What Is Northern Soul

[Russ Vickers]

This a genuine question & I am extremely interested to hear different peoples perceptions, I hope this can be an informed discussion, with out it degenerating into a bun fight.

To me NS is is about the search for & appreciation (through dance) of, generally black American soul music from the 6ts & 7ts, although not exclusively (if it has the X factor, then who cares what the release date was), that was usually totally under appreciated & dismissed in its country of origin by virtually all other than a few. Thousands of kids travelling hundreds of miles every weekend in the UK to hear the latest discoveries from a scene driven by the punters & DJ's & not the recording industry............ under the radar & under ground.....the scene was special & fuelled by exciting new discoveries & amphetamines........

At first I was attracted by the seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp & danced like I had never seen before, perfect timing & grace, every move on the beat.........& the music OMG, I had never heard anything like it, I knew I liked it, but what was it.........there started a journey that continues to this day.

Lets hear it from you lot then..........

Russ

[Jumpinjoan]

Northern Soul is a Sharon Finch dvd....

[Russ Vickers]

Northern Soul is a Sharon Finch dvd....

Very perceptive of you Joan......did kinda make me think that I have had it wrong all these years lol.

Russ

[Guest Bearsy]

for me its going to the same places hearing the same tunes played by the same djs for the rest of my life

KTF

Bearsy

[Agentsmith]

Northern Soul is a Sharon Finch dvd....

she'll be on emmerdale next....i dont watch that either!

[Garswood]

Northern Soul is a Sharon Finch dvd....

lol, just realised what you mean after reading the dvd thread...

and Russ, i agree with everything you said about NS, except the bit about "seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp ", sorry mate but the fashion of the northern scene was and still is horrendous, theres nowt worse now seeing some 50+ year old woman in circle skirt ballet shoes and white ankle socks...makes me roar..

pre '71 and after '80 was ok but basically the 70's fashion wise was comical..........IMO

[Mick Howard]

and Russ, i agree with everything you said about NS, except the bit about "seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp ", sorry mate but the fashion of the northern scene was and still is horrendous, theres nowt worse now seeing some 50+ year old woman in circle skirt ballet shoes and white ankle socks...makes me roar..

pre '71 and after '80 was ok but basically the 70's fashion wise was comical..........IMO

[Garswood]

and Russ, i agree with everything you said about NS, except the bit about "seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp ", sorry mate but the fashion of the northern scene was and still is horrendous, theres nowt worse now seeing some 50+ year old woman in circle skirt ballet shoes and white ankle socks...makes me roar..

pre '71 and after '80 was ok but basically the 70's fashion wise was comical..........IMO

Whilst I might have agreed about the circle skirt, ankle socks, baggy trousers, bowling shirt thing a few years ago I've got to a stage in my life where that doesn't bother me any more - live & let live I say and providing they're happy then so be it - I've even reverted to Ben Shermans, Levi's & Dr Marten shoes!

Back to Russ' original thread though; Northern Soul to me IS the music pure and simple. The clothes, dancing, underground cult etc. although extremely important and very much a part of scene are asides.

I remember many conversations that were about how we just couldn't understand how much better these 2.30 minutes slices of joyful music were in comparison with the music of the day (remember that this was the time of Abba, Brotherhood of Man etc.) and about how different they were compared to the 'pop' Soul music we'd been exposed to previously (The Stylistics, Three Degrees etc.).

Although for me it started off with Footsie, it is now more about real underplayed, undervalued Soul music performed by Afro-American artists of the 60's and early 70's.

Right on indeed.

Mick

[Guest JIM BARRY]

This a genuine question & I am extremely interested to hear different peoples perceptions, I hope this can be an informed discussion, with out it degenerating into a bun fight.

To me NS is is about the search for & appreciation (through dance) of, generally black American soul music from the 6ts & 7ts, although not exclusively (if it has the X factor, then who cares what the release date was), that was usually totally under appreciated & dismissed in its country of origin by virtually all other than a few. Thousands of kids travelling hundreds of miles every weekend in the UK to hear the latest discoveries from a scene driven by the punters & DJ's & not the recording industry............ under the radar & under ground.....the scene was special & fuelled by exciting new discoveries & amphetamines........

At first I was attracted by the seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp & danced like I had never seen before, perfect timing & grace, every move on the beat.........& the music OMG, I had never heard anything like it, I knew I liked it, but what was it.........there started a journey that continues to this day.

Lets hear it from you lot then..........

Russ

NORTHERN SOUL IS TO ME NOT A LIFESTYLE ANYMORE . IT USED TO BE , BUT NOWADAYS ITS A VERY ENJOYABLE PAST TIME. THE MUSIC GENERALLY IS ENDURING .I ONLY BUY C.DS NOWADAYS , SO THE THRILL OF HUNTING THEM DOWN IS GONE. THAT WAS CONSUMING TO A THE POINT OF ADDICTION!. I LOOK FORWARDS TO GOING TO VENUES JUST AS MUCH, THE FRIENDLINESS IS LIKE NO OTHER WAY OF LIFE THERE IS NO DOUBT. MEETING PEOPLE , ALL WITH A LIKE MIND WARM HAND SHAKES AND HUGS ,WHERE ELSE DO YOU FIND THAT EXCEPT FAMILY GET TOGETHERS?. THE FASHION I AGREE CAN BE A TAD SILLY . I DON'T REALLY LIKE TO SEE 50+ YEAR OLD GUYS WEARING VESTS FULL OF BADGES AND BAGGY PANTS WITH A BEER TOWEL HANGING FROM THEM, THAT WAS NEVERA A COOL LOOK IMO. I LIKE THE RETRO LOOK OF BEN SHERMANS AND SMART PANTS OR TIDY CUT JEANS. THE LADIES TO ME ALWAYS LOOKED TIDY AND FEMINENE. MUSICALLY MY IDEA OF NORTHERN SOUL IS ACROSS THE BOARD BUT NOT A LOT OF HARD EDGED R&B

I LOVE THE STOMPERS AND 70s AS MUCH AS EACH OTHER MOTOWN AND THE SWEET SIDE OF NORTHERN SUCH AS BOBBY HUTTON AND ARTISTICS AND THE HARDER EDGED SOUL FROM DETROIT .I WAS INTENDING TO MAKE THIS AS CONCICE AS POSSIBLE, BUT ONCE STARTED IT IS VERY HARD TO STOP. THATS WHAT NORTHERN SOUL DOES ,AND IS WHAT IT IS TO ME.

[Russ Vickers]

lol, just realised what you mean after reading the dvd thread...

and Russ, i agree with everything you said about NS, except the bit about "seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp ", sorry mate but the fashion of the northern scene was and still is horrendous, theres nowt worse now seeing some 50+ year old woman in circle skirt ballet shoes and white ankle socks...makes me roar..

pre '71 and after '80 was ok but basically the 70's fashion wise was comical..........IMO

I'm not that keen on the retro NS look these days to be honest, but even though I didnt start going Nighters seriously until 77/78 the crowd I travelled with were a bit older initially & were really cool........smart suits to travel in, with shiny brogues & button down shirts with slim ties.......I had a suit made to measure every few months, the trousers were baggies, but not 40 inch bottom Spencers........once there you would change & yes I wore 40 inch bottom spencers & pasties & a vest & I thought I was the dogs.....washed n changed in the morning & back into the whistle, splash o Brut & down or up for a dayer some where.......& pretty much all about hearing new exciting sounds & still is for me..........honestly thought that was the point.

Seems a lot of people have forgotten what made them get into the NS in the first place.

Russ

[Guest Matt Male]

Northern soul is all the new sounds i'll hear next Friday and the week after and the month after that...

Never stop listening

[Guest Matt Male]

Seems a lot of people have forgotten what made them get into the NS in the first place.

Russ

I couldn't agree more Russ.

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

Northern Soul to me is music made mostly in the 60's and 70's by obscure artists and the few well known with a certain beat and played on vinyl or maybe CD (not my prefered choice only for playing at home). I find that Northern soul is something once you get into it, you can't get away from it and i got into it mostly through my dad who was into the music

i did like some soul music but now i seek for any music and continue to look for tracks on vinyl aswell as on CD etc.

[Guest Dave Turner]

I got into NS back around '72. The music hit me like a sack o'shit straight away. Used to go round a mate's house and listen to stuff on Jayboy, Archie Bell, etc etc and loved it, wanted it for the sound alone. Great music that you didn't hear on the radio. First trip to a club in town where the Torchites got to just did it for me. In the days of Sweet, T-Rex and all that glam pop shite these guys had their own way of dressing, dancing, walking and talking. I just had to be a part of it. First heard J.J. Barnes "Please Let Me In" and Dee Irwin "I Only Get This Feeling" the hairs shot up on my neck. That was it, I was hooked big time.

Like many I grew up in a humdrum boring town, pubs shut at 11pm, not a lot thrilling going on. What a relief while most "normal" folks were tucked up in bed to start travelling around the country, meeting others from far flung places, meeting the same faces at different venues and developing friendships, one's face getting known and developing a feeling iof being acceted into what was a relatively very small group of like minded people. Yeah, it wasn't all roses and there were a lot of dodgy goings on but I loved the fact that in general it was remarkably friendly. Shaking hands when seeing mates, everyone into the music and scene before there were any divisions musically. It was just Northern Soul, that was it. As a youngster I felt like I belonged to an elite group with our own identity a million miles away from the common herd. Used to walk down the high street with say a thousand folks out and about shopping and used to think to myself all these folks don't know what I know.

Working all week the only thing on my mind would be the coming weekend, sorting lifts, arranging gear (sometimes for me), what records to buy, what to sell or trade. Fook off Friday evening without a care in the world and back for work (hopefully) Monday morning and start all over again.

So for me it was the music, the collectabilty and the whole scene itself.

[Guest in town Mikey]

Russ. Its not that often that I get such a good response to one of my posts. And not really being slow to big myself up every now and again. I posted this a couple of years ago, and it got some very good responses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For me the term Northern Soul, means so much more than just the music. I dont mean 'just the music' in a derogatory way.

Northern Soul encompasses the whole concept of the scene. The camaradrie that spills out into our whole life away from clubs and record bars. The type of person even willing to endure some of the lengths we go to, to enjoy our music. The collecting Gene. The dancing Gene.

It is a suitably generic all encompassing term that doesnt narrow the concept of a scene that plays a varied style of music. (Some not remotely soul).

It was perfect for when the majority of the clubs were in the north, but timeless enough to carry 30+ years of recognition by people who dont really know anything about our music. Apart from hazy memories of schoolmates in youth clubs leaping around dancefloors to records these people didn't know, and they probably brought along themselves and badgered the DJ to play.

It says to me, meeting people in motorway services and spotting that person you have known for 20 years, and cant ask their name, because after all this time you probably had been told it once, but cant remember what the hell it was. But still greet like a long lost brother or sister.

It says talking with people where noone cares if you are a millionare, or on the dole. A school teacher or a Lorry driver or a famous singer, an actor off the TV. You are just a Northern Soul fan, and that is generally all you need to make a friend.

It says, add alcohol/drugs whatever, and still people know how to interact in the cordial way, that seems impossible in many other scenarios for the public at large.

It says sweaty clubs, empty clubs, nice venues and dives. It says here is part of my life I have never regretted.

It says every time I drive through Yate, or pass Stafford on a train, or visit aunties and cousins in Leicester, I have to go a certain way that takes me past the old venue, or crane my neck and try to glimpse the old place as the train trundles to a halt at Stafford station. It says whenever I walk down Oxford Street I HAVE to peer through the doorway. I dont know why, but it has to be done.

It says when Soft Cell or Yazz come on the radio I feel the urge to change station. but in a knowing, almost pitious way. Not quite contemptuous. Not quite.

It says mates still think I am mental 30 years later, and dismiss my bleary eyed stop off for a pint on Sunday lunch time, on my way home to bed.

It says Matt and Conway and Vince and Bob and Hippo, and a thousand others I still see regularly at Soul nights. It says Mike and Bernadette and Kevin and Andy who I see about town, but who dont go any more. It says Paul who we lost in a car accident, but think about almost everyday, and not just at Easter.

If it was just Soul, jeez no-one would have given our music more than a second thought. It sets us and our music out as different, and the term is probably IMO, more important than Wigan and Stafford, the Torch, 100 club etc etc all added up and put together.

And it even means Poo Pan is something to be sought after. How many people can say the same!!??

Mikey

[Ian Parker]

Alot of folk seem to think its about the clothes & a good chance to take the mick out of the bags or 50 year old women wearing circle skirts i wear my own version of the skirts, but im not 50 yet, but if a woman in her 50s wants to wear them, then go for it ladies! ........No one has the right to tell you what you should or should not be wearing!

One of the main reasons that i got into Northern Soul was for the music, my all time fav track is The Antellects-Love Slave , i tend to listen to 60s rare & underplayed, oldies, & i like the sounds from The Tourch Era, (but i was too young to remember it first time around), plus early 60s R n b (carried over from my mod days in the 80s). I also love to talk to like minded people about the music & some of the record labels, (which are pure Art), I know Ian .......Anorak! So i would say that this is what Northern Soul would mean to me

Another part of Northern Soul for me would be the dancing.......I have always enjoyed dancing, & i started when i was 5 years old with Ballroom, Latin American, Ballet, Lindy & Jive, Tap & Jazz, so seeing some of those early Northern Soul dancers gave me the passion for this style......i could watch a good dancer for hours!

I dont like the modern side of this music scene, as i just dont feel the music .........I studied classical music & i do listen to other very early styles of music from the 1920s to the 1960s, especially Bix Biderbex, Jelly Roll Morton, Little Joe Turner & Lead Belly because early music has more of a raw sound, alot of the 60s bands, (that we now call Northern Soul) got inspiration from these earlier styles of music In my opinion, i just find modern music very over produced, so i dont feel like im getting the real thing!

If you ask my partner Ian.......I have not listened to the radio since the late 70s

Some folk may not like it & say im stuck in a time warp of music, dancing & dress but i have been doing it now for 20 odd years & i like what i like

So for the narrow minded of you ........i still have my 24" waist so i will wear what i like, whilst listening & dancing to what i like!

Debbie x

Edited February 15, 2010 by parkash

[Jumpinjoan]

Music for me.

Those who know me, know I like the odd dance or two but if the music is not there then I do not dance.

And by that I mean I don't get the urge to dance to any music other than soul music.

Yes the people are great and I love my friends dearly.

Saying that, no matter how many great friends I have around me, a night will always lack a certain something if the music is pants.

There is nothing better than going out, hearing great music, dancing like a nutter and having great friends around you.

That's what soul is.

Oh... and then there is the vinyl...

[Guest Dave Turner]

Debbie, we all have our own ideas of prefered music and clothing. Horse for courses and all that. You should, and obviously do, enjoy whatever style of music you like and wear whatever clothes you like. It's a free country. I believe each and every one of us should enjoy it as we most like to enjoy it.

Just a personal thing but I was never into the badges, bags and baggies thing apart from an old tattered and faded VaVa badge I had on my holdall, but that's just me.

You've seen the length of my legs, I'd look a right twat in baggies

Northern Soul, the music, the scene and all it encompasses is personal to each of us.

Soul as you soul.

[Ian Parker]

Debbie, we all have our own ideas of prefered music and clothing. Horse for courses and all that. You should, and obviously do, enjoy whatever style of music you like and wear whatever clothes you like. It's a free country. I believe each and every one of us should enjoy it as we most like to enjoy it.

Just a personal thing but I was never into the badges, bags and baggies thing apart from an old tattered and faded VaVa badge I had on my holdall, but that's just me.

You've seen the length of my legs, I'd look a right twat in baggies

Northern Soul, the music, the scene and all it encompasses is personal to each of us.

Soul as you soul.

Spot On!

Yes i have seen you, & your a lovely man

Some styles are not everybodys cup of tea, but there is a nice way of saying it

Some of those 50+ ladies could get offended!

Debbie x

Edited February 15, 2010 by parkash

[Guest gordon russell]

Just recovering from my fav allnighter (no work)....The term NORTHERN SOUL itself is cringeworthy back in the day it was never called that,but what is it?......the music plain and simple. Love all the oldies (well most) and played as they should be in amongst the newer stuff and underplayed goodies no probs....don,t however like these one big oldie followed by another for the whole set dj,s.....Dreary and boring......To my mind there are 3 or 4 venues that are worth the effort and a mere handful of dj,s who have the passion and vigor to listen to.....among my must hears are ANDY DYSON,BUTCH,KARL HEARD,CLIFF CAMFIELD,PHIL KOWALSKI,KITCH and IAN CLARK (should he return) the fellas playing out who we might call lesser known,but easily cut the mustard are pickles,bearsy,shorney,ezzie b,matt male,danny price,john mcclure and one or two others who's names elude me (today anyway lol)........like what ya love,but remember.......MAKE SURE YOU'RE WORDS MATCH YOU'RE ACTIONS.....it's not enough to say you love it.......when you're actions clearly show you DON,T.......TEZZA

[Russ Vickers]

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far..........

Russ

[Naughty Boy]

.the music plain and simple. Love all the oldies (well most) and played as they should be in amongst the newer stuff and underplayed goodies no probs...

thats the way

[Mick Howard]

There is nothing better than going out, hearing great music, dancing like a nutter and having great friends around you.

That's what soul is.

Oh... and then there is the vinyl...

Oh & then there's 'chuckin' the chips' of course

Stafford Joan/Tony?

Mick

[Jumpinjoan]

Oh & then there's 'chuckin' the chips' of course

Stafford Joan/Tony?

Mick

How could I forget chucking the chips

We will be there Mick. Look forward to seeing you

[Dean]

Hope I don't ramble too much, trying to enter into the genuine spirit. Like to start by saying I enjoyed Debbie (Parkash) post, I think we may disagree on several fashion points (if you could see photo's of me in the 70s you'd appreciate me not wanting to re-create that look!), but thought you got a point over very well.

What is Northern Soul has changed through a couple of different eras for me.

Mid 70s it was most of my social life, but never all my musical interest. It was a level of friendship that I didn't see common in other people and places. It was venturing out of a pit village onto buses (took 5 service buses to get to St Ives) that led to adventures we felt privilidged to be having. It was a bit secret, a bit exclusive, it was ours as a group of excellent friends. Buses led to car journeys and booking coaches, that were frantic, taking in 2 and 3 venues and a wider NS social network at service stations and cafes. At venues, nites and nighters/dayers, it was dancing as it was ok to dance for your own appreciation and pleasure without much concern of "doing it right". It felt like belonging. As dancefloor appreciation led to record and label appreciation, more knowledge felt like another level of belonging.

The early appreciation of NS via the dance floor led to a wider appreciation of soul music.

Now it's appreciating the memory of the importance of belonging to something in those formative years. It's collecting that has become an adiction that I promise myself I can stop. Now it's a more relaxed social scene for me, several of the same old friends, some newer, occasionally the unexpected return of an old face and memory. A few soul nites to have a dance and see people, the occasional larger event to hear what's new and what I don't know. It's waiting for brown packets to drop through the door, containing cheaper unpopular or unknown/lesser known sounds that still stir my appreciation of where the music comes from - getting away from being told what to like. It's also now buying and appreciating some of the sounds I used to respect years ago, but couldn't afford. Most importantly at the moment it's looking forward to playing the contents of those packets to a couple of very good friends over several bottles of wine and more potato based starch snacks than is healthy for anyone.

[Zed1]

'Northern Soul' means whatever you wan't it to mean......

To some, it's that elusive and never ending search for a rare track or piece of Vinyl - to others it's an enjoyable night out once a month with a few freinds...... and no more!.

I've never seen any pre-set rules about joining this 'Northern Soul' scene, so who are we to decide what peoples level of involvement should be, or how They choose to enjoy Their Soul music.

[Jerry Hipkiss]

Russ. Its not that often that I get such a good response to one of my posts. And not really being slow to big myself up every now and again. I posted this a couple of years ago, and it got some very good responses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For me the term Northern Soul, means so much more than just the music. I dont mean 'just the music' in a derogatory way.

Northern Soul encompasses the whole concept of the scene. The camaradrie that spills out into our whole life away from clubs and record bars. The type of person even willing to endure some of the lengths we go to, to enjoy our music. The collecting Gene. The dancing Gene.

It is a suitably generic all encompassing term that doesnt narrow the concept of a scene that plays a varied style of music. (Some not remotely soul).

It was perfect for when the majority of the clubs were in the north, but timeless enough to carry 30+ years of recognition by people who dont really know anything about our music. Apart from hazy memories of schoolmates in youth clubs leaping around dancefloors to records these people didn't know, and they probably brought along themselves and badgered the DJ to play.

It says to me, meeting people in motorway services and spotting that person you have known for 20 years, and cant ask their name, because after all this time you probably had been told it once, but cant remember what the hell it was. But still greet like a long lost brother or sister.

It says talking with people where noone cares if you are a millionare, or on the dole. A school teacher or a Lorry driver or a famous singer, an actor off the TV. You are just a Northern Soul fan, and that is generally all you need to make a friend.

It says, add alcohol/drugs whatever, and still people know how to interact in the cordial way, that seems impossible in many other scenarios for the public at large.

It says sweaty clubs, empty clubs, nice venues and dives. It says here is part of my life I have never regretted.

It says every time I drive through Yate, or pass Stafford on a train, or visit aunties and cousins in Leicester, I have to go a certain way that takes me past the old venue, or crane my neck and try to glimpse the old place as the train trundles to a halt at Stafford station. It says whenever I walk down Oxford Street I HAVE to peer through the doorway. I dont know why, but it has to be done.

It says when Soft Cell or Yazz come on the radio I feel the urge to change station. but in a knowing, almost pitious way. Not quite contemptuous. Not quite.

It says mates still think I am mental 30 years later, and dismiss my bleary eyed stop off for a pint on Sunday lunch time, on my way home to bed.

It says Matt and Conway and Vince and Bob and Hippo, and a thousand others I still see regularly at Soul nights. It says Mike and Bernadette and Kevin and Andy who I see about town, but who dont go any more. It says Paul who we lost in a car accident, but think about almost everyday, and not just at Easter.

If it was just Soul, jeez no-one would have given our music more than a second thought. It sets us and our music out as different, and the term is probably IMO, more important than Wigan and Stafford, the Torch, 100 club etc etc all added up and put together.

And it even means Poo Pan is something to be sought after. How many people can say the same!!??

Mikey

Still a good post Mikey - and I know what you mean about passing places, if I go through Yate on the train I have to have a stomper on my headphones, and I've only just got out of the habit of getting a tingle down the spine just near J14 on the M5 (the turn off to many a great night!)

Hippo.

[Guest]

This a genuine question & I am extremely interested to hear different peoples perceptions, I hope this can be an informed discussion, with out it degenerating into a bun fight.

To me NS is is about the search for & appreciation (through dance) of, generally black American soul music from the 6ts & 7ts, although not exclusively (if it has the X factor, then who cares what the release date was), that was usually totally under appreciated & dismissed in its country of origin by virtually all other than a few. Thousands of kids travelling hundreds of miles every weekend in the UK to hear the latest discoveries from a scene driven by the punters & DJ's & not the recording industry............ under the radar & under ground.....the scene was special & fuelled by exciting new discoveries & amphetamines........

At first I was attracted by the seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp & danced like I had never seen before, perfect timing & grace, every move on the beat.........& the music OMG, I had never heard anything like it, I knew I liked it, but what was it.........there started a journey that continues to this day.

Lets hear it from you lot then..........

Russ

Sorry to be contentious, but for all the Luton/Dunstable/Flitwick crowd who used to goup North it was simply somewhere to go for a good blockup, dance our bollocks off to shit hot sounds you could'nt hear anywhere else and have a bloody good verbal with all and sundry, best period of my life

[Wayoutgirl]

For me it was my older brother turning on the cassette player after him being out and making me listen to this different kind of soul. I'd always liked the mainstream but this was totally different. We never did get on when we were younger; but will thank him for this moment.A few of the tunes I remember him playing

7 days is too long

Breaking down the walls of heartache

Unsatisfied

Footsie

[Russ Vickers]

'Northern Soul' means whatever you wan't it to mean......

To some, it's that elusive and never ending search for a rare track or piece of Vinyl - to others it's an enjoyable night out once a month with a few freinds...... and no more!.

I've never seen any pre-set rules about joining this 'Northern Soul' scene, so who are we to decide what peoples level of involvement should be, or how They choose to enjoy Their Soul music.

Sorry I think you may have misunderstood the initial post title 'What Is NS & How Did You Get Into the Scene', also you may not have seen the part that asked for an informed discussion & to try & avoid a bun fight.........cant remember seeing any where anyone deciding what level of involvement anyone should have ???.......any way Mr Pot, care to share your story/opinion & try to be NICE . If you cant contribute anything positive, go & spoil someone eles thread

[Guest]

lol, just realised what you mean after reading the dvd thread...

and Russ, i agree with everything you said about NS, except the bit about "seriously cool people, who were dressed super sharp ", sorry mate but the fashion of the northern scene was and still is horrendous, theres nowt worse now seeing some 50+ year old woman in circle skirt ballet shoes and white ankle socks...makes me roar..

pre '71 and after '80 was ok but basically the 70's fashion wise was comical..........IMO

or a younger woman who dresses like that because she thinks that's how we used to dress back in the dayDon't they realise that they look like characters from Come Dancing. It's embarrasing.

[Zed1]

If you cant contribute anything positive, go & spoil someone eles thread

Sorry Mr Vickers, I've re-read all the other posts and now understand that to 'Contribute anything positive' to your thread I need to slag off a load of 50 year olds and their fashion, sadly however I wont be throwing any of your Buns at peoples baggies so I'll 'go & spoil someone eles thread' as you interestingly put it!.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Teapot

[Ian Parker]

or a younger woman who dresses like that because she thinks that's how we used to dress back in the dayDon't they realise that they look like characters from Come Dancing. It's embarrasing.

Sorry Mr. Warrior, but come dancing is not embarrasing, my dance teacher was on this programme representing England & i have danced competition for Ballroom & Latin American & designed some of the costumes, someone as narrow minded probably won't see the skill involved for this style of dancing.

Dont see your opnion on what Northern Soul does really mean to you??????? ..........as thats what the thread is about!

( The only sign thats really understood by the looks of things!)

Quote from Weekend Warrior - (or a younger woman who dresses like that because she thinks that's how we used to dress back in the day) Are you a man??????............As i have never seen a man wearing a skirt, even back in the day!

Debbie x

Edited February 16, 2010 by parkash

[Ian Parker]

oh Mr Weekend Warrior. maybe you should go along to one of the events that play host to a LOT of ladies who wear vintage clothing and say that to their faces ! . you should be ashamed mate, these girls' love the scene and have been a part of it for a long time.... longer than you in many cases. Enough with the slagging off. if they want to wear circle skirts its their choice, not the choice of a guy who only has the imagination to post countless photo's of trainers on the gallery section.

blimey, give up with the tiresome and disrespecting behaviour towards folk who do something they feel passionate about.

IAN

[Mak]

or a younger woman who dresses like that because she thinks that's how we used to dress back in the dayDon't they realise that they look like characters from Come Dancing. It's embarrasing.

Don't wear baggies or owt like , living in the east midlands I have learnt to live with it . Now ask yourself a question is it any different to wearing 70/80's retro sports gear

[night nurse]

northern soul for me is about the music...... the people you meet...... the friends you make..... the mate you bump in to.... the dancing what more can you ask for...........

oh and by the way about the clothes you were who gives a flyin f**k i whore baggies at the age of 50 the only reason i dont were um now is i got a fat and i cant get um on now lol i have 4 pair and keep sayin they will fit me again one day but that day is only a dream ....... what folk ware to go out and enjoy them selfs is there choice i go out to enjoy my self and that is it and northern soul does it for me long live ns and lets keep it real .....................

[Ian Parker]

northern soul to me means :

60's & early 70's music of med/fast tempo that gets me off my arse .... these days though i tend to stay on it a bit more

when i first got into the 'scene' (78), there were no modern/crossover/oldies events. they were all quite literally 'across the board' (not counting casino monthly oldies niters). we had a 60's stomper, then a 70's shuffler, then a 60's mid tempo, then another stomper. I loved it because of the diversity!!

these days though, as much as i love soul of all genres, be it philly 70's, 60's motown, classic/club soul etc etc, when it comes to 'northern' nights, i do enjoy a night of classic oldies, especially forgotten tunes that don't get aired much nowadays , with a sprinkling of rarer stuff to keep me doin this

for me: its definitley the MUSIC !!!

IAN

[Rhino]

northern soul is not just music its friends, atomsphere and sounds. been to allnighters and danced allnight by myself and enjoyed it as much as when ive sat and waffled allnight with my mates. no nighter the same wether it has 500 people or 50 people its what ive made of it myself . you just cant beat the scene,the music and most of all the people its got it all

[Julie Moore]

NORTHERN SOUL FOR ME IS PURE AND SIMPLE TO HEAR A RECORD AND IT HITS ME IN THE CHEST WITH SUCH BRUTE FORCE I CANT BREATH AND HAVE TO GO DANCE TO IT AND FIND OUT WHAT IT IS AND SO ON THE CLOTHES AND SUCH I HAVE NO INTEREST IN ( BUT NO OFFENCE TO ANYONE WHO IS INTO ALL THAT ) ANYWAY JUST MY LITTLE CONTRIBUTION FOLKS

REGARDS JULIE X

[Russ Vickers]

Sorry Mr Vickers, I've re-read all the other posts and now understand that to 'Contribute anything positive' to your thread I need to slag off a load of 50 year olds and their fashion, sadly however I wont be throwing any of your Buns at peoples baggies so I'll 'go & spoil someone eles thread' as you interestingly put it!.

Thank you & goodnight.........

Russ

[Julie Moore]

Thank you & goodnight.........

Russ

[Zed1]

Thank you & goodnight.........

Russ

................

[Guest]

I'm not that keen on the retro NS look these days to be honest, but even though I didnt start going Nighters seriously until 77/78 the crowd I travelled with were a bit older initially & were really cool........smart suits to travel in, with shiny brogues & button down shirts with slim ties.......I had a suit made to measure every few months, the trousers were baggies, but not 40 inch bottom Spencers........once there you would change & yes I wore 40 inch bottom spencers & pasties & a vest & I thought I was the dogs.....washed n changed in the morning & back into the whistle, splash o Brut & down or up for a dayer some where.......& pretty much all about hearing new exciting sounds & still is for me..........honestly thought that was the point.

Seems a lot of people have forgotten what made them get into the NS in the first place.

Russ

FRANCES NERO - Keep on loving me

When I heard that on that old Motown LP it did something, cannot put it into words, when I realised what it embodied that was it.

No other record had up to that point touched me in such a way. Just made some weird connection in me and I was off. Had been aware of it all before then and had some records but that tune dug deep into me and infected me.

Trouble is Russ, too many people being 'cool' in retrospect now. Easy to talk about Ben Shermans as a style icon but I wore all that before the Northern scene and I wore the full length leathers and baggies too. The 70s Boot Boy style is a fashion erea that gets maligned but it was enormous and the cult of baggy trousers spread way beyond the Northern scene as you know anyway. Was all part of it whether people like it or not. End of the day, if somebody did not develop a passion for the music they would not have lasted. That's what ultimately matters. Hope there is some type of coherence in this, still wasted after my 50th, 5 days later, guess its age!

[Guest]

No other scene would have me !! being a outcast and all that.

[Chalky]

regardless of what opinions some of us have, Northern Soul is what you want it to be, we've all probably got a slightly different opinion of the scene.

First and foremost IMO it is the music, well it is for me, its what we got into it for is it not. All soul music too not just Northern.

The friendship came second and some lifelong friendships have been and are still being made, whatever path we have taken in life. I know it is a clich but It was a way of life, it still is for some. The music, the friendships, the gear (for some), the fashion(s), coach trips, services, record collecting, tape swapping and more...some of those gone by the wayside with the advent of the internet, lots all to easy to come by especially the music...good or bad? again different opinions about that.

As for the music yes it is mainly soulful, black dance music but if you analyse the music over the last 40 years there is probably every genre going thrown into the pot.

[Casper]

or a younger woman who dresses like that because she thinks that's how we used to dress back in the dayDon't they realise that they look like characters from Come Dancing. It's embarrasing.

MR Warrior

I don't know you but you're entitled to your opinion just the same as everybody else on here...but there is no need to slag off us girls who wear circle skirts....its a part of who we are and what we stand for and personally i couldnt care less what you think. my fella is proud to be by my side when im wearing my circle skirts and ankle socks and retro top and girly shoes etc he's proud of the fact i spin and flash my knickers when im dancing.

if you dont like what you see....close your eyes.... or just dont go .

if you go to a northern soul venue,that is what you are likely to see ....lads in baggies and girls in circle skirts....maybe not as many as there used to be,but there,

all the same,keeping the visual part of the scene alive...continuing what used to be.

KTF Susan

[Guest]

i spin and flash my knickers when im dancing

No problem with that

[Guest Dave Mortimore]

This a genuine question & I am extremely interested to hear different peoples perceptions, I hope this can be an informed discussion, with out it degenerating into a bun fight.

Lets hear it from you lot then..........

Russ

.

. When you think about it, 'Why did the music earn the term Northern?' And the obvious answer is because of it's regional status at the time.

.

. I'm glad that you've resurrected this old chestnut Russ, because I've often listened to others opinion on this subject and found that people's idea of Northern Soul depends on the locality where they were introduced to the music and their age at the time as to the feel of the era that they first experienced it's magic.

.

. My analysis is that before Northern was recognized at the beginning of the 70s, soul music had moved hand in glove alongside Rock & Roll and 60s Brit pop.

. The unique feel of Ray Charles, the hard hitting vocals of Little Richard and music from others such as Laverne Baker, P.P. Arnold, Barrett Strong, etc. co-existed with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis. My old friend since 1985, Tony Jennings, who spent his formative years being raised in Crewe Street, Derby, left Britain in !963 at the age of 20 to emigrate to Australia. He described the music of his youth as being dominated by American Imports, not exactly Northern, but not that far away from the mark.

. Some 10 years ago, I briefly got to know a couple of guys from Leicestershire, who were born circa 1949/50 and the subject of youth culture and soul music cropped up. These two guys didn't understand the term 'Northern Soul' and yet I was amazed when they described a soul scene that included All-Nighters, fuelled by Blueys and Black Bombers, that existed in the East Midlands, probably at or just before the hey days of The Twisted Wheel in Manchester.

. Now what followed to carry on the baton during the early 70s was the era of The Golden Torch in Stoke-on-Trent and the period, as we all know, when the term Northern Soul was first coined in the magazine Blues & Soul.

. At the time you could envelope an area from Hinckley to Wolverhampton that swept northwards through the cities and mill towns either side of The Pennine Chain, which would contain the real hot beds for imported soul music and hence the music so embraced by this imaginary region, with it's epi-centre around Manchester, earned it's defining term 'Northern Soul.'

.

. Now for me, it was within these hot spots of the north midlands and the north, particularly during the era of Blackpool Mecca prior to the strong influences of Curtis and Levine, The Torch and the first two or three years of Wigan Casino, that defined the core sound and feel of Northern Soul Music.

.

. Since then, of course, the boundaries of it's definition have changed. From late 70s Cleethorpes, latter day Blackpool Mecca and the renaissance at Stafford during the 80s, there's been an expansion of it's base which will always be a basis for argument.

. I've trawled through some of the responses to Rich Chorley's topic to determine the top Northern Soul records as per today's Soul Source fraternity and I've been surprised by some of the choices. I think some may have misunderstood Rich's brief, for sounds like Cats Eyes - Life and Cathedrals - D.C. LaRue, that came from the Mecca circa 1976, surely have to be classed as Modern, no matter how old they are. Also from that same era, East Coast Connection - Summer in the parks has to be closer to Jazz Funk than it is to Northern Soul and yet some attach it to this label?

. There are plenty of less obvious and yet still questionable choices from the more recently introduced music in the lists. But as I've mentioned earlier, this is probably down to the era that someone was introduced to the music.

.

. For me, the early 70s will always be the golden era that truly defined Northern Soul.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Dave Mortimore

[Russ Vickers]

.

. When you think about it, 'Why did the music earn the term Northern?' And the obvious answer is because of it's regional status at the time.

.

. I'm glad that you've resurrected this old chestnut Russ, because I've often listened to others opinion on this subject and found that people's idea of Northern Soul depends on the locality where they were introduced to the music and their age at the time as to the feel of the era that they first experienced it's magic.

.

. My analysis is that before Northern was recognized at the beginning of the 70s, soul music had moved hand in glove alongside Rock & Roll and 60s Brit pop.

. The unique feel of Ray Charles, the hard hitting vocals of Little Richard and music from others such as Laverne Baker, P.P. Arnold, Barrett Strong, etc. co-existed with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis. My old friend since 1985, Tony Jennings, who spent his formative years being raised in Crewe Street, Derby, left Britain in !963 at the age of 20 to emigrate to Australia. He described the music of his youth as being dominated by American Imports, not exactly Northern, but not that far away from the mark.

. Some 10 years ago, I briefly got to know a couple of guys from Leicestershire, who were born circa 1949/50 and the subject of youth culture and soul music cropped up. These two guys didn't understand the term 'Northern Soul' and yet I was amazed when they described a soul scene that included All-Nighters, fuelled by Blueys and Black Bombers, that existed in the East Midlands, probably at or just before the hey days of The Twisted Wheel in Manchester.

. Now what followed to carry on the baton during the early 70s was the era of The Golden Torch in Stoke-on-Trent and the period, as we all know, when the term Northern Soul was first coined in the magazine Blues & Soul.

. At the time you could envelope an area from Hinckley to Wolverhampton that swept northwards through the cities and mill towns either side of The Pennine Chain, which would contain the real hot beds for imported soul music and hence the music so embraced by this imaginary region, with it's epi-centre around Manchester, earned it's defining term 'Northern Soul.'

.

. Now for me, it was within these hot spots of the north midlands and the north, particularly during the era of Blackpool Mecca prior to the strong influences of Curtis and Levine, The Torch and the first two or three years of Wigan Casino, that defined the core sound and feel of Northern Soul Music.

.

. Since then, of course, the boundaries of it's definition have changed. From late 70s Cleethorpes, latter day Blackpool Mecca and the renaissance at Stafford during the 80s, there's been an expansion of it's base which will always be a basis for argument.

. I've trawled through some of the responses to Rich Chorley's topic to determine the top Northern Soul records as per today's Soul Source fraternity and I've been surprised by some of the choices. I think some may have misunderstood Rich's brief, for sounds like Cats Eyes - Life and Cathedrals - D.C. LaRue, that came from the Mecca circa 1976, surely have to be classed as Modern, no matter how old they are. Also from that same era, East Coast Connection - Summer in the parks has to be closer t Jazz Funk than it is to Northern Soul and yet some attach it to this label?

. There are plenty of less obvious and yet still questionable choices from the more recently introduced music in the lists. But as I've mentioned earlier, this is probably down to the era that someone was introduced to the music.

.

. For me, the early 70s will always be the golden era that truly defined Northern Soul.

Bang on Dave............nice one mate & very interesting to read, the highlighted sentence regarding Soul Nights/Nighters that had no/little asscotiation with the NS scene I have actually come across before down south......I did some research in the Portsmouth area some years ago & found that there were at least 2 clubs in the late 6ts early 7ts playing similar music to the 'Wheel' with acts like Major Lance etc performing regularly, I was also told by a much older & wiser friend, that most large towns & cities had similar clubs, I actually think, like the 'wheel', there was a continuation from the Mod thing, deffo with one of the clubs in Pompey. Also to this day, there is a regualar soul night in Pompey that is rammed to the rafters every month with people from this era, who would almost sneer at the term NS, the music played these days is mostly Motown/Club Soul & some commercial NS, however these people would neve dream of ascotiating them selves with NS or going to another venue either........most strange !!!.

I actually went to a reunion of the Birdcage Club with Jimmy James 'Live' a few years back on South Parade Pier in Southsea, a fantastic NS venue if ever there was one, I have often been tempted to do a promotion there, however it would really take some filling for a NS event..........guess what, at the Birdcage Reunuion it was rammed to the rafters, with very few people I had ever seen at another Soul Event in the area.

Best Russ

Edited February 25, 2010 by Russ Vickers

[Soulacola]

Northern soul should be heard in working class club/bar in the north of England and shouldnt be about the value of a record but its soul. Not sure where many of these comments have been thought up but i dont think about why the tunes affect me deeply because im busy in a 9 to 5 factory job and always have been. if soul doesnt mean escape from that still then i suppose its changed to a theme park event. I never listen to soul on CD because putting on a record is a procces that involves a little bit of meaning for me.That said ive got plenty of other things i do in life but i dont identify with most of what i guess you call on here the "current soul scene". I feel that a working class guy in Yorkshire has a lot in common with a working class black guy trying to escape Detroits car factories by recording the best tune they could and hoping its going to be a bill board hit. its all about hope innit.