Just Showing Off?

[Guest]

hello,

although i appreciate your effort to come up with questions regarding my person,

i really do not want to spend any more time to discuss this.

and i can assure you, i've got nothing to hide and never had to.

since i am a person who is constantly in the public, people talk.

there obviously are a lot of rumours and most people just rather listen to those instead of contacting me in person. (still dan@soul.de.com)

"neither did the German nor the Japanese Soul Scene need at any place in time any kind of "eductaion" or initial push forward thru Dan or any other person.

Rare Soul was in Germany (and of course Japan) more then 15 years before Dan started his own events or even found his interest for the music in general. "

[Guest Richard Bergman]

Hello everyone,

I found this DJ profile on a german website and found most of the things he said about dos in Germany where heavily exaggerated, very close to merely wrong, so I thought it would be nice to know how much is true about what he writes about his time in London. If he's telling the truth, at least every Londoner should know the guy! Just being curious, it migth be interessting. Tell me what you think about it, any comments welcome. ( translated the article into englishfor better reading comfort.) Have fun!

Dan D., born in Germany, spent a lot of time abroad in recent years, espiacially in the city of his choice, London. He stands behind the turntables since 1988 and even before DAN D. moved to London he had organised some of the biggest Soul-events in Germany.

He then successfully continued his carreer in England. Through bookings on Soul parties, he first made important contacts to start off the "Darker than Blue" - events. Under this name he was able to book some famous and popular DJs from London's Soul Scene for his own parties. To Connossieurs, the names of Keb Darge, Mike Thompson, Terry Jones and Jo Wallace will sound familiar. In the end, "Darker than Blue" took place weekly at the Soul Caf, where of course Dan D., as resident DJ, was always personally present.

Dan D. was the first german Soul DJ to be invited to Japan, to get people together on events and through radio shows and to spread the misson of Soul. There was a lot of enthusiasm, so that Dan now travels to Japan every year to promote the resurrection of Soul in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Back in Germany, he continued his "Darker than Blue"-Series in Cologne, where guests like Gwen McCrae, John Stapleton (Dope on Plastic) and Mike Thompson (London/UK) amongst others could be seen and heard. Addionally, the monthly Disco Heaven Party was brought into life, for which even out-stressed artists like Erobique from "International Pony" or Hans Nieswand (Whirlpool Productions) reserve space in their calendar frequently.

The Cologne Soul Weekender, that was elected internationally as "Best European Venue" in 2002, was also initiated and organised by Dan D. Live Act Gwen McCrae from Florida an more than 10 top Soul DJs from all over Europe fulfilled extra-special soul dreams. Also the Cologne Soul Weekender 2003, with more than 12 DJs from England, Germany and Japan and Incognito and Gary Des Etages, united over 1500 Soullovers from all over Europe.

Arriving in Hamburg in 2004, Dan took over the booking and residency for the well-known Soulkitchen events, before outsourcing his Draker than Blue - series to the Mandaly.

During his spots, Dan D. presents a mixture of original vinyl releases from the sixties and seventies up to today.  He plays from 6ts Northern Soul and Funk via 7ts Garage and Salsoul to Nu Soul and Soulful Garage from recent years, everythins that the black-music-lovers-heart desires.

The german version can be found on www.soul.de.com

link

I don't know him but I'd love to go rambling over his ego one sunday afternoon

[Guest Stuart T]

I don't know him but I'd love to go rambling over his ego one sunday afternoon

link

Don't know about that but what the hell is rare disco? Is it a bit like rocking horse sh#t?

I would imagine that Dan D. v The Buttbrothers on 3 September is for an audience with different tastes to most Soul Sourcer posters/lurkers . I hope you win Dan. I think

[Guest]

 

I am trying to promote soul music in the widest possible way. i appreciate, if a small scene wants to stay in a small scene, that's their choice. but i am thinking bigger (not better) than that. i want to give more and normal people access to good soul music.

why should i concentrate promoting soul music on the soul scene?

they already know soul music.

link

The scene doesn't insist on being small, but neither does it have to grow by force. New people interessted in the music are always very very welcome, as long as they bring a little love for the music and an open mind and heart. If there is a thousand people who wanna come to soul events, brilliant, if there is only 200 that's sad, but some people put quality above quantity, Dan. It has to mean something. I'd rather go to a small club with 100 enthusiast in it than a big night with 1000 people turning up, with 900 not caring wether the DJ's playing soul or Reggae, as long as they can have a night out. I'm sure the music means a lot to you though, not putting that into question. But you must admit, the way you're promoting your events and yourself remains controversial.

[chrissie]

I am trying to promote soul music in the widest possible way. i appreciate, if a small scene wants to stay in a small scene, that's their choice. but i am thinking bigger (not better) than that. i want to give more and normal people access to good soul music.

link

Does that mean we're not normal?

QoF

xx

[Guest Soulpower]

... as long as they bring a little love for the music and an open mind and heart...

link

And that's exacty what the "Nothern Soul" doesnt have. I have rarely scene a "scene" that is so closeminded towards other musical directions within black music. This of course is only my personal observation, but I have yet to be proven wrong.

[Guest Stuart T]

And that's exacty what the "Nothern Soul" doesnt have. I have rarely scene a "scene" that is so closeminded towards other musical directions within black music. This of course is only my personal observation, but I have yet to be proven wrong.

link

And how many other black music scenes have you been involved in then?

From people on here that I know there is a wide diversity of musical interests, from the different varieties of soul (6ts, 7ts, crossover, modern), ska, rocksteady, Jamaican soul, early reggae, jazz, latin, RnB. Examples of most of these have been played on the NS scene.

Is the "yet to be proven wrong" comment just about this or everything? Normally people say "thats just my humble opinion", not "just my view, but I'm always right".

[Guest in town Mikey]

And that's exacty what the "Nothern Soul" doesnt have. I have rarely scene a "scene" that is so closeminded towards other musical directions within black music. This of course is only my personal observation, but I have yet to be proven wrong.

link

Guilty as charged.

I find reggae boring after the first 15 minutes or so.

Ska is slightly better.

Blues bores me

Rnb is worse.

Jazz same as reggae.

rap

Doo wap possibly the style I'd listen to most, but would still get bored

Gospel same as reggae.

I dont like Northern Soul cos its 'black'. (It aint but thats another arguement).

I cant say exactly why I like it, but its the whole shebang. Politics an all.

[Guest Soulpower]

And how many other black music scenes have you been involved in then? 

From people on here that I know there is a wide diversity of musical interests, from the different varieties of soul (6ts, 7ts, crossover, modern), ska, rocksteady, Jamaican soul, early reggae, jazz, latin, RnB.  Examples of most of these have been played on the NS scene. 

Is the "yet to be proven wrong" comment just about this or everything?  Normally people say "thats just my humble opinion", not "just my view, but I'm always right".  

link

I don't doubt that there are "Northerners" who, like you, dig all kinds of music. But in the genre called black music (and trust me, even this category annoys me) I have rarely seen as many elitists as in the so called Northern scene. I have seen people in Jazz who think similar. But where else do you find people (and I have met many) who believe a song can only be good if it's 1. Unknown to the general public 2. Rare and expensive ? To me, there is only good music and bad music. That's the only category I know. And if you can challenge me about my experience with your "scene", feel free to do so. I am always open to be challenged.

Re: my "yet proven to be wrong"-remark -- that was referring to this particular topic. But I felt that I made clear: If you can challenge me, I'll be happy to change by view.

Edited July 28, 2005 by Soulpower

[Guest Stuart T]

Guilty as charged.

I find reggae boring after the first 15 minutes or so.

Ska is slightly better.

Blues bores me

Rnb is worse.

Jazz same as reggae.

rap 

Doo wap possibly the style I'd listen to most, but would still get bored

Gospel same as reggae.

I dont like Northern Soul cos its 'black'. (It aint but thats another arguement).

I cant say exactly why I like it, but its the whole shebang. Politics an all.

link

Your views don't count Mikey, you have mangel wurzels growing in your ears. Thats why you like that dreadful Rufus Lumley record.

[Guest Stuart T]

I don't doubt that there are "Northerners" who, like you, dig all kinds of music. But in the genre called black music (and trust me, even this category annoys me) I have rarely seen as many elitists as in the so called Northern seen. I have seen people in Jazz who think similar. But where else do you find people (and I have met many) who believe a song can only be good if it's    1. Unknown to the general public  2. Rare and expensive ? To me, there is only good music and bad music. That's the only category I know. And if you can challenge me about my experience with your "scene", feel free to do so. I am always open to be challenged.

link

I'm not a northerner. I wouldn't have a problem if I was but I don't like gravy on my chips. Thats the acid test.

I spent several years in the earlydays of the jazz dance scene in the eighties and early nineties. Probably worse than the NS scene for complete knobs but more open minded because most of them blew it out and played shite like jungle as the nu jazz, thereby demonstrated that they had missed the point entirely.

The funk scene seems to have an equal amount of bitching and expensive record chasing, often involves much polishing of turds.

The modern RnB scene only has songs by poor singers who sing through their noses, like old bluesmen. They don't seem to play much by people who can actually sing.

But the hip hop scene is much worse. They shoot a lot more of each other than I have ever noticed on the northern soul scene. And they never play any soul records.

I am not familiar with the ragga scene. I think its nice that deaf people have been encouraged to make music for other deaf people.

I have never heard a song not made in Jamaica at a ska and reggae night. Although I believe that Jackie Opel was actually from Barbados. Maybe a few Jackie Mittoo bits record in Canada have been played latterly.

The fifties jive RnB night I went to played fifties jive RnB. All night.

I didn't think to ask the last jazz saxophonist I heard to do a Mike Terry impression. I thought that it might be ill received as a request.

The number of people who actually believe a record is only good for the two reasons you list is very limited.

You have demonstrated your lack of understanding of the scene in your post. Wasn't much of a challenge was it?

[Guest Soulpower]

Thanks for the insight, Stuart. However, I wonder how you can accuse me of having a lack of understanding of the scenes after only exchanging a few posts.

I might be wrong about the UK scenes. I'm in the UK to do shows about a couple of times every month, and this is where I get my impressions from. May not be enough, but we all learn from what we live, right? What I wrote is based on what I have seen in the UK so far .. and in the US, where I have lived and worked for many years and where I still go to work on a regular basis. They' ve got scenes over there as well, but the "black music culture" tends to be more openminded, because soul music is a wide spectrum that should not reject Funk, jazz influences, blues, gospel, latin and even rock. What is a scene in the UK is more of a whole culture in the US, less eclectic, less elitist.

I agree with you that there is also a small global funk scene that judges the quality of the song by the number on the price tag. But this scene is small and is not really being recognized in the large world of soul music.

Only my 2 cents.

[Guest in town Mikey]

Your views don't count Mikey, you have mangel wurzels growing in your ears.  Thats why you like that dreadful Rufus Lumley record.

link

My ears are indeed big enough for a family sized Mangel Wurzel.

Only the bestest record ever made.

Next time I see you Tyler its exit Third window from the right, for you

[Guest]

who are you?  Jo x

link

Still finding out!!,hi Jo

[Guest Stuart T]

Thanks for the insight, Stuart. However, I wonder how you can accuse me of having a lack of understanding of the scenes after only exchanging a few posts.

I might be wrong about the UK scenes. I'm in the UK to do shows about a couple of times every month, and this is where I get my impressions from. May not be enough, but we all learn from what we live, right? What I wrote is based on what I have seen in the UK so far .. and in the US, where I have lived and worked for many years and where I still go to work on a regular basis. They' ve got scenes over there as well, but the "black music culture" tends to be more openminded, because soul music is a wide spectrum that should not reject Funk, jazz influences, blues, gospel, latin and even rock. What is a scene in the UK is more of a whole culture in the US, less eclectic, less elitist.

I agree with you that there is also a small global funk scene that judges the quality of the song by the number on the price tag. But this scene is small and is not really being recognized in the large world of soul music.

Only my 2 cents.

link

Lack of understanding? I concluded that because I think your basic proposition a few post ago about NS being the most narrow minded scene was wrong. The NS scene plays northern soul. The scene decides what counts as northern soul (well, argues about it interminably in fact).

"black music culture" is a broad church. We're not out for a night playing any record whatsoever as long as its black. We'd end up hearing Prince/Michael Jackson and the like. No wonder the US scene isn't elitist but it sounds eclectic to me. I don't want to hear rock for instance, I don't like it, its not part of our scene (apart from that awful Judy Freeman Hold On thing). So why would it, as you seem to imply, be better to include a load of sounds most of us don't want to hear? I fail to see why this constitutes a "culture". Do they have their own language and a secret handshake?

The northern soul scene exists for people who want to hear the broad range of sounds that are considered northern soul. No greater prejudice amongst those people than amongst people who consider themselves afficionados of any style of music. We're not perfect, who is?

I'm not sure what "being recognised in the large world of soul music" implies. Is the NS scene? Do we get a badge? A seat in the UN?

[Guest Stuart T]

My ears are indeed big enough for a family sized Mangel Wurzel.

Only the bestest record ever made.

Next time I see you Tyler its exit Third window from the right, for you 

link

I have to warn you, I've put on weight, I may have to give you a hand.

[Guest vinylvixen]

Stuart Tyler said:

I'm not sure what "being recognised in the large world of soul music" implies:

It means Fatboy Slim sampling the Just Brothers or Frank Popp using Soul Communicators riffs

Do we get a badge?:

Yes, nice embroidered ones with 'Right On Soul Brother'

A seat in the UN?:

No, A seat in the snug at the Raven down Station Road, Wigan

How about remembering there are only two things you REALLY need in life - one is love and the other is soul I've been Jo and now I'm off to play the Dells

PS. Me and Al also like Ska, Rocksteady, black RnR, barrell house boogie woogie, techno, uplifting house, Masters at Work, Latin, Boogaloo, Jazz and loads of other ol' shite............call me narrow minded if you must Jo

[Guest]

The fifties jive RnB night I went to played fifties jive RnB. All night.

I must say I agree with everything you say Stuart but the one thing that has really

got me thinking here...................

This Jive RnB night , did you actually jive ?...............................................

or were you holding up the bar like at every venue I see you at

[Guest]

Lack of understanding?  I concluded that because I think your basic proposition a few post ago about NS being the most narrow minded scene was wrong.  The NS scene plays northern soul.  The scene decides what counts as northern soul (well, argues about it interminably in fact). 

"black music culture" is a broad church.  We're not out for a night playing any record whatsoever as long as its black.  We'd end up hearing Prince/Michael Jackson and the like.  No wonder the US scene isn't elitist but it sounds eclectic to me. I don't want to hear rock for instance, I don't like it, its not part of our scene (apart from that awful Judy Freeman Hold On thing).  So why would it, as you seem to imply, be better to include a load of sounds most of us don't want to hear?  I fail to see why this constitutes a "culture".  Do they have their own language and a secret handshake?

The northern soul scene exists for people who want to hear the broad range of sounds that are considered northern soul.  No greater prejudice amongst those people than amongst people who consider themselves afficionados of any style of music.  We're not perfect, who is?

I'm not sure what "being recognised in the large world of soul music" implies.  Is the NS scene?  Do we get a badge?  A seat in the UN?

link

Is this really the shy retiring type that is Stuart who gets bullied by young females on the train while travelling to work in the mornings ?

[Lindsay]

I've been Jo and now I'm off to play the Dells

emmm hush my mouth...sorry Jo

[Pete S]

Thats why you like that dreadful Rufus Lumley record.

link

I like that Rufus Lumley record :angry:

[Pete S]

shite like jungle

link

I like jungle :angry:

[Guest]

What dreadfull R Lumley record?"i`m in love again";Scraper...i`m standing;cant remember...stronger than me;RCA LP,all brill and wouldnt mind "i`m in love again"

one of the few thins Keb used to play,that no one seems to spin no more,anybody

got one for me?

Edited July 28, 2005 by kenneth aitchison

[Guest in town Mikey]

What dreadfull R Lumley record?"i`m in love again";Scraper...i`m standing;cant remember...stronger than me;RCA LP,all brill and wouldnt mind "i`m in love again"

one of the few thins Keb used to play,that no one seems to spin no more,anybody

got one for me?

link

Stronger than Me

Kenny. My fave record.

[Simsy]

Stronger than Me

Kenny. My fave record.

link

Yep, great lyrics; "if I could find a release to make my trousers increase" ... etc

[Guest Soulpower]

The NS scene plays northern soul.  The scene decides what counts as northern soul (well, argues about it interminably in fact). 

And that's where the sillyness starts. What is "Nothern"? In the US, the birthland of American soul music, nobody really uses that term. To a person growing up in the 60s in America, this definition wouldn't mean nothing, if anything, Soul from Chicago, Detroit. I really have a problem with definitions and categories like that, they limit music, and I don't accept limitations on music. Especially when they have been forced upon the music buy people outside of the actual soul music cosmos. I never liked the term "Rare Groove" either to define music. Silly.

"black music culture" is a broad church.  We're not out for a night playing any record whatsoever as long as its black.  We'd end up hearing Prince/Michael Jackson and the like.

No, it shouldn't be anything that is black. What should be played is good music.

No wonder the US scene isn't elitist but it sounds eclectic to me. I don't want to hear rock for instance, I don't like it, its not part of our scene (apart from that awful Judy Freeman Hold On thing). 

I understand, but what about groups like Mandrill or Archie Whitewater .. and War? They use Rock elements .. it's still Soul music.

So why would it, as you seem to imply, be better to include a load of sounds most of us don't want to hear?  I fail to see why this constitutes a "culture".  Do they have their own language and a secret handshake?

I will get into that later .. when I have some more time. So pardon me for failing to answer you at this point.

link

[Guest Stuart T]

The fifties jive RnB night I went to played fifties jive RnB.  All night.

I must say I agree with everything you say Stuart but the one thing that has really

got me thinking here...................

This Jive RnB night , did you actually jive ?...............................................

or were you holding up the bar like at every venue I see you at 

link

I was sat down near the bar, actually.

Is this really the shy retiring type that is Stuart who gets bullied by young females on the train while travelling to work in the mornings ?

link

Yep, I was being polite. She was rather fragrant and the constant chafing from her as she increased the available carriage space was not entirely unpleasant.