that legendary purveyor of oldies located in the heart of Times Square, Broadway and 42nd Street. Under the wise ownership of Irving "Slim" Rose, the subway arcade shop influenced radio play and record sales nationwide in the early sixties. To comprehend the Times Square label and its colorful origins, let's go back to the fall of '59.

One pleasant Sunday noon in late September, 1959 a casual visitor to Times Square would have wondered why hundreds of black leather jacketed teenage boys impatiently lingered on the stairs which led to a small record shop and to the subway below. A tall, extremely thin, bespectacled middle-aged man with a perpetually tired look ambled over from Grant's Lunch counter across the street to his tiny shop. Irv "Slim" Rose was about to become a believer in the power of AM radio. Encouraged by Slim's part-time clerk, sixteen-year old Jerry Greene, popular deejay Alan Fredericks had played several out-of-the-ordinary R&B group harmony records from the mid-fities on his WHOM Saturday night "Night Train" show. He had mentioned a few times that the Times Square Record Shop was almost exclusively devoted to oldies by vocal groups. The Doo-wop (although nobody used that phrase in those days) Era had begun.

As word quickly spread and more and more eager listeners hungry for group harmony sounds tuned into Fredericks and became regular customers at the Times Square Shop, Rose was faced with dwindling supplies and mounting demand for hard-to-find and out-of-print 45s (albums were just not "collectible" in the early sixties). Aided by Jerry Greene, who, (according to his account) persuaded Slim to stop selling costume jewelry and concentrate on records instead, Rose managed to have various group harmony 45s repressed in small quantities, often for his store's exclusive use, at least for a short period.

Since the doo-wop sound was still current in New York City in the early sixties, it was possible for some 45s specifically reissued at Slim's behest to receive much wider airplay as new singles since they were not national hits (or, in many cases, even known) on first release. For example, four of Slim's young employees bought the master of the Capris'"There's a Moon Out Tonight" for $200 from the defunct Planet label. The Shells' "Baby Oh Baby," the Chanters' "No, No, No," and, notably, the Edsels' doo?wop classic, "Rama Lama Ding Dong, all began their long ascent of the national charts from that lowly subway arcade.

This 45 RPM record features The Nobletones singing Who Cares About Love and Calypso Baby on Times Square record number 18. This record is in good condition with normal wear. Buyer will include $3 for shipping. I will combine items to save shipping money. I will also ship internationally. Thanks!