You’re in for a treat! The Epitome of Sound’s 1967 debut single “You Don’t Love Me,” with its driving rhythm, swirling strings and stratospheric harmonies, quickly soared to hallowed status on the Northern Soul scene in the early ’70s. Issued on the fleeting Sandbag imprint, the record’s scarcity helped secure its prestige. As the scene and the industry matured, that rare plastic slab served as the source for numerous compilations and reissues.
Until now.
Working with composer and producer Robert Paladino, Light of Love Wax Co. was privileged to work with the original analog master tape. “In May 1967, I provided the two principals of Sandbag Records with the master tapes for ‘You Don’t Love Me’ and ‘Where Were You,’” Mr. Paladino explains. “Sandbag chose to remove the first four bars of the song’s intro, with a guitar figure that I played, and shortened the fade when they released the single.”
Light of Love Wax Co. is honored to release the full, previously unreleased master mix of The Epitome of Sound’s “You Don’t Love Me.” Mastered specifically for vinyl by Grammy®-award winning engineer Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering in Los Angeles from Robert Paladino’s analog master tape, the Light of Love Wax Co. pressing reinstates the four-bar guitar and string intro, as well as features the full, extended fade-out as created by original mix engineer Tony Bongiovi.
Paired with its original B-side, “Where Were You,” “You Don’t Love Me” is available as a limited edition pressing of 800. Issued in a custom tri-color sleeve evocative of the New Jersey state flag, the group’s home state, “You Don’t Love Me” is the latest release on Gloria Jones’ Light of Love Wax Co. imprint. Ms Jones set up the Light of Love Wax Co. as a vehicle to help support Music & Film schools in West Africa. Proceeds from every Light of Love Wax Co. sale helps support this cause.
