Review of SOULER POWER EDINBURGH 26/04/03 by Shirley

DRIVERS CLUB – SOULER POWER – EDINBURGH 26/04/03

Thanks to Shirley for yet another great review

Guests Malc & John (Dundee) Colin Wood & Guy Hennigan (Yorkshire Rider Club)

 Sometimes living in the centre of England has it’s advantages, one of them being it’s as long as it’s wide to get to most places throughout the UK, so the journey to Edinburgh wasn’t really any further than say a trip to London for the night and we’d done just that on more than one occasion;-)) I’d been to Scotland before but never to Edinburgh and having heard so much about the place I was really looking forward to this trip for more than one reason. Paul McNamara had also decided to take the trip up and he joined us on the train at Newcastle and within minutes Col & Paul were cracking open the cans, talking wisely about soul music and would you believe it, checking out records they just happened to have with them (Col his DJ box & Paul his sales box). Soul boys they just can’t help themselves!!!!!!! I bet if a soul boy was alone in the most desolate place on the planet as long as he had a few 7” black vinyl discs with him he’d not be alone long before someone came to check out his toons;-)))))) Anyway soul music aside, the train journey to Edinburgh via York is one of the most scenic I’ve ever been on, the coast route is just breathtaking. Edinburgh didn’t disappoint either, everything I’d been told was true. Onwards to the hotel which was also a pleasant surprise, although the “hothouse flower” heating was a little overwhelming, thank goodness it was confined to the public areas and not the rooms otherwise Col & I would have been walking around a la au naturelle whilst in the hotel – not a pretty site I don’t mind telling you ;-)))) Just time for a shower and change of clothes then it was out for a bite to eat (we found a great little Italian place just around the corner from the hotel) then it was into a taxi and on to the Drivers club. It suddenly struck me at this point that there were similarities between The Rider Club and The Drivers Club, first one being the name, Rider - Driver (get it?).

As we arrived other similarities struck me, it was in a less than salubrious part of town, the club itself was just on the right side of seedy (although since the Rider’s has had a lick of paint it has become dangerously close to being a tad too upmarket for a soul venue;-)) and having met Hammy before I knew that the soul music they played was just the kind we liked to listen (and dance to). It was a slow start (again reminiscent of the Rider) and it took a little while for folks to get on to the dance floor but once they were up strutting their funky stuff there was no stopping them (myself included). Everyone played brilliant sets with a lot of stuff I hadn’t heard before or for a long time and the people at the club made us feel very welcome, Hammy even managed to make the decks go silent for a while during his spot, I thought he was just trying to make us feel at home (for those of you who go to the Rider, you’ll know what I mean when I say that’s an in joke), but no he really had cocked up, it wasn’t long though before music was flooding out through the speakers again;-)))) All too soon the night was over and it was back to the hotel where a drink or two was in order whilst we chatted the small hours away interrupted only by the late return of a hen party, followed by a stag do and of course the obligatory drunk who was looking for a fight all of whom we managed to fend off in our own inimitable friendly Yorkshire manner, nothing was going to spoil our night;-)))))

For those of you who like to know these things I managed to jot down a few toons played so in no particular order here goes:

Playlists – apologies in advance for any mistakes or omissions, it’s difficult to decipher some of the notes at a later date :-))

Ali (resident) Delores Clark – Living to please - Antares Kurt Harris – Emporer of my baby’s heart - Diamond Roy Hamilton – Don’t come cring to me - Epic Cindy Scott – I got news – Mirasound Acetate Junior Lewis – Tears on my face - Columbia The Charmers – If you’re looking for trouble -

Pip Malc & John (Dundee) Sorry lost their list

 Colin Wood (Yorkshire Rider Club) Para-monts – Come go with me - Ole Billy Storm – Please don’t mention her name - HBR Sophisticates – I can’t stand it - Mutt Victors – Hurt - Philips Carl Spencer – Cover girl – Rust Vonnettes – Touch my heart - Cobblestone Garland Green – Angel baby - Uni The Q – That’s the way - Hound Jack Montgomery – Baby taks a chance on me - Revue El Corols – Chick chick - Rouser Chosen Few – Birth of a playboy – Maple Tyrone Davis – Bet you win - ABC Bobo Mr Soul – Hitchhike to hearbreak road - Ovide Intruders – Check yourself - Gamble Constellations – I didn’t know how to - Gemini Soulville All Stars – I’m gonna get to you – Soulville Shadows – My love has gone – Golden Sound Ambers – I love you baby Verve Darrow Fletcher – Gotta draw the line - Groovy Volcanos – Gotta be a false alarm - Harthon Enjoyables – Push a little harder - Capitol

 Hammy (resident)

Sinceres – Girl I love you – Pzazz Thelma Lindsay – Why weren’t you there – Magic City Frank Jones – Dancing holes in your shoes - Villa Larry Allen – Can’t we talk it over – Green Dolphin Belaires – I got that feeling - Palmer BJ Thomas – Keep it up - Joed Sir Guy Armand – God bless a woman - Scamm Uptights – Shy guy - Columbia Relatives – She’s got soul - Wow Sugar & Spices – Have faith in me - Swan Sandpipers – Lonely too long - Giant Tracie Robbins – What was she doing - Decca Leo McCorkle – On top of the world - ? Black Eyed Peas – Smallest man alive – Ultra City Richard Anthony – Keep on living on - Virtue

Guy Hennigan (Yorkshire Rider Club)

Lord Thunder – Chaos – C/U Detroit Rhythm Section – Backstreet – Unissued Servicemen – Sweet magic - Chartmaker Bud Harper – Wherever you were - Peacock Patti Austin – You’ll always be in style - ? Volumes – I just can’t help myself – American Arts Jimmy Gibson – Let me go - ? Lenny Curtis – Nothing can help you now - End Soundmasters – Lonely lonely - Juliet Joys of Life – Good times are over - ? Johnny Watson – Ain’t gonna move - Jowat Ivorys – Please stay - Despenza Jimmy Reed Jnr – I ain’t going nowhere - Mercury Yvonne & The Violets – Cross my heart - Barry Freddie North – The Hurt - RIC Gordon Keith – Look ahead - Callumet Apocraphyls – I’m losing you - Ma Bobby Hutton – Come see about me - Philips Ronnie & Robin – As long as you love me - Sidra Terrible Tom – We were made for each other - Maverick Williams & Watson – Too late – Okeh Jimmy Bo Horne – I just can’t speak -

Just leaves me to say what an excellent time we had thanks to great people, listening to great music. We’ll be back, I know this visit to Scotland’s fair capital won’t be our last.

Shirley & Colin