As some of you may remember I joined Soul Source about 8 weeks ago asking if after 30+ years it was "Too late to rekindle my love for Northern Soul..." 

Although I received loads of replies and great encouragement I soon realised that I had a huge amount of catching up to do so set about "rekindling" by reading through old and new posts on the Soul Source forums, searching You Tube for tracks, sampling via iTunes etc etc  The more I read/heard the more excited I became as I soon realised there is enough great music to keep me going for decades!  So hopefully after hearing what I have learnt, done etc over the last 8 weeks I am hoping that some of you will be able to continue my education and help me go to the next stage.

Firstly I have started collecting digital tracks and now have about 800 and can't believe all the stuff I missed first round, especially by the likes of JJ Barnes, Major Lance, Betty Wright and Darrell Banks. I have felt like a kid in a sweet shop finding new treats every day but not knowing which to consume first. I can understand why, if you have been on the scene for years, hearing the so called "top 500" repetitively must be boring, but imagine if you hadn't heard them or (or any rarer stuff) for over 30 years or indeed ever!

So having started to collect my digital tracks, I began telling friends about my rekindled obsession and too my amazement realised that's  "it's a small world" as I learn that loads of people I know have long standing connections with Northern & Southern soul - for example our Operations Director has a significant vinyl collection, has attended quite a few events over the years and at the age of 50 attended his first all niter at the 100 club last month! Then our National Sales Manager  tells me that she can trace her soul roots back to when she was a young mod going to all niters at the Flamingo Club in the mid 60s and seeing Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Zoot Money and "hearing DJs playing loads of fantastic soul music" and that she would buy her music from Soul City in Convent Garden - which i assume was Dave Godins place? 

Then a lady who runs our favourite restaurant down here in Bournemouth (who we have known for 10 years) tells me that she used to frequently go to Northern soul Events in town and that the husband of one of her best friends down here is another  Brummie (!)  who is heavily into Northern Soul and a great dancer (haven't met him yet!)  and so on and so on....  

The more people I speak to the more I realise the impact Northern Soul has had on so many people's lives and more importantly these people, although they may no longer "practice" -  to varying degrees still "Keep the Faith" and have fantastic memories that they love sharing and hopefully with a little encouragement from me will dip their toe back in!

So having nagged all these people for their memories I realised that I had to start going to events and meeting people who are still on the scene etc and decided to go to a few local dos in Totton & Bournemouth where we met some great people and heard lots of excellent music. As an aside, unbeknown to me my wife who was never into Northern Soul ordered herself a learn NS dancing DVD and surprised me when she started NS dancing :-) Now we have to go further afield and experience some of the events i hear so much about on here. However with Christmas imminent it really is a case of.... so much to do and so little time to do it :-) 

Needless to say I am hooked again and have decided that I need to start building my vinyl collection again (I lost the small record collection that I had sometime during the late 70's - don't ask :-( - I haven't got ANY vinyl, none, zero, zilch! But having only listened to CDs and digital for years I firstly needed some equipment.....

So having already acquired a nice Stanton Turntable a few weeks ago, today I bought a fabulous pair of Mordaunt speakers, a Nice Cambridge amp, cd player etc - I have only been able to listen to my soul CDs and digital tracks but have still been in heaven all day!! 

  

I now really need help with Vinyl and despite reading several books, I really don't know where to start - all I am certain about is that I want OVO, prefer 60s - am not interested in collecting for the sake of collecting and have already realised that many of the records I would like will cost more than I am (currently) prepared to pay i.e. I Walked Away - Bobby Paris, Velvet Satins, Bob Relf, Darrell Banks, Sandi Sheldon,  Jackie Wilson  etc etc 

Thanks for bearing with my long diatribe! I await any suggestions you have and look forward to meeting some of you when we start to travel! Please message me if you want contact details

Cheers Mick

Edit PS. What I should have also said is that I have also founds lots of slower tracks such as Betty Wright (The Best Girls don't always win) Freddie Scott (Hey Girl) that aren't necessarily NS but that I really love!

Edited November 6, 201113 yr by brummiemick

For anyone wanting original records and not wanting to spend ridiculous amounts on each 45, there is a great topic in all about the soul called Cheap as chips (I think) where every record recommended is under £50. That is the best place to start looking.

You don't have to resort to boots snd reissues for a decent cheap collection.

  On 07/12/2011 at 08:44, chalky said:

You can't go wrong with Detroit stuff, Ric Tic, Golden World and countless others. Many many of them starting at around a tenner.

Thanks Chalky. Which dealers would you recommend?

By The way have been invited up your way Jan/Feb and hope to come along with some friends from Stourbridge to one of your events - Dudley I think?

  On 07/12/2011 at 11:27, ady croasdell said:

That's great reading Mick and I remember your mate enjoyed his first nighter at the 100 Club and said he'd be back. Ask the National Sales Manager if she's got any photos of her time as an original mod. What year did she start? Ady

Hi Ady

Have just spoken to Ann, she went to the Flamingo club 65-67 and remembers seeing The Steampacket (Driscoll, Augur, Stewart etc) Georgie Fame, Zoots Money, Chris Farlowe etc. She HAD loads of memorabilia but as she so eloquently put it "her dear old Mum ****** binned it all" much to her lasting regret. She remembers the club getting busted for drugs and having a clipping of the story from the Sunday Pictorial

Yes my mate really enjoyed his first niter and really, really loved the music - said there was loads he had never heard before amd loved the atmosphere.

I am still trying to pluck up the courage to do a niter (dont know if I will last the pace and also need to persuade my wife and maybe Ann & her hubby to do it!) so will probably see you early in the new year - what dates do you have Feb-Mar?

ATB Mick

Edited December 7, 201113 yr by brummiemick

dont worry about lasting the pace mick...go for however long you want to...only a hardcore last till the end,most...myself included these days normally only last till about 4/5...especially if you like dancin instead af chatting!...get to one soon...kings hall,radcliff,bidds,lifeline,gloucester etc you'll love it!!

dean

couldnt think of a better time, in the last 30 years, to be buying cheapies than now, as chalky said acres of great Detriot but loads of great tenner and unders on chicago lables like one- der - ful, Mar v lus, okeh ect.

Mick, plenty of dealers who are reasonable about. Search ebay if you know what you want, many cheap stuff goes unsold.

Check out this topic....some fantastic recommendations for cheap vinyl whilst still sticking to the original ethos of the scene....

  On 07/12/2011 at 15:43, brummymick said:

will probably see you early in the new year - what dates do you have Feb-Mar? ATB Mick

The handy thing about the 100 Club nowadays is that it opens at 10 so you can just treat it as a late night out and when you leave you won't get derided like home fans sneaking off after 70 mins when they're 3-0 down. If you can get a cheap nearby hotel, just knowing the bed is in striking distance will give you enough energy to go on later than you thought you could last. We ain't got one in Feb, due to a mix-up on booking dates, it's Jan 28th and March 24th.

Cheers

Ady

  On 07/12/2011 at 14:57, brummymick said:

Thanks Chalky. Which dealers would you recommend?

By The way have been invited up your way Jan/Feb and hope to come along with some friends from Stourbridge to one of your events - Dudley I think?

Not mine, that will be the re-issue/2nd issue Chalky. Lifeline is what I'm involved with. You will be more than welcome to come along and leave when you have had enough, there is even comfy chairs upstairs for a snooze.