Worst soul night ever

[Guest Kolla]

Aren't Hearts of Soul those three Dutch girls that entered the eurovision a couple of times :?

[Tony Smith]

Aren't Hearts of Soul those three Dutch girls that entered the eurovision a couple of times :?

Are they in with your Stock, Aiken and Waterman collection then? I think we should know!

[Paul R]

I've just given them a googleing too and yes they were a Dutch group who performed in the Eurovision song contest in 1970.

I don't know how I remember this one, but I think that the 1974 eurovision song contest was on the same night as the aforementioned "Leeds Soul Festival".

Now isn't that amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Oh yes, I was at the festival rather that glued to the screan with Katie Boyle)

[Markw]

Cough, cough, I DJ'd at this! and no I wasn't wearing chaps or a leather cap before anyone asks! Don't remember it being billed as a gay alldayer (Sensible Soul, I thought?), though I do remember a couple of unsettling things going off! 

Tony - fantastic!! I do clearly remember the half-page ad in Black (as it was then) Echoes advertising it as the World's 1st Gay Northern Soul Night because we were all debating the wisdom of going. In the end the combined impulses of alcohol and curiosity about Levine, the tunes he'd play and what his club was like, all got the better of us. Also, I knew a lot of people who used to go to the Arches when it was the Global Village, a haunt for London's jazz funkers in the late 70s.

[Guest in town Mikey]

Wasnt there a gay night in London called the Wig 'n' Casino?? I think I heard jo Wallace used to dj at it. Obviously I am too butch an all to know any more (cough).

I'll get me coat...Fillet a few fish caught with my bare hands....update my Pamela Anderson photo album....

[Mike]

once did some scans for someone of reviews and other stuff of the leeds queens hall event, seemed a good excuse to test the news/article section so threw them up

theres a pic of hearts of soul in the ad

[Mike]

What can be mentioned against amongst others JJ  Barnes, Mel & Tim, The Exciters and especially the lovely Hearts of Soul? What have the girls done to give you the worst night you ever had? 

Could the reason be the girls are bloody foreigners, not from the USA and not even from the UK?. Do I smell some good old xenophobia which I would not have expected from people allegedly liking African-American music?

Or is black music only interesting as long as nobody else knows it? (Especially including most black people?)

xenophobia ?

do us a favour, read the posts again and tell me where or why you feel a need to make such comments

only place i smell that is coming from you matey

[Paul R]

once did some scans for someone of reviews and other stuff of the leeds queens hall event, seemed a good excuse to test the news/article section so threw them up

theres a pic of hearts of soul in the ad

Cheers Mike, the scary thing is I was right about the clash of top class entertainment that night. And ABBA won the better one!!!!!

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

once did some scans for someone of reviews and other stuff of the leeds queens hall event, seemed a good excuse to test the news/article section so threw them up

theres a pic of hearts of soul in the ad

Nice one Mike that article brought back some memories not soul ones mind ;o)) Back in the early 80's ai went to a couple of Punk/New Wave festivals (The Science Fiction Festivals if i remember rightly) at the Queens Hall Leeds what a DOG HOLE that place was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They obviously hadn't sorted out the floor problem because my over riding memory of the place is being covered in a grey mixture of dust beer and god knows what that ended up as a paste that got everywhere !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Johnny Rotten

[Guest]

The Hearts of Soul are/were a three person girl group (sisters/cousins) from the actual Dutch capital The Hague. They are "Indisch", which means (descending) from the former Dutch East Indies, now known as Indonesia.

There are/were more Asian groups or artists working in the r&b-soul idiom from the Netherlands.

Honestly speaking: were they singing in the Northern Soul-style? No, they were not. But since you (Paul r) seemed to object against quite a few artists who definitely were (like Mel & Tim) I wondered what your objections were. It must have made quite a negative impression.

Yes, well they participated - once of course - in the world famous Eurovision contest with the rather horrendous song "Waterman" (no connection with Stock & Aitken), probably they were sent out mainly for their looks.

Their most soulful number is a rendition of Fats Domino's "What a price", more or less in gospel style. Do not bother, you will not like it. It probably is only fit for close dancing.

I wonder, poppickers, what would be on the dotted line...

[Tony Smith]

Er, Mr Cloudnine, you do seem to know rather a lot about "Hearts of Soul", you wouldn't be their manager by any chance???

[Guest]

No, I am not. I thought the suspicion would come up...:-)

I only planned to spin one of their masterpieces on what would easily be your worst soul matinee ever next Saturday, in cloggy country.

I uttered my harsh words because I was shocked someone still had a living memory of the girls, and did not even like Mel & Tim, The Exciters etcetera...

(How can one see The Exciters live and call it the worst soul night ever?...)

There is not much soul to be proud of from the other side of the sea. What there is should be ... eh.. I do not know, actually...

C9

[Mike]

c9

take it that aware the event was 30 plus odd years ago, possibly if you read th e review from that time era,

maybe understand why someone may have bad memories of that event

view here

take it they are the same group, as on flyer the acts were billed as 100% USA

Anyway myself have to say not that wise on dutch related acts - apart from Spooky and Sue! none spring immediately to mind, good chance for you to throw up a few recommendations?

mike

[Guest]

How could anyone forget Spooky & Sue... I did!

Dr. Tintenkiller (also calling herself Mrs. Cloudnine) jumped into the air when you mentioned them.

What about Mai Tai (working on their umpteenth comeback), Spargo...

But we are talking sixties/seventies, are we not?

Apart from Oscar Harris and his Twinkle Stars, the Swinging Soul Machine, what is there to be proud of? Max Woiski (Jr. & Sr.), definitely... Margie Bal(l). And of course the lovely Hearts of Soul.

Actually, my amazement was not about ayone having a bad memory about these girls (if they really were the same mentioned). It was about the other names - artists I have never seen live and who apparently took care of a very bad memory. Now was it the fault of the Hearts of Soul, or is there anything else I did not understand? Am I alone in being shocked about The Exciters or Mel & Tim being such bad acts? (Did The Exciters perform "Alone again naturally", and cannot that be forgiven?).

[Guest]

A sigh of relief, thanks Mike_

(You would not be the former manager of Joan Armatrading, are you? Also RNI-deejay?)

Anyway, the Hearts of Soul of the infamous night more than thirty years ago are white, one is even a longhaired mustachoed male, so they cannot be the lovely lasses from The Hague (I am not sure about the gender of the other two members, actually - and it does not matter anyway). So my compatriots are exonerated (apart from Eurovision of course).

And I can still spin one of their goodies (it will not be "Waterman", honestly!).

But still: what was wrong with Major Lance and the other big names, that night?

[Simon T]

at the Queens Hall Leeds

Johnny, first it was

"and pledge allegance to the fag"

then the " northern soul fist"

now the "queens hall"!!!!

Freudian slips due to much recent over exposure to GAYle Adams? :-))

[Paul R]

It was the first time I saw Major Lance , JJ Barnes, The Exciters and Mel & Tim. They were all hightlights of a night that promised much and could have been so much better.

Anyway is the Hearts Of Souls saga now put to bed, I hope so!!

[Dayo]

Did Major Lance turn up Paul? Maybe I was asleep!

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

Johnny, first it was

"and pledge allegance to the fag"

then the " northern soul fist"

now the "queens hall"!!!!

Freudian slips due to much recent over exposure to GAYle Adams? :-))

'Scuse me are you casting nastursians on my Manliness?

I'll have you know i have won awards for my Manliness x

John

[Mike]

A sigh of relief, thanks Mike_

(You would not be the former manager of Joan Armatrading, are you? Also RNI-deejay?)

Anyway, the Hearts of Soul of the infamous night more than thirty years ago are white, one is even a longhaired mustachoed male, so they cannot be the lovely lasses from The Hague (I am not sure about the gender of the other two members, actually - and it does not matter anyway). So my compatriots are exonerated (apart  from Eurovision of course).

And I can still spin one of their goodies (it will not be "Waterman", honestly!).

no to former dj

no to rni ? dj

and glad its sorted to "hearts of soul"

[Paul R]

Yes he definately Turned up, but it was a pity I did!!

[Guest]

Hearts of Soul...mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Wasn't this a soul club in the 70s ie:- The Ritz, Manchester !!

Or was it Heart of Soul ??????????

The one and only brain cell is fading fast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

It was something like that Neil Rushton used it for the Ritz and Coalville alldayers i think????

John

[Paul R]

The worst soul night I ever went to consisted of a Ian Levine playing CDs of Paul Weller cover versions of bootleg Hearts Of Soul eurovision Northern tracks in a tram shed.

Or was it just bad powder?

[Mike]

think your meaning "heart of england soul club" regards the ritz, locarno etc and all the rest of it, still got that futuristic plastic credit style membership card somewhere

wigan freaks more than likely put me right but memory says heart of soul was often used as a wigan slogan ..used in the advertising and of course on one of them badges

dunno ought bout this goup just took it when saw ads that going by name were a dodgy ensembled in a hurry for thsi event

[Dayo]

Just thought of another one; an alldayer at the Heavy Steam Machine in Hanley. It was around '73. There were more DJ's than punters; fortunately they included Levine, Curtis, Minshall et al spinning stuff like Saxie Russel and Terrible Tom for the first time out.

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

think your meaning  "heart of england soul club" regards the ritz, locarno etc and all the rest of it, still got that futuristic plastic credit style membership card somewhere

wigan freaks more than likely put me right but memory says heart of soul was often used as a wigan slogan ..used in the advertising and of course on one of them badges

dunno ought bout this goup just took it when saw ads that going by name were a dodgy ensembled in a hurry for thsi event

That's the one Mike ;o))

I think you are right about the Wigan connection too and nowadays Debbie Dimmond from Yeovil uses the moniker Heart of the Soul for her charridy Soul nights down in the South West.

John

[Missgoldie]

Ive read these posts with envy, you should spare a thought for soul lovers in Sydney. We now have 2 nights a month and as we have never had enough people for 2 rooms everything was played in the one.

When Ady Pountain was living here we had the best of everything but once he left the punters generally wanted the sounds they heard at Wigan when they were young (its mosly ex-pats here) and the scene split. Now one night plays what I concider pop and the other average northern or good boots even Ruby Andrews gets played from the re-issue as those that have the original dont get asked to play for fear they will spin "modern".

Our ray of hope is Ady Harley an old Stafford boy with class records northern and crossover a like, but the organisers have worked out they have to put him on early so he doesnt play "modern" tunes like Guitar Ray, the 4 tracks, Belita Woods,Satin ect. It took 2years of him spinning the Constellations before it stopped clearing floors!

My favorite floor killer was the Hamilton movement, sadly the owner of the record Maria, has gone to the UK and I'll miss dancing wildly across the vast expance of the floor with the 3 other people who enjoyed it.

I dont come from a northern background, I just like what I concider good black music, but as a collector its that tune Ive never heard before and love that will make a night for me, not so for the average soulie here.

I feel better for getting that off my chest.

[Guest]

Ive read these posts with envy, you should spare a thought for soul lovers in Sydney. We now have 2 nights a month and as we have never had enough people for 2 rooms everything was played in the one.

When Ady Pountain was living here we had the best of everything but once he left the punters generally wanted the sounds they heard at Wigan when they were young (its mosly ex-pats here) and the scene split. Now one night plays what I concider pop and the other average northern or good boots even Ruby Andrews gets played from the re-issue as those that have the original dont get asked to play for fear they will spin "modern".

Our ray of hope is Ady Harley an old Stafford boy with class records northern and crossover a like, but the organisers have worked out they have to put him on early so he doesnt play "modern" tunes like Guitar Ray, the 4 tracks, Belita Woods,Satin ect. It took 2years of him spinning the Constellations before it stopped clearing floors!

My favorite floor killer was the Hamilton movement, sadly the owner of the record Maria, has gone to the UK and I'll miss dancing wildly across the vast expance of the floor with the 3 other people who enjoyed it.

I dont come from a northern background, I just like what I concider good black music, but as a collector its that tune Ive never heard before and love that will make a night for me, not so for the average soulie here.

I feel better for getting that off my chest.

A lot of what you are saying could apply to many local nights in the UK I'm afraid.

Although we have a lot more choice if we are prepared to travel, most people wont, and just want to hear the stuff they remember from their youth.Nothing wrong in that I guess if you only go out once a month or so, but very boring for the rest of us that want something a tad different.

[Mike]

A lot of what you are saying could apply to many local nights in the UK I'm afraid.

Although we have a lot more choice if we are prepared to travel, most people wont, and just want to hear the stuff they remember from their youth.Nothing wrong in that I guess if you only go out once a month or so, but very boring for the rest of us that want something a tad different.

someone once said theres a case for saying that a lot of local soul nites are just a 21st century version of 1970s youth clubs

fair one?

[Guest James Trouble]

"I dont come from a northern background, I just like what I concider good black music, but as a collector its that tune Ive never heard before and love that will make a night for me, not so for the average soulie."

I think that sums up my frustrations in one easy sentence. Actually, it's gone past frustration now, and I feel an unhealthily aggressive about the situation. :-( There is no buzz when new records get played. That should be the most exciting time, when you clap ears on THAT record for the first time. The DJ says "Get a hold of this, new discovery/you probably won't know this, it's gunna go massive". you rush to the dance floor and BANG, you're off, you're feet and body are doing things without having to think about it, the crowd errupt, screams can be heared as everyone fights for space to get their feet around it. Heaven.

Nah, none of that, just tumble weeds and a couple of drunk girlies dancing around hand bags.

Maybe DJs should try doing what Snowboy does on the funk scene when he plays a "new" record to a crowd. "Right you FUCKERS, this next record is the best thing I've heard all year, and if I don't get a packed dance floor I'm going to take the record back to the beginning and start it again. And I'll keep doing that till the dance floor is packed. You've been warned...."

Batter them into submission, I'd say.

And if that doesn't work, just say "This one was massive at Stafford, you should remember this", of course they won't, but they'll be too embarrised to admit it and will have to dance to avoid looking stupid. ;-)

[Guest]

Pretty much so Mike, although some of the more shall we say cheesy stuff from the youth clubs is no longer played, you sure aren't very likely to hear anything new at a soul night.

[Guest]

I differ to disagree with your last coment KarenC

Our soul nite policy is Upfront Newies, Unknowns, Underplayed Oldies

I'm sure your bound to hear something you've not heard off before

Come up and give it a try

Who Knows, you may like it ????????

[Guest James Trouble]

I differ to disagree with your last coment KarenC

Our soul nite policy is Upfront Newies, Unknowns, Underplayed Oldies

I'm sure your bound to hear something you've not heard off before

Come up and give it a try

Who Knows, you may like it ????????

Where's your night Kev?

[Guest]

I differ to disagree with your last coment KarenC

Our soul nite policy is Upfront Newies, Unknowns, Underplayed Oldies

I'm sure your bound to hear something you've not heard off before

Come up and give it a try

Who Knows, you may like it ????????

I did say pretty much Kev :-)

I'm sure there are soul nights that try their upmost to play something different, a case in point being the Union at Notts, I was talking generally really.

Where is your night ?

[Guest Kolla]

Here's a link to Kev's nights up in Stafford www.staffssoulsociety.co.uk

[Guest James Trouble]

certainly looks like it's worth checking out. Shame I live so far away:-(

[Mike]

think like myself Karen may have been on about your bog standard "local" soul nite rather than all soul nites Kev, correct me if wrong Karen

familar sounds, no cares on what format sounds are played from, sneaking booze in, majority don't go elsewhere, complaints if dont know one or two sounds.....

[Guest]

Yes Mike, you have summed up exactly what I meant. To a lot of people the local soul night is their trip down memory lane, towels and badged shirts the lot :-)

[Mike]

but what was i summing up:)

[Guest]

You will be telling me off soon for posting for the sake of it :-))

[Mike]

should have added the 70s youth club or the local soul nite:)

Couldn't get my head around hearing people complaining that "don't know any sounds" or all the other moans that you hear nowadays at certain places, but when someone mentioned youth clubs it sort of clicked where have heard all this before, which sort of brought the question up.

[Guest James Trouble]

Yes Mike, you have summed up exactly what I meant. To a lot of people the local soul night is their trip down memory lane, towels and badged shirts the lot :-)

I also am talking 'generally'. There are many forward looking events/crowds as well.

At the end of the day, if people are having a laugh, good on 'em!

[Guest]

Point taken

Sorry I misunderstood what you where saying KarenC

Please forgive me !!!!!!!

NO no no no not in the box again mummy its dark ???????????????????

[Guest]

Thats OK Kev, no worrys :-)

But I have to point out that I'm not your mummy hehehehe

[Guest]

I need to be adopted !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need a surigate mudder !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehehehehehehehehe