As Far Away From Northern As You Can Get

[Birder66]

I've been mildly obsessive about northern since about '95 (more on that in another thread) and over the last 14+ years I have made some horrendous errors of judgement on northern 45s (wasting £1000's), as well as buying some really beautiful 45s that will stay with me forever - or at least will end up melting with me as the curtain falls in the crematorium.....

But before that first moment, I was already heavily into Jamaican music ('60-80 era only) - and that love continues. In fact, it's my main musical passion. Before that, I had been pretty obsessive about a specific type of electronic music (between '89-91)......but my obsessive musical character started off on a completely different level circa '88 and I still (in 2009) collect records (both old and current) from these genres.......and it's probably much further away from northern than is good for you......the genre is "grindcore" (essentially, an extremely violent form of guitar music).

So come on then.....get your anoraks out and confess to those "other" types of music that get your juices flowing....

Edited June 11, 2009 by Birder66

[Guest ScooterNik]

I'm a big collector of modern ska, it has some resemblance to the the Northern Soul scene - hundreds, if not thousands, of small bands putting out limited releases that 99.9% of the time vanish without trace. Unlike the soul scene though, it is a truly worldwide sound, I've records from every continent except Antartica, though I suspect its only a matter of time til I find some from there too

Its also a damn sight cheaper than the soul scene with CDs generally costing me no more than two or three pounds, up to a tenner if its something I REALLY want.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

I collect everything, hold Soul and pre-1975 Jamaican music in equally high esteem and, depending on what day of the week you ask me , I probably like pre 1965 hillbilly, country, western swing and blues best of all.

Doesn't get much further away from Northern than "Denomination Blues" by Washington Phillips or "Back Up And Push" by Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers, I can tell you....

Edited June 12, 2009 by TONY ROUNCE

[ajb]

playing more modern soul just lately, from 70's up to brand new stuff. its like being a teenager all over again. loving it.

i'm also slowly getting into jazz more and more just lately, especially with a vocal on it. (any recommendations gladly received)

i'm also partial to a bit of country johnny cash, don williams,........

alan

[Markw]

I like all sorts of music, have always loved the Who, was there when punk hit in 1976 (me and some school friends are on the Sex Pistols documentary film "the Filth and the Fury") and listen to all sorts at home depending on my mood and what I'm doing. Both my sons are musicians - check out www.spider-kitten.com ; superb doom metal - and try Googling Dirty Revolutions; top drawer ska-punk.

[Djr]

I used to be much more obsessive about it, but in addition to soul and funk records, I also collect USA releases of UK mod / freakbeat / psych 45s. Now I just keep an eye out for the ones I don't have.

Also used to collect 50s thru 70s jazz 45s with a passion, but these days, it's only the small label stuff that really catches my attention.

[ZapatootheTiger]

I've always been well into Jamaican music (my first musical love and it will probably be my last), as well as many sub-genres of Soul from mostly the 60s, 70s and 80s - Northern, Southern, Disco, Funk, Disco, Philly, Motown, Stax, Disco etc. etc.

Always enjoyed Abba too.

However, the skeleton in my musical cupboard is surely my abiding and long-running affection for Cologne's Karneval Musik - ever since I first visited in February 1976 and 40-odd trips since. I love its pointlessness, joyfulness, the atmosphere it creates and the places I've danced to it in B)

Do I win £5?

... or DM 5?

...or 5?

Edited June 12, 2009 by ZapatootheTiger

[Guest dundeedavie]

i listen to a lot of Grind , exotica and Tittyshakers :-)

[Birder66]

i listen to a lot of Grind , exotica and Tittyshakers :-)

Grind....what are we talking?

Terrorizer? Repulsion? Assuck? Napalm Death?

Discordance Axis and Insect Warfare are this week's faves for me.

[Birder66]

I've always been well into Jamaican music (my first musical love and it will probably be my last), as well as many sub-genres of Soul from mostly the 60s, 70s and 80s - Northern, Southern, Disco, Funk, Disco, Philly, Motown, Stax, Disco etc. etc.

Always enjoyed Abba too.

However, the skeleton in my musical cupboard is surely my abiding and long-running affection for Cologne's Karneval Musik - ever since I first visited in February 1976 and 40-odd trips since. I love its pointlessness, joyfulness, the atmosphere it creates and the places I've danced to it in B)

Do I win £5?

... or DM 5?

...or 5?

Ha.....Eine kleine plink-plonk musik!! The closest I get to that is my Klaus Schulze albums and a bit of NEU!

[Birder66]

So far, it looks like I'm the only 'greaser'. That can;t be right - surely there's a few more "metallers" on here

[Guest dundeedavie]

Grind....what are we talking?

Terrorizer? Repulsion? Assuck? Napalm Death?

Discordance Axis and Insect Warfare are this week's faves for me.

50's twangy , sleazy and daownright filthy sounding .

though i do have a soft spot for Bodycount

[Britishbarry]

Although I have been into soul music since 1966 . I have always been interested in music of all kinds . Rock in the early 70'ts . Disco merging into Jazz Funk in the mid to late 70'ts and back to soul again . However during all of this time I have played the guitar and just love to make a noise playing along to Green Day , Led Zeppelin , ACDC , Santana , Cream , I could go on but you get the gist .

[bri pinch]

So far, it looks like I'm the only 'greaser'. That can;t be right - surely there's a few more "metallers" on here

ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF ALTERNATIVE/ MODERN/ MAINSTREAM ROCK. AS I TYPE GOT A CD ON INT BACKGROUND FEATURING GROUPS LIKE, ALICE IN CHAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, PAPA ROACH, CHEVELLE, METALLICA, ANBERLIN, STAIND, MERCY DRIVE, SHINEDOWN.....AMONGST OTHERS.

SOUNDS LIKE AN ADVERT FOR A K-TEL COMPILATION.

REGARDS, BRI PINCH.

BENTINCK, BACK ROOM, 19TH JUNE.

[Guest Trevski]

I collect everything, hold Soul and pre-1975 Jamaican music in equally high esteem and, depending on what day of the week you ask me , I probably like pre 1965 hillbilly, country, western swing and blues best of all.

Doesn't get much further away from Northern than "Denomination Blues" by Washington Phillips or "Back Up And Push" by Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers, I can tell you....

Actually Tony, I'd argue that it's not that far from Northern. Virtually unknown record, by a relatively unknown artist, small label, sold a handful, performed with a passion for the music by the artist. Sound familiar? probably the furthest from Northern is the likes of Elton John. Well known songs by a Worldwide artist, big Label, sold millions, devoid of any passion. Furthest away in my book!

[Baz Atkinson]

Got a good collection of lps from the late sixties to the cd era,most Bowie,Velvets,MC5,lots of interesting indie stuff and plenty of Rap also.It never got hold of me like collecting soul music has but lLOVE to keep in touch over the yearsWhen the weather gets out and it gets hot ,i like the top off the car blasting the ramones or black rebel motor cycle club.I love Nick Cave and Johnny Cash as well as the zippo label stuff and lots of washey guitar stuff like teenage fan club,Alex Chiltern etc!!

Not much going on 21st century wise if so Im missing something most of the indie bands are shite and make me puke there need educating imo,there come over so pathetic,i feel a bit priveledged to have grown up not only with the northern scene but also the pistols and the clash.

In the car at the momment I have the black keys,Ramones,Neil Young,THE VELVETS and the MC5 ,theres no better feeling than wind in the hair and listening to Kick out the Jams lol.

BAZ A

[pikeys dog]

The Stranglers

The Pogues

Rolling Stones thru to Exile On Main Street

And the odd bit of Exotica. (Arthur Lyman, Martin Denny etc...)

[Gasher]

there is no other kind of music

gman

[Guest dundeedavie]

as it's called " as far away from northern as it can get " i'm surprised no one has said they like Modern

[Birder66]

I collect everything, hold Soul and pre-1975 Jamaican music in equally high esteem and, depending on what day of the week you ask me , I probably like pre 1965 hillbilly, country, western swing and blues best of all.

Doesn't get much further away from Northern than "Denomination Blues" by Washington Phillips or "Back Up And Push" by Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers, I can tell you....

Got a CD comp of Washington Phillips - that tune is probably the best. I like his stuff because it was so heavily ripped off by one of my favourite bands, Spacemen 3 (listen to the track DRIVE). They use a lot of his instruments 'riffs'.

Now about to got to sleep listening to SLOWDIVE - killer shoegazer guitars.

[Birder66]

I like all sorts of music, have always loved the Who, was there when punk hit in 1976 (me and some school friends are on the Sex Pistols documentary film "the Filth and the Fury") and listen to all sorts at home depending on my mood and what I'm doing. Both my sons are musicians - check out www.spider-kitten.com ; superb doom metal - and try Googling Dirty Revolutions; top drawer ska-punk.

I'm a ska purist, so can't get on with ska-punk. But I love a bit of doom metal - so I've just been checking out spider kitten. Not too bad. I like my doom a bit more funereal than that (NORTT from Denmark, early CATHEDRAL), whereas this was more Electric Wizard - but that also means that it was high quality!! I used to live in Newport, once upon a time. You knowzit clart.

[Guest covmart]

Its all good - can't say that there is anything I don't like (Jazz, Big band and Rap not so much), though not obsessive about any one particular kind. I am obsessive about collecting records, of all genres, with small labels being the focus. I grew up on Rocksteady and Soul but the current bent is 60's Garage, 50's Rockabilly, Gospel and local (Georgia) Bluegrass.

[stewmac]

Its all good - can't say that there is anything I don't like (Jazz, Big band and Rap not so much), though not obsessive about any one particular kind. I am obsessive about collecting records, of all genres, with small labels being the focus. I grew up on Rocksteady and Soul but the current bent is 60's Garage, 50's Rockabilly, Gospel and local (Georgia) Bluegrass.

Been into Psychobilly & Rockabilly since the 80s and Soul since the late 90s ,cant get any further from Northern than Demented are Go song Pervy in the Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8deHCqxCBso

Although im sure a few people on here cld relate to this song

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

QUOTE (TONY ROUNCE @ Jun 12 09, 12:01 PM) I collect everything, hold Soul and pre-1975 Jamaican music in equally high esteem and, depending on what day of the week you ask me , I probably like pre 1965 hillbilly, country, western swing and blues best of all.

Doesn't get much further away from Northern than "Denomination Blues" by Washington Phillips or "Back Up And Push" by Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers, I can tell you....

Actually Tony, I'd argue that it's not that far from Northern. Virtually unknown record, by a relatively unknown artist, small label, sold a handful, performed with a passion for the music by the artist. Sound familiar? probably the furthest from Northern is the likes of Elton John. Well known songs by a Worldwide artist, big Label, sold millions, devoid of any passion. Furthest away in my book!

I thnk you and I are interpreting the term "furthest away from Northern" in two different ways, I'm coming from a "could hardly sound more different to Northern" perspective. And anyway, Gid Tanner was on RCA and Washington Phillips was on Columbia, so there goes your "small label" comparison. Tanner was on RCA for years, too, so he must have sold more than a "handful" of records.

Elton John was not on a big label when he started - he was on DJM. His first half a dozen albums overflow with passion and with truly great songs, and they still get regular play in this house. They're so good, in fact, that I can almost forgive him for his tribute to the Spencer woman, a record I aim to go to my grave without ever hearing.

I doubt if "Denomination Blues" would ever fill the floor at a Northern do, but I can think of quite a few by EJ that would if he was a relatively unknown artist whose records had only sold a handful, despite being performed with a passion...

[Pete S]

Elton John was not on a big label when he started - he was on DJM. His first half a dozen albums overflow with passion and with truly great songs, and they still get regular play in this house. They're so good, in fact, that I can almost forgive him for his tribute to the Spencer woman, a record I aim to go to my grave without ever hearing.

I doubt if "Denomination Blues" would ever fill the floor at a Northern do, but I can think of quite a few by EJ that would if he was a relatively unknown artist whose records had only sold a handful, despite being performed with a passion...

His first solo stuff was on Philips actually...

[Hermanthegerman]

Used to collect some Mod- revival and neo- garage stuff, but haven´t got the dosh to do so anymore due to all funds gone after buying one or two Soul 45´s nowadays...

[Guest isis]

Just looking at my cd's.... everything from Puccini to the Sex Pistols inc Pulp, Ramones, Culture Club, Take That, Clash, Blow Monkeys, Chopin, Prefab Sprout, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Prince, Smiths, Carol King, Iggy Pop, BAD, Elkie Brooks, Roy Orbison, etc etc...seems to be everything but C&W, the Beatles and folk.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

His first solo stuff was on Philips actually...

I know, and that's good, too..

...but it wasn't till DJM that anyone really took any notice. And the Philips 45s were licensed from DJM ("This" Productions) before Dick James started his label, so I'm still right, sort of...

[Guest Trevski]

playing more modern soul just lately, from 70's up to brand new stuff. its like being a teenager all over again. loving it.

i'm also slowly getting into jazz more and more just lately, especially with a vocal on it. (any recommendations gladly received)

i'm also partial to a bit of country johnny cash, don williams,........

alan

For Jazz with vocals you can't do much better than Chet Baker for the guys, and Blossom Dearie and June Christy for the girls, IMHO, that is!

[Britmusicsoulfan]

Hi All,

I'm fairly new to soul myself, coming of it by way of purchasing a large collection of 45s about 1.5 years ago with tons of amazing Northern Soul, soul, funk, crossovers, etc. I had things from The Temptations, Otis Redding, etc., but prior to this, I listened to loads of 80s/90s British Indie (James, Morrissey, The Smiths, Jesus & Mary Chain, Paul Weller, Milltown Brothers, Inspiral Carpets, Blur, Pulp, Ride, Housemartins, etc., etc.) and still do. I've always tried to listen to music from all sorts of genres.

After having my ears opened to all of the great 60s/70s soul out there, it's always interesting for me to go back and listen to all of my other music I have and be able to pick out the soul influences in the 80s/90s indie stuff!

Soul Source has been absolutely amazing. Everyone on here has been so inclusive and great about sharing information.

Thanks, everyone!

[Diggin' Dave]

I always try to be as unprejudiced as possible when it comes to music. I really think there's some good things in all forms of music. I just browsed through a small part of my record collection and encountered some jazz, jungle, hip-hop, delta blues, soul, garage, house, country, ambient, miami bass etc etc.

Of course I listen to soul music a lot, but I feel listening to different genres keeps the ears fresh and prevents me from becoming a jaded chinstroking 'connoisseur' of a certain genre that doesn't know anything about 99.9% of all good music out there.

[Guest]

Well for me as well as loving northern soul I love Ska Reggae funk british beat Psych I think alot of it's all linked.

[Guest]

I've been mildly obsessive about northern since about '95 (more on that in another thread) and over the last 14+ years I have made some horrendous errors of judgement on northern 45s (wasting ¯¿½1000's), as well as buying some really beautiful 45s that will stay with me forever - or at least will end up melting with me as the curtain falls in the crematorium.....

But before that first moment, I was already heavily into Jamaican music ('60-80 era only) - and that love continues. In fact, it's my main musical passion. Before that, I had been pretty obsessive about a specific type of electronic music (between '89-91)......but my obsessive musical character started off on a completely different level circa '88 and I still (in 2009) collect records (both old and current) from these genres.......and it's probably much further away from northern than is good for you......the genre is "grindcore" (essentially, an extremely violent form of guitar music).

So come on then.....get your anoraks out and confess to those "other" types of music that get your juices flowing....

Hi,

What's grindcore? can you give me some examples? I'm thinking speed metal / death metal ????

Curious..

Jayne.x

[Guest Beeks]

I have a penchant for early 80s american punk...a smattering of Hip-Hop...a whole spoonful of reggae....and i've even known to have a weeny pinch of Cajun music

[Guest]

Although I have been into soul music since 1966 . I have always been interested in music of all kinds . Rock in the early 70'ts . Disco merging into Jazz Funk in the mid to late 70'ts and back to soul again . However during all of this time I have played the guitar and just love to make a noise playing along to Green Day , Led Zeppelin , ACDC , Santana , Cream , I could go on but you get the gist .

with you on that.. (except the Green day bit) . Add metallica, MAIDEN and some classic rock and I'm a happy girl.

Not very happy today though, got terrible sunburn at Donnington (Download) festival yesterday but it was worth it to see my beloved Def Leppard and Whitesnake & to see ZZ Top for the first time.

Jayne.x

[Birder66]

Hi,

What's grindcore? can you give me some examples? I'm thinking speed metal / death metal ????

Curious..

Jayne.x

Think of speed/death metal as a 'diet' version of grindcore.....

I'm guessing you will have heard of Napalm Death - their second album is grindcore (and one of the best grind LP's ever released). Extremely fast blast beat drumming, fuzzy distorted bass guitar, wasp in a beer can guitars and screamingeyespoppingout vokillz. My personal favourites are Repulsion (from America - only LP "Horrified", 1987), Terrorizer (from America - only LP "World Downfall", 1989) and Assuck (From America - various ep's '89-92).

I am also a collector of the first wave of Nordic black metal and the current crop of black metal from eastern Europe!!

[arnie j]

although rare soul will always be my first love, i have a massive interest in 2tone,and im a huge fan of portishead(watch their live in new york dvd,its amazing) same goes for ELBOW LIVE AT ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS,kings of leon(saw them twice) the beatles, radiohead,elvis, roy orbison,kinks,stones and loads more besides,am also liking a lot of the funk stuff posted on here

[Guest]

Think of speed/death metal as a 'diet' version of grindcore.....

I'm guessing you will have heard of Napalm Death - their second album is grindcore (and one of the best grind LP's ever released). Extremely fast blast beat drumming, fuzzy distorted bass guitar, wasp in a beer can guitars and screamingeyespoppingout vokillz. My personal favourites are Repulsion (from America - only LP "Horrified", 1987), Terrorizer (from America - only LP "World Downfall", 1989) and Assuck (From America - various ep's '89-92).

I am also a collector of the first wave of Nordic black metal and the current crop of black metal from eastern Europe!!

Ah, thanks for that, I'm with you now. I was thinking Napalm death. The other stuff you mention sounds like some of my old Roadrunner LP's! or the stuff they put out in the 80's on Music For Nations.

I could never really get on with anything heavier than early megadeath / metallica / Slayer. My brother ran a pub in Manchester until recently that's big on the heavy side of metal and it's still got a massive following, loads of growlin' goin on. (Try Incassum's new album)

We think we've gone OTT with the sub-genre's given to what is all soul music, It's no different in rock / metal circles. Doom / Death / Thrash/ Speed/ Black/ White / Soft/ Classic / Heavy / industrial/ and now I add grindcore to my list!.

Nordic black metal? are they the guys who were always in Kerrang in the 80's for burning down churches??. Forget what that very odd vocalist was called now, I'm sure he went on trial for arson.. (can't remember now)

Thanks

Jayne.x

Edited June 15, 2009 by Miss BurySoul

[Birder66]

Nordic black metal? are they the guys who were always in Kerrang in the 80's for burning down churches??. Forget what that very odd vocalist was called now, I'm sure he went on trial for arson.. (can't remember now)

erm...yes. That's them. They burnt down the nordic equivalent of York Minster, Durham Cathedral etc Not that I condone what they did - it's just that the music has got a lot of very powerful energy (if you like that sort of thing). One of the high profile bands at the time had the slight problem that the vocalist blew his brains out and then the sesion bassist hacked the main songwriter/guitarist to death. Great debut album though! At the time, I used to write to a lot of these bands and so I've got shoe boxes full of C90's of rehearsals and demo tapes from all over the world. There's a lot of good death metal bands in Chile....

Edited June 15, 2009 by Birder66

[Guest ScooterNik]

I like all sorts of music, have always loved the Who, was there when punk hit in 1976 (me and some school friends are on the Sex Pistols documentary film "the Filth and the Fury") and listen to all sorts at home depending on my mood and what I'm doing. Both my sons are musicians - check out www.spider-kitten.com ; superb doom metal - and try Googling Dirty Revolutions; top drawer ska-punk.

Cracking call, their Do The Dog 'Things Are Going To Get Dirty' EP - especially "I Love Reggae" - has been hammered to death in the FB household ever since I picked it up. Also recommended on a similar vein are Wigans "The John Player Specials" (also on Do The Dog). Pick up their "Identification" EP for good solid non punk influenced ska.

[Soulfuljules]

I've always liked mod-related styles, black&white r&b, freakbeat and psych, a bit of early reggae, funk, modern soul and disco, some power pop as well as some 60's-70's rock bands (Love, The stooges, CCR, Grand Funk etc), but over the past 2 years i've been seriously hooked on jazz, especially Chet Baker from the mid 50's till his later productions in the 80's.

Both his singing and his trumpet playing are wonderful and in some ways very very soulful.

[Guest]

erm...yes. That's them. They burnt down the nordic equivalent of York Minster, Durham Cathedral etc Not that I condone what they did - it's just that the music has got a lot of very powerful energy (if you like that sort of thing). One of the high profile bands at the time had the slight problem that the vocalist blew his brains out and then the sesion bassist hacked the main songwriter/guitarist to death. Great debut album though! At the time, I used to write to a lot of these bands and so I've got shoe boxes full of C90's of rehearsals and demo tapes from all over the world. There's a lot of good death metal bands in Chile....

Ah yes, I remember. I don't mean to sound a bit simple (again! ) but how did you write the bands all over the world back then? (I'm guessing through record labels?)

maybe some of your old demo's might be worth something. Sorry for all the q's.. just curious.

Thanks

Jayne.x

[Ernie Andrews]

As far away from Northern!

Pink Fairies - I regularly play Pink Fairies cds in the car- Favourite tracks are " I wish I was a girl" or "Street Urchin" and favourite instrumental by the band is "Raceway" and of course favourite single was "The Snake"

I am also mad on and have been for 40 years the following bands : Stray , Todd Rundgren & utopia. Amon Dull 2, The Pretty things,

King Crimson, Brand X, The Move, Bruford, Bad English(hey girl havnt you heard -heaven is a four letter word", The Quick(brilliant Scottish band), It Bites and Francis Dunnery as a soloist. Skyhooks(Aussie band) and my fav Heavy metal band: Montrose.

When I was young and in a Heavy metal band we practised a lot playing Tainted love to a real metal riff. I thought it was brilliant but I was outvoted to record it and then months later Soft cell have their number 1 !

[Birder66]

Ah yes, I remember. I don't mean to sound a bit simple (again! ) but how did you write the bands all over the world back then? (I'm guessing through record labels?)

maybe some of your old demo's might be worth something. Sorry for all the q's.. just curious.

Thanks

Jayne.x

Ha! not many bands were signed to labels at that stage - but there was a great netwrok of underground tape traders and fanzines. I had shed loads of tapes coming in each week, each envelope containing flyers advertising demos and rehearsals. That's how it was done until the boom of small record labels (and the massive reduction in band quality) circa 91. I've still got a bunch of flyers and fanzines.