Introducing Soul Music To New Ears

[Guest ShaneH]

Surely one of the best ways to ensure the longevity of the scene is spreading the word?

I have done many CDs/tapes for people who have no knowledge of the scene. I get good feedback a lot of the time but very rarely succeed in adding another member to the scene.

Have any of you in recent years introduced someone to the scene?

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

cheers

Shane

[Guest waynec]

Surely one of the best ways to ensure the longevity of the scene is spreading the word?

I have done many CDs/tapes for people who have no knowledge of the scene. I get good feedback a lot of the time but very rarely succeed in adding another member to the scene.

Have any of you in recent years introduced someone to the scene?

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

cheers

Shane

have in the past.

doesnt seem to matter as they never show interest in going anywhere.

its a niche scene i think.

tell most folks youre going out for the nite 100 miles away and they really dont get it.know lots of folks round this area into northern.they buy cd,s records and a few have big collections yet they dont go anywhere on the scene.you couldnt drag em out to a local do if you arranged their transport and offered free beer all nite.

if you wanna be part of it you will

[sister dawn]

I do Shane, and have converted a couple whom used to be into the commercial sound of motown years ago, i am currently trying to bring an old friend up to date as he has been away from it for bout 25 years and its very difficult to introduce some of the "newer" northern stuff

[Winsford Soul]

Surely one of the best ways to ensure the longevity of the scene is spreading the word?

I have done many CDs/tapes for people who have no knowledge of the scene. I get good feedback a lot of the time but very rarely succeed in adding another member to the scene.

Have any of you in recent years introduced someone to the scene?

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

cheers

Shane

Introducing Soul Music to New Ears................what happened to the old one,s did they fall off

To Quote somebody else. Hat, Coat, Door, Leaving,

[SteveM]

Introducing Soul Music to New Ears................what happened to the old one,s did they fall off

To Quote somebody else. Hat, Coat, Door, Leaving,

Suprised nobodys been on moaning about new people having no etiquette

[sister dawn]

Suprised nobodys been on moaning about new people having no etiquette

I always put my handbag in the middle of the circle Sorry I had to do it before anyone else.....

[Guest Dan]

Thing is, Shane, it's sad but 'scenes' in general are dead now, aren't they?

You used to be able to take one look at someone when I was 16 and know whether you were going to have to fill him in (goth, casual, new romantic, plastic mod) or leg it (tooled-up Brum rudie in a pork-pie hat, 34-year-old skinhead).

Now where are they? Round by me, they all look like they've smeared themselves with glue and ramraided the Pound Shop - all covered in cheap bling, baseball caps and trackies. It's dreadful, but it's the way life is.

I've said this before but if I was 16 now I would be mostly into:

- computer games (instead of draughts)

- watching sky sports on a 40in flat screen telly (instead of the wrestling with Dickie Davis)

- all these new designer drugs (instead of Double Diamond and Spiggy's alleged 'pink champagne')

- these amazing teenage birds who all look like lingerie models (now they DEFINITELY weren't around in my day)

- going to pubs and clubs till 4am, and later (instead of getting kicked out of The Crown in Nuneaton at 11pm and trying to get into Madisons, as I think it was called in those days)

I'd still be into the music, if I was pointed in the right direction, but as for the 'scene', why would I bother? I'd be out with my mates.

The music has always been special but the rest of it - the undergroundness, the naughtiness, the very late nights...you can get that anywhere now.

Sad, but true IMO.

None of which is to say I don't wish it was different - I've never understood that old 'media ruined it by getting all the newcomers to invade in the 70s' bollocks.

Dan

Edited November 9, 2005 by Dan

[Guest ShaneH]

great post dan. i agree with it all. very funny too

i aint just talking about the new generation though. i got my mate into it and he was 40 this year. he is out quite regular now. he aint bothered about artists/labels/prices/boots he just wants to dance. he likes his talc though

shane

[Simon T]

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

Many but to no avail. A thankless task akin to pushing sh** up hill with a sharp stick! Some think you've fliped or are part of a cult trying to lure them in! I think many of them don't know what to expect and don't want to feel indebted and obliged to return the favour. Most of them think it's a load of old rubbish anyway, but don't like to say. However, the more disappointing thing is doing stuff for people (not the cost, but the time) for people on this furum and literally not even getting a PM saying thanks, so don't much bother doing comps for anyone anymore - probably just getting jadded with old age!!

[Winnie :-)]

Surely one of the best ways to ensure the longevity of the scene is spreading the word?

I have done many CDs/tapes for people who have no knowledge of the scene. I get good feedback a lot of the time but very rarely succeed in adding another member to the scene.

Have any of you in recent years introduced someone to the scene?

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

cheers

Shane

==============

Interesting you put soul and not northern soul Shane. Doing compilations for people is all very well, but do you give them your personal faves, a cross section of what might be big at clubs you currently frequent, or go with oldies. I ask that because, when trying to sell something, you always show the best side, if Wigan was still going, you probably wouldn't mention the toilets for example, cos it wouldn't be a selling point. I've done compilations and lent people CDs but usually unless they've got a grounding in soul music, ie: Motown/Atlantic/Stax etc they haven't really lasted the course. As someone else said, it's either in them or it isn't.

As Dan also said, youngsters have so much to occupy their minds these days, and spending time with a load of 40T plusses, probably isn't very high on their list of things to do before I die. Personally the days of a massive thriving scene (circa 1970Ts) has gone, and sadly I don't envisage it returning.

Winnie:-)

PS. Ettiquette is as much a part of our scene as the music, so what's wrong with expecting a little politeness from newbies??

[Guest Dan]

great post dan. i agree with it all. very funny too

i aint just talking about the new generation though. i got my mate into it and he was 40 this year. he is out quite regular now. he aint bothered about artists/labels/prices/boots he just wants to dance. he likes his talc though

shane

that's great, shane, good work. wish i could get my mates into going to venues a bit cos i think they'd have a laugh. they all like the music, but in a half-arsed, listen to it while having a shave or drive to work sort of way. they'd rather go to bars and drink lager out of little bottles (at 4 quid a pop round by us, it's amazing how anyone ever gets pissed) while chatting up naiive young women and luring them back to their flats to impress them with the latest electrical consumables before rolling them senseless.

i can't see the attraction in it, personally (and i'm not kidding)

[Guest Dan]

Simon T:

Many but to no avail. A thankless task akin to pushing sh** up hill with a sharp stick! Some think you've fliped or are part of a cult trying to lure them in! I think many of them don't know what to expect and don't want to feel indebted and obliged to return the favour. Most of them think it's a load of old rubbish anyway, but don't like to say. However, the more disappointing thing is doing stuff for people (not the cost, but the time) for people on this furum and literally not even getting a PM saying thanks, so don't much bother doing comps for anyone anymore - probably just getting jadded with old age!!

talking of people saying thank you for cd comps etc, simon, one thing that really gets my goat about this board is when you post up a sound and hardly anyone says 'thanks for sharing that' afterwards.

i stuck up an arthur conley thing (put our love together) i found in me attic a week or two back and about 250 people downloaded it (literally) and only about four said 'thanks for that', which is a bit poor, not to say bad manners.

mind you i don't usually say anything myself if i download something and don't like it, rather than be negative, so maybe everyone hated it!

but if not, you're a bunch of rude gits

[Guest andycambs]

talking of people saying thank you for cd comps etc, simon, one thing that really gets my goat about this board is when you post up a sound and hardly anyone says 'thanks for sharing that' afterwards.

i stuck up an arthur conley thing (put our love together) i found in me attic a week or two back and about 250 people downloaded it (literally) and only about four said 'thanks for that', which is a bit poor, not to say bad manners.

mind you i don't usually say anything myself if i download something and don't like it, rather than be negative, so maybe everyone hated it!

but if not, you're a bunch of rude gits

Dan, what can I say other than I do appologise for my manners, or rather the lack of them.

I am one of those 250 rude gits who downloaded the "freebie" mentioned above and as you quite rightly pointed out I didn't thank you, so to you and anyone else who posts toons on the site for others to enjoy, A VERY BIG THANK YOU

Andy

[Guest ShaneH]

winnie, when i do compilations i usually go with my current faves to be honest. not sure why but it just feels right. i suppose its probably a bit selfish really because the main reason i do it this way is so that i can enjoy discussing the tunes at a later date. i cant be arsed to discuss stuff that no longer excites me.

i do two types really - one totally mixed up and another mid-tempo. i usually give them out together.

i have a ladyfriend in london who loves them. i am onto volume 6 or 7 now. i themed a couple though after a while - i did an out an out oldies cd and a 70s only cd. personally i love doing them. i do take a lot of care and give them a couple of days in the car before sending them out. sad i know!

i say soul cos i think i feel more comfortable describing that way. i have always considered northern soul to be a scene rather than a music style. that is my opinion anyway. therefore my comps are 'soul' comps.

shane

[Guest noss]

i stuck up an arthur conley thing (put our love together) i found in me attic a week or two back and about 250 people downloaded it (literally) and only about four said 'thanks for that', which is a bit poor, not to say bad manners.

If it makes you feel any better that was an old George Jackson spin.

[FrankM]

I think the Caledonia Soul club accidentally attracts new people to the scene. Martin, Caroline and the rest of the crew wanted a sixties based northern Soul club and expected people from all over Scotland. They still get that crowd but by basing the club in the west End they've attracted others. The Woodside Social club is situated in the student end of the city and has different clubs on each weekend. There's a reggae club, a couple of Indies Clubs, and an oldies club with live music. All have their enthusiasts whilst at the same time attracting a crowd out for a late night drink and a bop.

They follow the particular etiquette of each club and appreciate they are in a ned free environment. At the Caley regulars make the dancing look easy and visitors copy the sideways shuffle. Other just dance the way they always would. There are no concessions to popular music choice although the club has developed its own favourites which haul people onto the floor. It can be a bit disconcerting for Guest DJ's when proven filler elsewhere just attracts those in the know whilst other records seem to unexpectedly fill the floor.

Perhaps some market research could be done but as a regular I have noted people who arrived put of the blue have become regulars themselves. They might buy comp CD's but I doubt if they're buying vinyl. don't see them at Goodfoot so it's obviously the combination of the Caley and Woodies that works for them.

[Guest Dan]

i stuck up an arthur conley thing (put our love together) i found in me attic a week or two back and about 250 people downloaded it (literally) and only about four said 'thanks for that', which is a bit poor, not to say bad manners.

If it makes you feel any better that was an old George Jackson spin.

er, that's a bit of a logical non sequitur, noss. why would the fact that a tune was an old george jackson spin make me feel any better about the (quite separate and unrelated) fact that a load of rude bastards downloaded said tune and didn't bother to acknowledge the time and effort involved in me whacking it up on soul source?

by the way, i'm not that bothered, i'm basically joking - and i probably do it myself anyway

it is nice to share a sound and have it appreciated but beyond that, no big deal. 250 thankyous might have been proper irritating anyway.

[John May]

er, that's a bit of a logical non sequitur, noss. why would the fact that a tune was an old george jackson spin make me feel any better about the (quite separate and unrelated) fact that a load of rude bastards downloaded said tune and didn't bother to acknowledge the time and effort involved in me whacking it up on soul source?

by the way, i'm not that bothered, i'm basically joking - and i probably do it myself anyway

it is nice to share a sound and have it appreciated but beyond that, no big deal. 250 thankyous might have been proper irritating anyway.

Maybe a captive ordiance is the way to do it, try and get a large supermarket chain to play it over the tannoy system to shoppers.......might work

[Guest noss]

er, that's a bit of a logical non sequitur, noss. why would the fact that a tune was an old george jackson spin make me feel any better about the (quite separate and unrelated) fact that a load of rude bastards downloaded said tune and didn't bother to acknowledge the time and effort involved in me whacking it up on soul source?

I was under the impression that you posted it up because you thought it was a good record and wanted to share it with others. Therefore I had hoped it would be comforting for you to know that others also share your enthusiasm for the recording.

edited to show reply in seperate box. Shane

Edited November 9, 2005 by noss

[Guest Dan]

Maybe a captive ordiance is the way to do it, try and get a large supermarket chain to play it over the tannoy system to shoppers.......might work

dunno john

how would they say thankyou?

[Guest Dan]

I was under the impression that you posted it up because you thought it was a good record and wanted to share it with others. Therefore I had hoped it would be comforting for you to know that others also share your enthusiasm for the recording.

ah. see your point. not really, though.

(don't let's get too serious though: for the record, i really don't care if people say thankyou for uploads. it's just good manners, that's all.)

[Guest noss]

ah. see your point. not really, though.

(don't let's get too serious though: for the record, i really don't care if people say thankyou for uploads. it's just good manners, that's all.)

I totally agree. I think you'll concurr that judging by some of the posts I have seen this site is not always known for the polite etiquette of its users!

[Soulof]

Hi Shane,

as being an abroad northern soulie this has been the the natural daily issue to deal with since the days we started with this thing. to convince new people. Most people here are grown either with hardrock (myself

included ,first Lp Helix - walking o razors edge, Canadian ) or pop/synth music. Sadly its quiet a big step /took me a few days as well) to go over from this modern produced white very average poor music to the from above so superior created black or in some cases white soul music. Today its prob even harder with all crappy stuf around ( bad hip hop ao) , I think you have to find really searching people with the biggest heart to even start trying introduce this No 1 music to people. Otherwise don´t bother. its just a waste of time. thats my simple advice. See you next Soul or Nothing I hope !!

[SteveM]

Simon T:

Many but to no avail. A thankless task akin to pushing sh** up hill with a sharp stick! Some think you've fliped or are part of a cult trying to lure them in! I think many of them don't know what to expect and don't want to feel indebted and obliged to return the favour. Most of them think it's a load of old rubbish anyway, but don't like to say. However, the more disappointing thing is doing stuff for people (not the cost, but the time) for people on this furum and literally not even getting a PM saying thanks, so don't much bother doing comps for anyone anymore - probably just getting jadded with old age!!

talking of people saying thank you for cd comps etc, simon, one thing that really gets my goat about this board is when you post up a sound and hardly anyone says 'thanks for sharing that' afterwards.

i stuck up an arthur conley thing (put our love together) i found in me attic a week or two back and about 250 people downloaded it (literally) and only about four said 'thanks for that', which is a bit poor, not to say bad manners.

mind you i don't usually say anything myself if i download something and don't like it, rather than be negative, so maybe everyone hated it!

but if not, you're a bunch of rude gits

What no etiquette Dan ? absolutely disgusting in my opinion. Newbies were they

[Dave]

Surely one of the best ways to ensure the longevity of the scene is spreading the word?

I have done many CDs/tapes for people who have no knowledge of the scene. I get good feedback a lot of the time but very rarely succeed in adding another member to the scene.

Have any of you in recent years introduced someone to the scene?

Also, do many of you do compilations for people at work, friends down the pub etc?

cheers

Shane

Couldn't agree more about spreading the word, but the best way to get newbies to enjoy the music is to get them to come to a night, where they feel welcome, and enjoy the music in context.

I play at a couple of places where a "mixed crowd" is encouraged but sadly some events, and a lot of people on the scene are not particularly welcoming to newcomers.

[Rugby Soul Club]

Maybe a captive ordiance is the way to do it, try and get a large supermarket chain to play it over the tannoy system to shoppers.......might work

Don't know if they are still doing it but when our oldest was working in Wilkinsons in his sixth form. He used to complain that he had to listen to OUR music at home, then when he got to work, they'd got it on in there too.......And to top it off, he went to Tenerife on holiday and they were playing it in the local bar.....

[Paulb]

Thing is, Shane, it's sad but 'scenes' in general are dead now, aren't they?

You used to be able to take one look at someone when I was 16 and know whether you were going to have to fill him in (goth, casual, new romantic, plastic mod) or leg it (tooled-up Brum rudie in a pork-pie hat, 34-year-old skinhead).

Now where are they? Round by me, they all look like they've smeared themselves with glue and ramraided the Pound Shop - all covered in cheap bling, baseball caps and trackies. It's dreadful, but it's the way life is.

I've said this before but if I was 16 now I would be mostly into:

- computer games (instead of draughts)

- watching sky sports on a 40in flat screen telly (instead of the wrestling with Dickie Davis)

- all these new designer drugs (instead of Double Diamond and Spiggy's alleged 'pink champagne')

- these amazing teenage birds who all look like lingerie models (now they DEFINITELY weren't around in my day)

- going to pubs and clubs till 4am, and later (instead of getting kicked out of The Crown in Nuneaton at 11pm and trying to get into Madisons, as I think it was called in those days)

I'd still be into the music, if I was pointed in the right direction, but as for the 'scene', why would I bother? I'd be out with my mates.

The music has always been special but the rest of it - the undergroundness, the naughtiness, the very late nights...you can get that anywhere now.

Sad, but true IMO.

None of which is to say I don't wish it was different - I've never understood that old 'media ruined it by getting all the newcomers to invade in the 70s' bollocks.

Dan

Totally disagree Dan. I took five lads down to the birmingham all niter a couple of weeks ago and up until 6 months ago none of them had even heard of northern soul. They all love it now and two of them are now on the scene.

Yes you can have a late drink elsewhere these days and yes you can play on the latest computer games or watch sky sports, but does this really change the pulling power of the music.

Not having a go at you Dan but i cant stand the attitude that some people have towards the future of the music. Why are scenes dead? The music sounds just as good to my ears when i hear new tracks as it did to the lads down wigan/wheel when it all started. The problem is that no bugger can get on the scene without being introduced by a soulie.

I'm 24 and i dread the thought of there being no niters in 10 years. I have no doubt that the scene could be filled with a younger crowd, just like europe, if promoters would make the effort to promote to get the flyers out to these people.

Rant over!

[Guest]

Introducing Soul Music to New Ears................what happened to the old one,s did they fall off

To Quote somebody else. Hat, Coat, Door, Leaving,

Can you get them on the NHS?

[Guest Stuart T]

The problem is that no bugger can get on the scene without being introduced by a soulie.

I suspect that this is a problem few people on the scene really appreciate. Similarly, a lot of the self imposed but not advertised "etiquette" of the scene can lead to confrontation and put people off (put up "no drinks on the dancefloor" signs in big letters, most people will then comply without someone having to tell them). For instance, I've seen people trying to knock the drinks out of the hands of people standing near the dancefloor. Well done, you can also find a good ruck down Romford town centre if thats what you want. A while ago a self proclaimed top DJ mentioned deliberately elbowing women in the breasts when dancing because they were standing on the dancefloor. I thought that was disgusting, and demonstrated the idea that they somehow own the scene and can do what they want to people they perceive as outsiders.

If people want this scene to survive we should stamp out that sort of behaviour and any of the other rubbish that goes with attitudes like: "I've been on this scene for 35 years and no young whippersnapper is going to tell me they don't like the records I like or like the records that I don't, I wish this bloody DJ would play something I know, I stopped coming out in 1978 when the dry cleaners lost my Spencers". Fortunately those people are in a minority I'm sure, so there is hope.

[SteveM]

I suspect that this is a problem few people on the scene really appreciate. Similarly, a lot of the self imposed but not advertised "etiquette" of the scene can lead to confrontation and put people off (put up "no drinks on the dancefloor" signs in big letters, most people will then comply without someone having to tell them). For instance, I've seen people trying to knock the drinks out of the hands of people standing near the dancefloor. Well done, you can also find a good ruck down Romford town centre if thats what you want. A while ago a self proclaimed top DJ mentioned deliberately elbowing women in the breasts when dancing because they were standing on the dancefloor. I thought that was disgusting, and demonstrated the idea that they somehow own the scene and can do what they want to people they perceive as outsiders.

If people want this scene to survive we should stamp out that sort of behaviour and any of the other rubbish that goes with attitudes like: "I've been on this scene for 35 years and no young whippersnapper is going to tell me they don't like the records I like or like the records that I don't, I wish this bloody DJ would play something I know, I stopped coming out in 1978 when the dry cleaners lost my Spencers". Fortunately those people are in a minority I'm sure, so there is hope.

If only everybody spoke with as much common sense on this matter.

[Guest Dan]

Totally disagree Dan. I took five lads down to the birmingham all niter a couple of weeks ago and up until 6 months ago none of them had even heard of northern soul. They all love it now and two of them are now on the scene.

Yes you can have a late drink elsewhere these days and yes you can play on the latest computer games or watch sky sports, but does this really change the pulling power of the music.

Not having a go at you Dan but i cant stand the attitude that some people have towards the future of the music. Why are scenes dead? The music sounds just as good to my ears when i hear new tracks as it did to the lads down wigan/wheel when it all started. The problem is that no bugger can get on the scene without being introduced by a soulie.

I'm 24 and i dread the thought of there being no niters in 10 years. I have no doubt that the scene could be filled with a younger crowd, just like europe, if promoters would make the effort to promote to get the flyers out to these people.

Rant over!

hi paul

yeh, not saying that some people won't get into the northern soul scene (and well done getting mates involved by the way!), just that i think the days of getting enough numbers involved to sustain the sort of critical mass required to keep a 'scene' going are over.

i suppose at 24 you're a 3rd generation soulie; the original wigan lot were the 1st generation and my lot (80s) were the 2nd.

can't speak for the 1st generation but i can speak for what it was like being 14-18 in the early to mid 80s (i'm 38 now).

there were litttle 'scenes' in every town...you hung around in tribes largely dictated by the music you liked - mods, rockers, casuals, goths, punks etc.

if you were a mod revivalist, as i was, the chances are you'd get exposed to northern soul and from there it was a short leap to going to a nighter with your mates. i remember going to a hinckley nighter with around 20 people from the tamworth area, most of whom had never been to a nighter before. we loved it; some stuck around for a year or two, others for a decade, others are still into the music now, albeit not 'on the scene'.

the conditions were perfect:

1) a background of knowing and liking a bit of northern, courtesy of the kent albums

2) people used to being part of a scene

3) people happy to go to smelly old municipal venues with toilets swimming with piss

4) pretty much bugger all else to do (the sky sports/raves/kids pubs argument)

5) most of the other people there were our age or not much older (ie 16-20s 2nd generationers or 25-35 1st generationers). there was probably the odd person in his or her 40s there but most were late 20s/early 30s.

6) given all the above, you were prepared to put up with the snide remarks and 'you haven't served your dues' bollocks that has always been a problem on the scene.

the differences now:

1) no mass of youngsters ready, waiting and eager to be converted to northern (no mods, basically)

2) less of a division, scene-wise, between kids nowadays - where are all the different tribes now? homogeny rules

3) people used to better venues than the northern scene can generally provide

4) plenty of other things to do

5) you walk into a venue and everyone is over 40 (ok, that's an exaggeration, but it's not far off; it's quite cool and exciting to be hanging around with guys in their late 20s if you're 16...it's a bit different if you're 16 and they are 46!)

6) there's still a load of bollocks on the scene - people on here are fine and so are most people at venues but there are still a few who aren't - those who look down their noses at you, the politicians, unfriendly snide types, the timeservers, the etiquette freaks - i think this is a barrier to entry for a lot of people now because they aren't motivated enough to put up with it.

thus for all the valiant efforts of people like you the situation you're going to have is a few 20+ people coming onto a scene in which people are literally dying of old age, and those who aren't are getting older, more arthritic and less cool year by year (cool in the eyes of incomers i mean).

like i say i really wish it was different. i even advocated someone starting up events aimed at the under 30s, with a 'no over-30s' policy, but was abused as an ageist!

i'd love nothing more than to go to a venue crawling with people in their teens and 20s getting off their tits to what is the best music ever created (not sure i'd fit in though).

i just can't see it happening in significant numbers.

dan

PS ALL THE ABOVE IS OBVIOUSLY JUST A PERSONAL VIEW

[Guest Baz]

I've seen people trying to knock the drinks out of the hands of people standing near the dancefloor. Well done,

Id like them to see the responce they get from me if they tried it, i can offten be found near the side of the dance floor with a pint in hand! even doing a little jig with it in my hand, some people take these things to the extrem and call them laws and such.......... seen a younger guy about my age once walking accross the EMPTY dance floor with a pint hand and doing a little dance on the way, when from behind me came an allmighty scream GET THAT DRINK OFF THE DANCE FLOOR well said person had an earfull from me, there was no harm done!

I asked a few younger people i know to one of our does but they bought a big gang of them up and a few of them started acting up but a couple of quiet words later they were 'on the right track' and a few of them loved it and will be back to the next one..........but i cant see them ever wanting to travel miles week in week out

[Dave]

Totally disagree Dan. I took five lads down to the birmingham all niter a couple of weeks ago and up until 6 months ago none of them had even heard of northern soul. They all love it now and two of them are now on the scene.

Yes you can have a late drink elsewhere these days and yes you can play on the latest computer games or watch sky sports, but does this really change the pulling power of the music.

Not having a go at you Dan but i cant stand the attitude that some people have towards the future of the music. Why are scenes dead? The music sounds just as good to my ears when i hear new tracks as it did to the lads down wigan/wheel when it all started. The problem is that no bugger can get on the scene without being introduced by a soulie.

I'm 24 and i dread the thought of there being no niters in 10 years. I have no doubt that the scene could be filled with a younger crowd, just like europe, if promoters would make the effort to promote to get the flyers out to these people.

Rant over!

Good post Paul.... well said!

I was at an event last month that we promote outside the "usual" circles. There was a bunch of youngsters there who were obviously enjoying the music and spent the majority of their time dancing despite every record being new to them.

At the end of the night they asked me where they could hear more of the same.... when I told them, and just how many events there are, they were a bit puzzled as to why it is so hard to find out about them!! There is a thread in the events forum where James Trouble said something similar!!

What you suggest about promoters widening their flyering net is spot on mate, but the other thing that needs to change is the closed shop mentality of a lot of soulies, as Stuart has suggested above.

You carry on ranting, as you put it! You and your mates disprove the comfy, excuse laden theories put forward by so many!

Dave

[Guest Stuart T]

I'd also like to say that I ahve taken people who have absolutely nothing to do with the scene to certain events and they have had a brilliant time and ask if they can come to another one from time to time, although they wouldn't want to do it every week. I remember one friend standing there looking at what he thought was a crew of middle aged football hooligans in a dark pub basement but laughing his head off about thinking that by the end of the night after he'd been introduced to a few of them.

[Guest Richard Bergman]

Thing is, Shane, it's sad but 'scenes' in general are dead now, aren't they?

You used to be able to take one look at someone when I was 16 and know whether you were going to have to fill him in (goth, casual, new romantic, plastic mod) or leg it (tooled-up Brum rudie in a pork-pie hat, 34-year-old skinhead).

Now where are they? Round by me, they all look like they've smeared themselves with glue and ramraided the Pound Shop - all covered in cheap bling, baseball caps and trackies. It's dreadful, but it's the way life is.

I've said this before but if I was 16 now I would be mostly into:

- computer games (instead of draughts)

- watching sky sports on a 40in flat screen telly (instead of the wrestling with Dickie Davis)

- all these new designer drugs (instead of Double Diamond and Spiggy's alleged 'pink champagne')

- these amazing teenage birds who all look like lingerie models (now they DEFINITELY weren't around in my day)

- going to pubs and clubs till 4am, and later (instead of getting kicked out of The Crown in Nuneaton at 11pm and trying to get into Madisons, as I think it was called in those days)

I'd still be into the music, if I was pointed in the right direction, but as for the 'scene', why would I bother? I'd be out with my mates.

The music has always been special but the rest of it - the undergroundness, the naughtiness, the very late nights...you can get that anywhere now.

Sad, but true IMO.

None of which is to say I don't wish it was different - I've never understood that old 'media ruined it by getting all the newcomers to invade in the 70s' bollocks.

Dan

Good post Dan

Northern soul is not "cool" in the way that youngsters view the world anymore

The majority of youngsters in this country now are only interested in fads and follow the opinion polls of what is hot or not, young peoples minds are intent on becoming the next pop idol or trying to down as many cheap alcopops as they can in Wetherspoons.

To be perfectly honest the soul scene is not a viable package for a youngster it doesn't come with all the glossy exposure you can get elsewhere.

Richard (25)

[Rugby Soul Club]

I always love the reaction from woman that are new to the scene. They love the fact that the men dance as well, instead of hanging round the edge of the dance floor sussing out who they are gonna pull by the end of the night...The usual meat market they get up town...

[Guest ShaneH]

I would also like this thread to discuss 'new' people in general not just the young.

Cheers

Shane

[SteveM]

I would also like this thread to discuss 'new' people in general not just the young.

Cheers

Shane

Yes Master