Grumpy Soul Take Over Culcheth May 3rd

Two rooms of Soulful Delights...

10 of the very best djs there are, RIGHT HERE!. A proper festival of soul across the board covering a variety of venues from previous decades, all done with eclectic taste, and attention to detail when it comes to getting the floor moving with frantic feet....still some very athletic sixtysomethings in attendance here...music to keep the mind, body and spirit alive!️️️️️

It's gonna be awesome

Can't wait for the next installment of Grumpy's! Will be great to welcome George back too, I know he's really looking forward to it. Expect the usual mix of rarities, one-offs, and classics, but above all expect quality and madness (oh, and a cat) 

Quality tunes all the way, all night from start to finish

We try hard to get guests with great records but who you tend not to hear much in the NW. As Joan says then, we're dead chuffed to have lured the legendary George Sharp back behind the decks. George has been a rock solid supporter of GS from the get go; more importantly, he is one of the people whose playlists had a real impact and influence on us all those years ago. 

Promises to be another really good night and it's a bank holiday too of course 

Phil T said...We try hard to get guests with great records but who you tend not to hear much in the NW. As Joan says then, we're dead chuffed to have lured the legendary George Sharp back behind the decks. George has been a rock solid supporter of GS from the get go; more importantly, he is one of the people whose playlists had a real impact and influence on us all those years ago...

A perfect introduction and on that basis here's a bit of a 'Bio' for George and his background on the Rare Soul scene... 

George Sharp - Getting into Northern Soul and its sub-culture

Like many at the time, George was an early developer on the Northern Soul scene and started buying Northern Soul records whilst still at school in 1975 and although he was banned from attending all-nighters by parents he visited Leeds Central soul club in the mid70s while still at school but then finally, there was the life changing visit to Wigan Casino late 1977, saying he’d ‘slept at a friends house ! The national hysteria and popularity of 1975 had gone but surprisingly Wigan was full on Northern Soul! George will always remember walking in for the very first time to a heaving, buzzing sweat box with 100s of like-minded souls clapping in time to amazing records you’d never heard before. A moment that changed the direction of his life and creating a lifelong bond with Northern Soul music and its sub-culture.

George’s first DJ spots (sets) came in 1979 with his first DJ opportunities kindly facilitated by Gary Hepworth. Bradford Ice Rink basement and Jaspers Country Club (York) mid-week soul night where he played current Wigan sounds (ones that were affordable!) 
The 1980s brought new directions, the 1980s saw more division between total modern soul and a thought was pushed that progressive 60s northern soul was finished and only a handful  dissented, with the likes of Guy Hennigan, Dave Withers, possibly Butch and George among them.

After Wigan closed, George ran a soul night at the old Bettys Tea Rooms in Bradford, a medium success where the likes of Barry Waddington & Guy Hennigan were guests. Following this he was given regular DJ work by Steve Croft at his first incarnation at Queens Hall Bradford and then at Benson’s Bradford All-Nighters and All-Dayers. Then came the game changer; the Stafford residency! George will always be grateful to Dave Thorley for agreeing to include him in the permanent DJ roster at Stafford ‘Top of the World’ after Dave Withers retired from DJing and a mini ‘shake up’ too place. Guy and Keb were added and George was assigned to play along Gary Rushbrooke. 

Over the years, obtaining new, rare 60s records became more and more difficult, expensive and extremely competitive! But more DJ slots with regular DJing at Stafford and Warrington Parr Hall, really helped and from then on more and more opportunities came along, including Stafford Top of the World permanent roster, Warrington Parr Hall permanent roster, Bensons Bradford permanent roster, Tony’s Empress (Guy & Ion promoters) permanent roster, 100 club, various gigs in Scotland, Rudy’s Scarborough, Blue Note Derby, Bank Hall Miners, Clouds Preston, Notts Palais, Various West Midlands (for Alan Johnson promoter), Whitchurch Civic Centre, Blackpool Pier, Mansfield Swan … & others.

George’s music style in the 80s music style tended to be progressive, relatively unknown Northern Soul, played alongside rare original label Northern sounds, many late Wigan Era. These days, while less progressive, his musical tastes include some classics, some rare, some not so rare from all the important eras Wheel, Torch, Mecca, Wigan, Stafford, Tony's and onwards… but includes everything from full on up-tempo to beat ballads. Influenced by the era of Late Wigan, Stafford, 100 club Tony’s Empress, perfect for the ‘GRUMPY SOUL' ethos, creating a set with mixture of nostalgia and freshness.
 

Love a rare record n all that but  ... ... the late, great Jim Wensiora's 'Sapphires'  

17 hours ago, Philt said:

Love a rare record n all that but  ... ... the late, great Jim Wensiora's 'Sapphires'  

 

Very fitting Phil 

17 hours ago, Philt said:

Might blow the dust of this while I'm at it

 

Oooh now then... TUNA! 

1 hour ago, Jumpinjoan said:

Without doubt it's going to be a very emotional night, with loads of records played in memory of Kev Murphy. Hope Phil plays this, always makes me think of Kev x

 

100% Joan! Kev all the way and everyone will want to pay their own tributes to a really special bloke for sure. I can picture him dancing to this so it'll definitely be coming along for the ride ... 

Another QUALITY tunes, that'll be gettin' an airing on Saturday

5 hours ago, BazM said:

Another QUALITY tunes, that'll be gettin' an airing on Saturday

 

Love to hear the flip too Baz. Unadulterated Detroit filth!