The First Record That Got You Hooked ?

[Robbk]

Like Robb, I got into the music years before NS was 'invented'.

Back at the start it was 45's on UK Stateside (incl Motown), Atlantic (incl Stax), Sue and the like that got me hooked. Sam & Dave + Otis Redding tracks figured large in those days, soon to be followed by stuff like "Harlem Shuffle", "Determination", "Jump Back" & the original versions of tracks that Jimmy James, Alan Bown, the Who, Small Faces & Geno were doing.

But then, back in the 60's, all the UK chart & beat groups were covering soul songs .... you just had to go looking for the 'real version' when you heard a soulful type track by a UK artist / outfit.

I also remember that during the mid to late '60s, the big HMV store (wasn't it on Oxford Street?) carried a surprising amount of obscure US Soul productions on UK labels in the bins, and at that time, the store had record players in booths where you could play any record you wanted to hear. I left a LOT of pretty rare British Soul records there, because I already had the US issue.

[TommieOnTheSpot]

Back in 1968 I was 13 and regularly going to my local youth club Haylands in Bedford,

remember hearing a mix of Motown and Reggae on the record player played there, but

a big moment for me was hearing Doris Troy - I'll do anything late one night at home in

my bedroom whilst tuned in to radio Caroline (I think).

The Doris Troy track was so uplifting and powerful and as good as the Motown sound I liked

but yet it was different..... and so started my search for that alternative upbeat sound that

later became known as 'Northern Soul'

Hammie - DORIS TROY IS SUCH A TUNE!!! :thumbsup:

[Guest micksoul]

When i was in the 5th year at school in 1982 one of the hip Mod kids did me a tape of Inferno and early Kent stuff and the two tracks that i kept playing over were Mary Love , Bitter into sweet and Dobie Gray , Out on the floor . There was no going back after that !

[Steve Foran]

Steve, Hills record shop in the High St ,remember when Steve Sabbey found a copy of April Stevens on a Uk demo at his aunts house,we used to pester him to play it when he done the local discos,is DETO (Barry Pain),cheers.

atb

Dave f......

Dave please forgive me I have only just seen this reply. Yep Hills thats the one. Steve has still got April Stevens as well. You ok?

[Steve Foran]

Early seventies listening to tamla down at the Beachcomber, but the 1st Northern to get me HOOKED was late 73 around the time the Casino opened we had a club in ASPULL called The Pink Elephant and i remember going in there one Thurday night and heard THE VELOURS IM GONNA CHANGE and i certainly did !!!!!

Aspull, I used to know a lad from there! Freddie!

[Guest Mike72]

Two of the first records I remember hearing: Dave Charles - Ain't gonna cry no more, and Shirley Lawson - One more chance

The latter one gets more plays, but I still love 'em both

[Guest Mike72]

johnny bragg..there talkin about me....by accident. 1974 ..my mum was a cleaner in the local club and sunday morning i went with her to work. mum and her friends were busy so i nipped up onto the stage where they`d had a disco the night before. lo and behold this 45 was on the table..green elberjay..no sleeve to be found tho..we`d got lots of records at home but i`d never seen one like this before...i took it home,played it and it introduced me to a sound the likes i`d never heard before

dave

Pure Fate!! Soul is part of your desiny!! - stellar post Dave, amazing when you think about it

[boba]

When i was in the 5th year at school in 1982 one of the hip Mod kids did me a tape of Inferno and early Kent stuff and the two tracks that i kept playing over were Mary Love , Bitter into sweet and Dobie Gray , Out on the floor . There was no going back after that !

when i was in the 5th grade i had a dub of a def leppard tape

[Guest Owen Conway]

in 1973? my first soul record was bought by mistake..rockin' robin by the jackson 5. i had asked for gary glitter,s rock and roll and when i got home i put it on the deck and then realised. in 1974 i worked with a lad who was into NS and we both went to this little record shop and ordered George mcray rock your baby and that was it....hooked

[Guest Polyvelts]

I got a feeling - Barbara Randolph.

[NUFCSOUL]

I lived in a village west of Newcastle and the best I got was a boys club in the next village - turned up there approx 1972/3 in my 14th year and christ what were all these skinheads (lads and lasses) doing dancing in lines to what I found out was The Tams (Hey Girl), Tammi Lynn (Run Away) Chairmen of the Board and of course loads of Motown. They played Jimmy Mack every week - I loved it!!! Brutus check shirts and sta-prest - we thought we were the bees knees but as we all know IT'S WHAT'S IN THE GROOVES THAT COUNTS and that certain beat did it for me!!!.

[Marc Forrest]

My first 45 ever bought was "Gypsy Woman"..so you could say already at the tender age of around six I was a strong Impressions fan..sadly it was the disco version by Leroy Gomez though LOL

First real Soul tunes that got me hooked were Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers "Malinda" plus Marvin Gaye`s "Heard It Through The Grapevine" long before becoming a mod these were my absolute favourites and were played via my mum´s treasured Tamla Motown albums. Still got them today )

[Guest ritchie]

Jamo Thomas I-Spy - Polydor - Out of the Quality Street tin at the youth club c 69. I was 11, everything else in it was Trojan, Pama, Bluebeat ect .

And Robert Knight- LOAMT 4 years later took me exploring up norf

[Guest micksoul]

when i was in the 5th grade i had a dub of a def leppard tape

Weve all got embarrasing pre soul confessions , The Police and Abba are two of mine , i was very young tho !

[Back Street Blue]

Like Ritchie, I progressed from my older sister's Motown stuff plus the Doc Marten stuff at the Youthy, and then on to the clubs as I grew enough bum fluff to get passed the bouncers. First tune I heard at the Pendulum was The Righteous Brother's Band instrumental "Rat Race", first tune at Wigan was The Triumphs "I'm coming to your rescue" and first tune I heard at the Mecca was Otis Blackwell "It's all over me").

Hard to nail down the track that got me into what we now call "northern" (we all hated that handle back in the day "too Divy") only really got played in Mr M's at the Casino, which was Brooks & Jerry " I got what it takes" and which my sister brought home on direction records along with Mel & Tim's "Backfield in Motion" on a record label with a picture of a fried egg on it and when I was just old enough to be learning to smoke PD killers !!!

I remember buying the O'jays "Soul Train" when it first came out as my first purchase, which I "taped" on to the old grundig spool tape recorder before promptly swapping the single for a second hand copy of Chairman of the board's "Give me just a little more time" with a kid called Frank Clarke at school.

Happy days.

KTF

[Bruv]

On 20/07/2012 at 17:34, Back Street Blue said:

Like Ritchie, I progressed from my older sister's Motown stuff plus the Doc Marten stuff at the Youthy, and then on to the clubs as I grew enough bum fluff to get passed the bouncers. First tune I heard at the Pendulum was The Righteous Brother's Band instrumental "Rat Race", first tune at Wigan was The Triumphs "I'm coming to your rescue" and first tune I heard at the Mecca was Otis Blackwell "It's all over me").

 

Hard to nail down the track that got me into what we now call "northern" (we all hated that handle back in the day "too Divy") only really got played in Mr M's at the Casino, which was Brooks & Jerry " I got what it takes" and which my sister brought home on direction records along with Mel & Tim's "Backfield in Motion" on a record label with a picture of a fried egg on it and when I was just old enough to be learning to smoke PD killers !!!

 

I remember buying the O'jays "Soul Train" when it first came out as my first purchase, which I "taped" on to the old grundig spool tape recorder before promptly swapping the single for a second hand copy of Chairman of the board's "Give me just a little more time" with a kid called Frank Clarke at school.

 

Happy days.

 

KTF

Great memories, loved hearing Rat Race played out loud in a big venue... 

[DabberSoul]

It must have been around 1975 or 1976 I was 13 at the time and I was at my best mates house on a Sunday afternoon his elder brother had been to to the Casino the night before and left some records lying around. First record on the turntable was Little Anthony Better Use Your Head well it blew me away I had never heard anything like it and that was it hooked for life, next up Dena Barnes If You Ever Walk Out Of My LIfe and the Tomangoes I Really Love You and that was the start of my journey. First place I ventured to was the Whitchurch Civic Centre for the Bank Holiday All Dayers I remember the dancers and the fashion at the time and I knew I had found my musical heaven, other early visits were to Tiffanys Newcastle with my elder brother on Sunday afternoons and finally made it to the Casino at the grand old age of 16 I still remember walking up Station Road after catching the 2240 train from Crewe arriving at Wigan North Western at 2320 and being chased by drunk punk rockers as it was closing times for the pubs back then.  At the time stand out tunes from the Casino for me were the Velvets I 'm Gonna Find  Somebody, Vickie Baines Country Girl and The Poppies Pain In My Heart.

[Stephen Houghton]

I walked away ,Dean parish played at the casino never disappointed followed by mitch ryder ,devil with a blue dress on 

[Petered]

Just a Little Misunderstanding for me.  Heard for the first time at my cool friends house in around 69 or 70 and I was hooked.  Swiftly picked up from Boots in Burton together with the Four Tops Greatest Hits and I was away.

[Dis57]

Cigarette ashes - Jimmy Conwell

Shucks  - Sebastian Williams

Instrumentals were king

[Tomo]

Morris Chestnut - Too Darn soulful. 
Went straight out and bought it after hearing it at the local youth club and still got it today. 
Can’t remember the last time I heard it played out but still love it.

[Andyf]

On 11/07/2012 at 16:53, micksoul said:

When i was in the 5th year at school in 1982 one of the hip Mod kids did me a tape of Inferno and early Kent stuff and the two tracks that i kept playing over were Mary Love , Bitter into sweet and Dobie Gray , Out on the floor . There was no going back after that !

Kent & Inferno were introductions for me as well. Frank Beverley - If That's What You Wanted, Four Perfections - I'm Not Strong Enough and Jackie Day - Before It's Too Late were the stand outs for me. Like you say hooked after that

[Biggordy]

Early 90s I was listening to Queen Majesty by The Techniques.  Now before you go saying "but that's a Jamaican rock steady 45", please allow me to continue   I went into a record shop in Newcastle Upon Tyne (I lived in Northumberland at the time) and said to the bloke "have you got anything else like this?".  He said they had more Jamaican stuff in but maybe I'd like to hear the original soul version of QM?  He put on an Impressions album with "Minstrel And Queen" on and the rest is history.  I started off liking classic "regular" soul and over the past almost 30 years have got deeper and deeper (including deep soul!). 

[Fish Fingers]

I was a kid at junior school when 'Footsie' was on TOTP. I was intrigued as everything else about was glam rock / pop etc. 

This new music and dancing looked cool! 

Older brother then started getting into NS and I followed behind. 

Favourite early songs included 'Afternoon of the rhino' / 'Blowing my mind to pieces' / 'Cigarette Ashes' / 'Out on the floor' 

I took the latter into a school music lesson in 1st year at High school and the whole class did a study on records we brought in. 

My best mate (RIP) who later became a decent Modern Soul / Soulful House DJ took 'Bohemian Rhapsody' before I converted him to Northern. 

[Stevecee]

A couple of years before I knew what Soul was let alone Northern my parents had an LP by the Tymes called People and It was full of Mor type songs, but one of them was very different and I would play it over and over again and found it strange there wasn't anything like that style on the radio as it was so good.

Fast forward a few years and I discover Northern and hear this played at my youth club and It all made sense why it had appealed to me as a young kid. Even weirder was when Dan Folger got played years later and I knew the record but couldn't work out how I knew it only to discover there was a slower version on the same Tymes Lp:-)

 

[The Tempest]

School disco  - I went to a massive secondary school in Scotland and the school disco was always held in the local town hall - the DJ as always  would play a set of 3- 4 records of all genres and the crowd would walk on and off as THEIR music was played but I will never forget my mates big brother and his half a dozen mates burn that floor up to this - the huge crowd circled around them as they clapped and spun - after 40 yrs it still sends the hairs up on the back of my neck with those opening chords - pure magic 

Edited August 7, 2021 by The Tempest

[Mssoulie]

Boston Spa youth club 1978 and I was 11yrs old. Out on the floor hits my ears the first time I was allowed in the dance hall with the big lads and lasses. Still brings a lump to my throat when I remember that time.

Hugh

[Bunderthollox]

Nevertheless Lee Andrews and the Hearts picked the crimson boot up in 1982, in love ever since. 

The record in question is in an ammo box, I sold the first lot to my pal Robin, for £50 in 1988, he still has them all

[Bruv]

Stand out record for me that finally got me hooked on Northern Soul as much as I was already loving seeing the dancing at a local Youth Club and the tracks played was the Steve Karmen Band - Breakaway with Jimmy Radcliffe's incredible vocals blasting out in what was a very echoed out old building, if I wasn't already hooked I was that evening... 

 

[Reissue55]

The  volcanoes sorn warning! , we got better use your head little anybony, eula cooper let our love grow higher bobby wommack what is this

[Reissue55]

Of course back then artists had second jobs and these fine lads did a bit of moonlighting with the dvla, hence the title which obviously has nothing  to do with fweak weather 

[washlively]

The first few singles I heard didn't really inspire me that were brought home from Blackpool Mecca by my sister What Kind Of Lady and Pete Warner. Then at school (Pey Guerin) a lad I knew brought in an LP with Tell Me Its Just A Rumour Baby on and another school mate Jimmy lent me Storm Warning and James Carr "Thats what I wanna know". After that I was hooked this was around early 76 and by December I was at my first Wigan nighter.

[Tomangoes]

I've said it before, and I will say it again....boring I know!

Baileys nappy nights around 75, this record came on where the girls left the dance floor and a dozen or so boys in strange clothes got on and a crowd formed to watch this fast dancing with fists punching the air, co- ordinated clapping, backdrops, spins, etc.

Eventually I got told the tune that was playing was called Reaching for the best....

Never seen or heard anything like it before.

Who'd have thought a tailor made would hook so many of us, but it did. 

Ed

[souloon]

When I was at school about 1967, the older students had the use of a room to play there Motown record, me and my friend would hang about outside listening, the record that turned me into a collecter was the marvelettes I’ll keep holding on . Still love it today. 

[Leicester Boy]

4 hours ago, souloon said:

When I was at school about 1967, the older students had the use of a room to play there Motown record, me and my friend would hang about outside listening, the record that turned me into a collecter was the marvelettes I’ll keep holding on . Still love it today. 

Superb song, then now and always

[Reissue55]

On 18/08/2021 at 00:57, washlively said:

The first few singles I heard didn't really inspire me that were brought home from Blackpool Mecca by my sister What Kind Of Lady and Pete Warner. Then at school (Pey Guerin) a lad I knew brought in an LP with Tell Me Its Just A Rumour Baby on and another school mate Jimmy lent me Storm Warning and James Carr "Thats what I wanna know". After that I was hooked this was around early 76 and by December I was at my first Wigan nighter.

What an ace name ! Pey ! What a start , isleys, dd , james ! Someone should do those at a venue for your birthday !