Has Colin Curtis Sold His Collection?

[Guest gordon russell]

let golden 101 answer the question

he might with......l need your dollar,dollar..........dollars what l need

[Guest gordon russell]

OK I'll try and give a perspective on this Winnie......I don't think it's a get out of jail card at all....

-Colin is respected for his love of soul music (not just northern oldies) - always a good start and a hurdle that (for many of us) people like Russ for example fall at.

- He has always had great taste in music - another hurdle that some of the 70s original guys fall at.

- Never been a "trophy hunter" having to chain his box to tables because it's so valuable etc.

- And finally he WAS actually a legendary Mecca DJ. As it was a Mecca revival set, who else you gonna book if you want an authentic Mecca DJ? (Ian is doing something else these days).

It might sound odd but this revival is almost "play by numbers" and I'd rather hear Colin put a Mecca set together, than Joe Noggin from round the corner with a box of original £5 Mecca 45s.

taste is subjective..........who is the decider of good taste?........answers on a cd

[Guest gordon russell]

The point is still being missed here, there's no condoning playing reissues, bootlegs and copies, regardless of DJ status and history. It's about facing facts. Oldies, revival nights are a different scene, where the playlists are now so obvious and predictable that nobody should really care, be surprised or idignant when or whether the well established tunes are played off CDs. It's no longer important..... that train left the sation years ago. The DJs on the revival scene almost entirely play (the now 'safe') tunes that more the progressive DJs discovered, championed and moved on from long ago.

Another point that's missed here is the difference between absolute DJs and collectors who DJ. Absolute DJs generally turn their playlists rapidly and have very short term 'collections' because the important thing is to keep moving forward with fresh music..... and that costs, part of the cost is managed by selling off old plays. The result of which is that absolute DJs don't have the vinyl to cover oldies/revival nights, but most don't care because they're not interested, and the ones that sign up to play at these nights generally do so without original vinyl..... and because some led the way, playing fresh music to earlier floors, then they should be given more respect and not put into the same pigeon hole as the wannabe oldies DJs whos playlists are borrowed.

What is important, in contrast is the true progressive scene which absolutely does care that only original format tunes are played, and we should be rightly protective and vocal about that.

bloody hell cliff....you know some big words

[Citizen P]

THis is a post I was going to make when I'd read the lot. What it boils down to is that there are certain rules for some dj's, and different rules for others. Chris King is a traitor for playing tunes off a laptop. Colin Curtis is a genius for playing tunes off cd's. If your face don't fit, your face don't fit.

I guess it's also an advantage if you're working for the No.1 Self

sorry

Soul promotion Company in the World

T

Edited February 23, 2012 by tonyp

[paultp]

I think I posted this on a similar thread about a year ago but IMHO it might be worth asking again.

Would it have been OK if he had held the records up for people to see whilst he played the tunes off CD?

Can't see what the fuss is about, presumably it was just a bit of nostalgia for a long closed club. Should he have gone out and bought a load of records that he used to have 40 years ago in order to play the night? I'd have thought that for a mecca revival night it would be more important to have Colin Curtis playing a set than for Colin Curtis to have records.

All IMVHO

[Pete S]

I think I posted this on a similar thread about a year ago but IMHO it might be worth asking again.

Would it have been OK if he had held the records up for people to see whilst he played the tunes off CD?

Can't see what the fuss is about, presumably it was just a bit of nostalgia for a long closed club. Should he have gone out and bought a load of records that he used to have 40 years ago in order to play the night? I'd have thought that for a mecca revival night it would be more important to have Colin Curtis playing a set than for Colin Curtis to have records.

All IMVHO

If I was to ever put on a Mecca revival night, I'd have thought the ideal guest would be Ian Levine, who plays off vinyl...

he used to DJ there apparently

Edited February 23, 2012 by Pete S

[paultp]

I'd have thought for a Mecca revival night the ideal guest would have been Ian Levine, who plays off vinyl...

They should have booked both of them.

Does Ian still have his "Mecca" tunes or has he moved on?

[Pete S]

They should have booked both of them.

Does Ian still have his "Mecca" tunes or has he moved on?

Yes he's still got loads of those.

[Pete S]

They should have booked both of them.

They obviously have a reason for not booking Ian and I wasn't trying to tell people who they should and shouldn't book, before anyone says anything to that effect; just that if I, personally, was doing it, I'd have Ian doing it.

[Wrongcrowd]

If I was to ever put on a Mecca revival night, I'd have thought the ideal guest would be Ian Levine, who plays off vinyl...

he used to DJ there apparently

So are you saying that Ian Levine still has all of his original Mecca plays on vinyl ? Hardly likely is it really......come on...

[Guest MrC]

If I was to ever put on a Mecca revival night, I'd have thought the ideal guest would be Ian Levine, who plays off vinyl...

he used to DJ there apparently

[Simsy]

Ian Levine, who plays off vinyl...

Was going to mention that point, but had already been chastised for bringing Winstanley into the argument.

Save for Sir Richard Searling and maybe one or two others, IL it would seem, is one of the few big shot 70's promoters to still DJ and not CDJ - see the difference?

[Geeselad]

What does this actually mean? Sorry to be thick.

sorry mate, I was just saying that punters value vinyl and the idea of 'keeping it real'. sounds a bit poncey now I've read it back, just me trying to be clever, LOL.

[Geeselad]

I recently asked a known oldskool house DJ to do a function for me, he asked for the exorbinate amount but said, 'I'm one of the few left that still plays off vinyl!' checking out some of the others on the oldskool curcuit it seems he's right!

[Pete S]

So are you saying that Ian Levine still has all of his original Mecca plays on vinyl ? Hardly likely is it really......come on...

I think you'd be really surprised. Honestly.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Pete S

[macca]

taste is subjective..........who is the decider of good taste?........answers on a cd

This is so very, very true. Tastes are like colours, one for every mood. An old Spanish proverb, with your permission, of course.

[macca]

sorry mate, I was just saying that punters value vinyl and the idea of 'keeping it real'. sounds a bit poncey now I've read it back, just me trying to be clever, LOL.

Not at all poncey mate. I was just slow making the link between integrity and financial accruity. Nothing wrong with a bit of loquaciousness from time to time.

[Steve G]

Is this still rattling on?

Aren't there anymore old Tom Jones records for some of you guys to come and tell us are really great soul?

[Agentsmith]

What a truly silly thread this is.

With respect to the thread title,

I would suggest that Colin Curtis had very little Original "northern" Vinyl after

the mid to late seventies, he had moved on from the northern scene.

As to why he should be booked to play a Mecca revival night, there are very few people about

these days who can remember what was originally played at the Mecca. So who else could have done it

any better than the guy that did it in the first place. Dont blame Colin blame the promoters

for wanting his "name", they must have known he didnt have the records anymore.

I would also so suggest that, if Colin is reading this, he will be laughing his cock off,

as most of the arguments about OVO/playing new releases etc are probably why he left the scene in the first place.

Whilst i can appreciate the OVO argument from a collectors point of view, and we should always

be aware that without these people the scene would never have been what it is.

However why should OVO matter to people, who just want a good nostalgic night out listening to music

from whatever source. Nobody owns this scene, although some try to.

What we need is the government to set up a quango so that DJ's and venues can

be OVO accredited, and must have all the correct certificates.

But what is OVO ?, which copy of the Invitations Whats Wrong With Me Baby

would be allowed, Stateside, on which it was first played out, or the Dynovoice one.

Would there be a rule that said, only the first DJ to discover the record could

ever be allowed to play said record as his is the only true original copy ?

Everybody knows which nights play OVO so you pays your money and makes your choice.

By the way, and i'll probably get some crap about this, I've seen Richard Searling playing northern

off CD's in the main northern room at a major event.

Kegsy

i'll second the last comment,...how else would richard get to play the isley brothers track?. he didnt even buy the dbl cd, i cut him a copy of said unissued stormer and if you were at lowton, you would have heard him play it,...TOTALLY LEGIT, I WOULD AGAIN EMPHASIZE,..it WONT see the light of day on a motown 7 because UNIVERSAL aren't the slightest bit interested, NO-ONE would dare bootleg it BECAUSE UNIVERSAL WOULD BE INTERESTED, and anyone who's used a carver is the only person/people who are plying it on the decks and of course thats illicit as well...oh, and nobody's going to start knocking him are they?, because he does fortunately have the alibi of a record collection to back him up, and a fine one it is too!

[Winnie :-)]

Is this still rattling on?

Aren't there anymore old Tom Jones records for some of you guys to come and tell us are really great soul?

Have you never been on an OVO thread before Steve? They generally last some time, don't feel obliged to answer if we're keeping you awake/sending you to sleep/stopping you putting the potatoes on

[jocko]

i'll second the last comment,...how else would richard get to play the isley brothers track?. he didnt even buy the dbl cd, i cut him a copy of said unissued stormer and if you were at lowton, you would have heard him play it,...TOTALLY LEGIT, I WOULD AGAIN EMPHASIZE,..it WONT see the light of day on a motown 7 because UNIVERSAL aren't the slightest bit interested, NO-ONE would dare bootleg it BECAUSE UNIVERSAL WOULD BE INTERESTED, and anyone who's used a carver is the only person/people who are plying it on the decks and of course thats illicit as well...oh, and nobody's going to start knocking him are they?, because he does fortunately have the alibi of a record collection to back him up, and a fine one it is too!

While I dread to tip toe in here, as there seems to be about 12 different questions being answered at once with everyone giving an answer to variants on a not quite yet asked question.

However I cannot resist pointing out that cutting a Carver from an issued CD to give to someone to play sounds awful like bootlegging to me, so obviously you are very daring. I really do hope Universal are not reading this as I type.

Not saying it is right or wrong, just pointing out semantics and specifics are important components of any pointless discussions for me.

[Agentsmith]

CAN I SAY i have enjoyed replying to and reading every post on here. ly surprised that so many of you genuinely enjoy my eulogising, ( or at least you seem to ). id probably be not far off the mark in thinking that a good many of you out there know colin in a personal sense, i guess ive known him on and off for 36/7 years and ive always found him approachable, philasophical and comepletely down-to-earth but straight to the point. he never forgets a face, his aptitude for that has never ceased to amaze me,...even if 10 years had passed, he'd say hello and have a carry-on conversation like he'd been talking to you in he street yesterday. he would DEFINITELY take whats been written here, with a pinch of salt

[Mark S]

A big name DJ playing stuff he used to play off CD s is wrong . people are paying with real money so at the very least they should expect to be treated with a bit more respect . To me its like watching a big name singer lip sync .

[Agentsmith]

While I dread to tip toe in here, as there seems to be about 12 different questions being answered at once with everyone giving an answer to variants on a not quite yet asked question.

However I cannot resist pointing out that cutting a Carver from an issued CD to give to someone to play sounds awful like bootlegging to me, so obviously you are very daring. I really do hope Universal are not reading this as I type.

Not saying it is right or wrong, just pointing out semantics and specifics are important components of any pointless discussions for me.

i didnt cut him a carver, i burnt a cd of the track for him.

[Pete S]

CAN I SAY i have enjoyed replying to and reading every post on here. ly surprised that so many of you genuinely enjoy my eulogising, ( or at least you seem to ).

This is not true.

We all hate you.

[Agentsmith]

This is not true.

We all hate you.

i decided against it pete, stick your head above the parapit so to speak, i know everybody hates me..... uncle ted keeps telling me to shut the barn door!!

[Guest wigan bob]

just say in ten years time theres a big allnighter revival with djs like butch mick h etc etc but they dont have any records left but they could either pay cds or borrow the records they use to play which choice would you be happy with

[Agentsmith]

for the propagandarists.....SHOULDN'T THIS TITLE BE: HAS COLIN CURTIS SOLD HIS...."SOUL".....COLLECTION?

i think not

[Guest rennie]

You DJ using CD's we pay our entrance door tax in MONOPOLY MONEY.......Not real for not real .....Simples...

[Mark S]

If they have sold up why give them the work ?

If a window cleaner sold his ladder ....................................................

Edited February 23, 2012 by Mark S

[Steve G]

Have you never been on an OVO thread before Steve? They generally last some time, don't feel obliged to answer if we're keeping you awake/sending you to sleep/stopping you putting the potatoes on

Yup loads of times but for me Win there is a world of difference between a night playing rare / upfront records or even a general oldies night, and a Mecca revival. For the latter is strikes me you probably should get someone that actually DJed there. And I accept the point about Ian, if he and Kev agree to do a Mecca set fine and dandy. But I simply cannot get hot under the collar about the format at what is essentially a party night. General oldies nights I think should stick to OVO - tend not to do them by and large, but again it's play by numbers. You know you'll hear Eddie Parker (x5), Del Larks (x5), Mel Britt (x4), Salvadores (x4), Lou Pride (x3) etc etc.

just say in ten years time theres a big allnighter revival with djs like butch mick h etc etc but they dont have any records left but they could either pay cds or borrow the records they use to play which choice would you be happy with

What Butch plays is not generally available Bob, and is unlikely to become so. Mecca records are generally ten a penny, and any Tom Dick or Harry can play a Mecca set and I think that's the difference - if you are going to do a Mecca night you really need Ian or Colin. Very few genuinely rare Mecca 45s from the heyday since they were mostly recent releases as you know.

_____

The amount of handbag waving this is generating is in stark contrast to another revival night a couple of years ago, where two heroes returned to rapturous applause, played largely off of carvers, and no one batted an eyelid.......

[KevH]

If they have sold up why give them the work ?

If a window cleaner sold his ladder ....................................................

So putting in the hard yards at the dawn of the scene (Torch),making real history at the Mecca,(wether you like the tunes or not),moving himself out of NS, into whatever you'd like to pigeon hole his preferred genre is,means nothing?.

Maybe if he played cd's every weekend at the big bustling venues,while pretending to fly the NS flag we'd have a real bone of contention.

Has he made himself a laughing stock,like some?

Respect.

[Winnie :-)]

Yup loads of times but for me Win there is a world of difference between a night playing rare / upfront records or even a general oldies night, and a Mecca revival. For the latter is strikes me you probably should get someone that actually DJed there. And I accept the point about Ian, if he and Kev agree to do a Mecca set fine and dandy. But I simply cannot get hot under the collar about the format at what is essentially a party night. General oldies nights I think should stick to OVO - tend not to do them by and large, but again it's play by numbers. You know you'll hear Eddie Parker (x5), Del Larks (x5), Mel Britt (x4), Salvadores (x4), Lou Pride (x3) etc etc.

But you are more accepting of the CD in general Steve as is Cliff, I'm talking from the perspective if it hasn't been released its fine to play it off of a CD, which I wouldn't disagree with. I also think if it's a local night, with the attendees being people who don't travel, it's fine there as well. I'd even go as far as to say, it's ok at a revival night (not that my opinion matters in the big scheme of things) but where we part company is deciding it's ok for certain DJs but not others. That's an inconsistent view with previous OVO threads, to my recollection, but then I can't ever remember one of Colin's sets being introduced into evidence

I think Richard S and Soul Sam would be treated with the same reverence if they went down the same route, but woe betide Chris King, Russ, or even Kev R if they did similar. That's the bit I don't get, legendary status of a DJ is subjective, there are probably more people who would consider Russ/Kev as bigger contributors to the northern scene than Colin, yet they would undoubtedly get vilified for taking a similar option. Just doesn't make sense to me that's all

[Mark S]

One rule for one etc etc . We cant pilory one DJ where ever he plays and let another get on with it , thats double standards so what if CC was there at the beginning then he should know better .

[Guest Paul]

I won't get involved in this fascinating debate but I'll add a bit of humour...

Not only should Colin DJ with original vinyl records, he should leave his iPod and mobile phone at home and travel to events in a battered Hillman Avenger or a Ford Cortina without a heater - unless he's willing to jump the train.

Sorry but I couldn't resist that.

Paul

[KevH]

One rule for one etc etc . We cant pilory one DJ where ever he plays and let another get on with it , thats double standards so what if CC was there at the beginning then he should know better .

It not pillorying one and not the other.If you know your venues/events as i'm sure you do,and the dj's who are guesting,you'll know the possiblities of ovo/cd/mp3.

CC plays cd's shock horror? No.Its what he does now.And as far as i know doesn't dress it up any other way...The double standards comes in when the punters are duped into thinking they are getting ovo.

[Guest Brett F]

While I dread to tip toe in here, as there seems to be about 12 different questions being answered at once with everyone giving an answer to variants on a not quite yet asked question.

However I cannot resist pointing out that cutting a Carver from an issued CD to give to someone to play sounds awful like bootlegging to me, so obviously you are very daring. I really do hope Universal are not reading this as I type.

Not saying it is right or wrong, just pointing out semantics and specifics are important components of any pointless discussions for me.

The last paragraph is why Jocko is such good company, just priceless, hope I see you either in Aachen or Essence mate....you are brilliant copy... : )

[Guest Jimmy Scriv]

I blame Colin he should have switched off the deck cams then we wouldn't have had this debate

[Sheldonsoul]

I blame Colin he should have switched off the deck cams then we wouldn't have had this debate

Personally I don't give a toss about cc

[Godzilla]

While I dread to tip toe in here, as there seems to be about 12 different questions being answered at once with everyone giving an answer to variants on a not quite yet asked question.

However I cannot resist pointing out that cutting a Carver from an issued CD to give to someone to play sounds awful like bootlegging to me, so obviously you are very daring. I really do hope Universal are not reading this as I type.

Not saying it is right or wrong, just pointing out semantics and specifics are important components of any pointless discussions for me.

You're clearly right Jock. I think if people do that it automatically gives the more 'pure at heart' amongst us the absolute right to contact complete strangers on ebay to tell them that they're a disgrace to humanity. I would imagine that if those guilty are ever seen in person it's also acceptable to walk up to them and scream in their face in righteous indignation, while holding a picture of a (literally) starving artist. Killing their kids is probably cool too. It's what's in the grooves that counts after all.

[Alison H]

Personally I don't give a toss about cc

Erm, why are you reading this thread then x

[Guest wigan bob]

so the rules are no matter who you are never play cds at revivals or such nights if you once owned the originals

[Sheldonsoul]

Erm, why are you reading this thread then x

curiosity me thinks or boredom lol Edited February 23, 2012 by sheldonsoul

[Paul Shirley]

On cd?

This is the same as Dustbin Stanley playing a cd set at Crossfire.

The magnitude of my northern soul fame allows me to play cd's as I discovered most of these tracks in the first place. That's bollocks, you play real one's - you are real. Play copies and you're a shadow of your former self, whoever you think you used to be!

sorry ive posted on the wrong quote by mistake ,

im still trying to get my head around Absolute DJs ?

Edited February 23, 2012 by steptoe

[SLAMMINSOUL]

I was never at the Mecca or Wigan for that matter ! Too young i'm afraid ! I've been into Soul for 17 years now! Names like Colin Curtis and Richard serling are Legendary names to me and i only wish i could have heard them in their pomp!

I would never dare try question their Integrity as

dj's. They made the scene what it is! I just think its sad to be honest ! I mean did he really need to play cd's. Surely he had some mecca tunes on vinyl he could have played and then it would not have given people the chance to question

his great name on here!

Lets face it, people are talking about it in a

negative sense so surely it was needless on his part. I'm sure he worked harder than most to

make his name as a dj! So Why do it? Why work so hard and then loose some cred with folk by playing cd's. If i went to hear him Play Mecca tunes and he playef CD's i'd feel cheated. His Y2k stuff n other styles is completely different. I bought into the legend but i won't be paying to hear him play CD's

Atb n ktf

Clint

[Benji]

I won't get involved in this fascinating debate but I'll add a bit of humour... Not only should Colin DJ with original vinyl records, he should leave his iPod and mobile phone at home and travel to events in a battered Hillman Avenger or a Ford Cortina without a heater - unless he's willing to jump the train. Sorry but I couldn't resist that. Paul

And punters are obliged to turn up dressed in authentic Mecca dress, plastic sandals etc.

[Guest rennie]

And punters are obliged to turn up dressed in authentic Mecca dress, plastic sandals etc.

Plastic sandals....Goodness me I remember wearing those to Mecca & Wigan in the early 70's ... ...." Dwayne Dibley " ....

[Ian Dewhirst]

so the rules are no matter who you are never play cds at revivals or such nights if you once owned the originals

Yep, that's right. Serves 'em right for flogging off £250K worth of originals when they could have sat on 'em for 35 years to play a couple of gigs a year in 2011. Bloody amateurs........

Ian D

[Wiggyflat]

It's up to the promoters really.He must have told the promoters that he only had cd.s and they were okay with it.I wonder if he would have borrowed a collection if they said vinyl only.I can't imagine it would have been hard for him to source a box.

[Wrongcrowd]

It's up to the promoters really.He must have told the promoters that he only had cd.s and they were okay with it.I wonder if he would have borrowed a collection if they said vinyl only.I can't imagine it would have been hard for him to source a box.

Quite right... CD decks are not usually standard equipment at Northern events, so it's likely that the promoter knew the score....

I guess that vinyl could have been borrowed for the occasion (there was plenty of that going on at the recent TOTW reunion)... but what would that have really achieved other than a change of complaint.... DJs borrowing vinyl rather than the CD gripe...

Edited February 24, 2012 by Wrongcrowd