Once I had found me a collection containing "Think About It", "James Brown's Funky People Pt 1", I wanted more.

I searched every record store in town, and I asked them to order CD's. No luck. All I got was another JBFP collection containing another two Lyn Collins tracks, making my total collection of Lyn Collins songs a whopping six-some.

A while later Patra released her dancehall version of "Think About It" with the female preacher herself on guest vocals. Still no Lyn Collins album in sight...

On one of my yearly trips to London I entered a small record shop in Soho called Soul Jazz (nowadays it is known as Sounds of the Universe). As ususal I headed for C. In a state somewhere between shock and exstasy I saw two, yes two, LP's by Mrs Collins. I soon realized that I didn't have any money, and that the store didn't accept traveller's cheques (this was my pre-VISA days). I cannot to this day understand why I didn't ask them to hold the LP's for me. Well, I didn't. Big mistake. My mistake. I left to cash enough traveller's cheques to buy the two shining black discs.

When I returned one of the LP's had been sold. Just my luck. I was happy anyway. One Lyn Collins LP is better than none. The album was "Female Preacher", a Famous Flame Records release. I have later found out that this is an unofficial release. A bootleg. (Thanks to Harry Weinger for this information.)

Sure, I already had five out of ten tracks, but for 19 pounds I thought it was a steal. I guess I don't have to give you my review. It is pure brilliance. This is 70's JB funk at it's best. So be it a bootleg. It is still a brilliant album.

Late spring 1997, I happened to run across another LP by Mrs Collins in Hawai'i. I lived in Hawai'i for a year and I bought a lot of CD's at a great shop called Radio Free Music Center. I had probably gone through all of their soul and jazz albums at least twice, but no luck finding any Lyn Collins albums. One day I was browsing the new releases vinyl bin and came across a bunch of rereleased JB's albums. I started to get excited, maybe there was a chance of a Lyn Collins album! And to my happiness there was! My second Lyn Collins album, "Think (about it)". I almost went through the roof when I saw the price tag 12.99 (that's american dollars, imagine that!).

The album is a People Records release, and I dare say that it's even better than the "Female Preacher" bootleg album. This album should still be available, at least in the US, and combined with the two JBFP collections available on CD you'll be able to make a nice Lyn Collins tape.

The following is a story sent to me by Shawn Busby, and tells of his encounter with a Lyn Collins record. Here goes:

"I am a fellow fan of the tremendous voice of the female preacher. Recently (2 months ago) I moved to San Francisco, and was recently touring around Amoeba records (Rolling Stone, Feb '98- "possibly the best record store in America") when low and behold I ran into 7 copies (all brand new, unopened) of a Lyn Collins record you do not have listed on your site. I was impressed to see this and tried to ask who the genius was who made this intelligent decision, but the goons working at the time had never heard of Lyn before that moment. Somebody there knows something, but I did not find out who. So I wasn't able to find out if this is, as I suspect, part of a Lyn re-release revival of some sort. It was at this record store a month ago that I found my first Lyn album, a brand new, unopened, Think (about it.)"
- Shawn Busby, March 1998.

There is still nothing confirmed when it comes to Lyn Collins material on CD. According to Harry Weinger at Polydor they would like to put out a singles compilation. This will probably happen if the "James Brown's Original Funky Divas" sells well.

Anyway. Early July 1999, once again in London, I finally found me a copy of "Check Me Out If You Don't Know Me By Now" - the second official Lyn Collins release. The version I found is the UK reissue, released on Urban Records in 1988. The album is not as good as "Think (About It)", but it's still worth spending your hard earned cash on.

Come early 2000 and yet another trip to London and Sounds of the Universe. Once again I find Lyn Collins heaven. A whole lot of pounds later I find myself outside the shop with four seven inch singles with songs featuring Lyn Collins.

Patrik Hamberg