Ever Given Up Soul?

[Dave Rimmer]

On topic now. Went to Burnley Saturday night with four friends.(And we were all from a different town or city funnily enough) A fair drive, it took us three hours, mostly because Sian had put BB1 in the satnav not BB11. So after driving round Blackburn for a while saying "I don't recognise this" we eventually arrived at Burnley. Although it wasn't Sian's fault !

So having had a couple of hours great laughs with friends on the journey there, we then had another eight hours of great music, with friends, beer, records to look through, and even more laughs. Somes tunes I knew and thought were superb, some I thought why are they playing this crap. More importantly, some tunes I didn't know, and thought were great. That's what we went for. A busy dancefloor paid testement to the fact that the DJs did their job perfectly. Even more laughs, especially when Sian sprayed hand sanitiser in her mouth thinking it was breath freshener and complained it tasted horrible. It wasn't Sian's fault though !

The journey home took us four hours, Tabs snored most of the way until we arrived at the 'Services time forgot'..Lymm truck stop. Having put the world to rights we carried on and I arrived home, tired, but happy.

If I'd stayed in Saturday night would I have had as much fun ? Well to be honest, if the same people on the bus had come to my house Saturday night, probably yes, because they would be great company anywhere. But we have a shared interest that is Northern Soul, and to enjoy it at it's best you have to be at venue. If I'd stayed in Saturday night I'd have been bored to death by 8pm, and probably gone to bed by 10pm. And I still managed to watch The Voice, that's what we have got Sky+ for.

Could I give it all up ? Probably not, because I'm a sociable kind of guy, and enjoy the company of my friends who, as I mentioned, all live in different places. My own family circumstances are such that the two lads are grown up and I'm a widower, so if the best I've got to look forward to on a saturday night is staying in watching The Voice I'd be in a very dark place !

[Len]

As Joan said, where were we? I'm lost now! I suggest reading the first post again, I know I need to ...'edit, edit, edit' lol.

Anyone got any thoughts? - This is actually a very serious subject... I wanna stay in more but I wanna go out more...There must be a reason why I am questioning it. All through the 90's I was just 'doing it' never analysed it, just looked forward to the next one.

All the best,

Len.

[Pete S]

My own family circumstances are such that the two lads are grown up and I'm a widower, so if the best I've got to look forward to on a saturday night is staying in watching The Voice I'd be in a very dark place !

That hits the nail on the head Dave.

While most people got married, had kids in the 80's, I did it late, very late, so now I have one aged 3 and one aged 6 and I am not going to miss watching this pair grow up, not after having lost one daughter, I'll never make that mistake again. Everything will take a back seat. If I were in your shoes though, I think I'd be doing exactly the same as you are dojng, otherwise I'd go slowly mad.

[Quinvy]

That's just cruel!

But true mate.

[KevH]

As Noel Gordon said Len "Welcome to (your) crossroads." Stop wittlin' youth.!!! Go out when you can.Still plenty to do out there.!!!

Edited April 23, 2012 by KevH

[Guest Sharon H]

Jeees, there's 26 of you reading right now - Do any of us have any work to do or what? lol...Gawd, I hear echo's of - "It was a tragic case, do you remember that fateful day back in 2012 when Lenny finally lost it? Bless him, have you visited him lately? He doesn't recognise anyone now..."

L

Jeees, there's 26 of you reading right now - Do any of us have any work to do or what? lol...Gawd, I hear echo's of - "It was a tragic case, do you remember that fateful day back in 2012 when Lenny finally lost it? Bless him, have you visited him lately? He doesn't recognise anyone now..."

L

Oh dear Len , you really do seem to have a severe case of the "Monday Blues " .....I prescribe a good dose of listening to all of your top tunes , A Rugby Niter or Gloucester .....before the Soul Police catch up with you

Certainly made me smile today reading all of the posts .

Shaz

x

I

[Len]

I know there are a lot of people who are well satisfied at home in their record rooms etc on a Saturday night. Pete, I have a three year old daughter and a six year old son, this Saturday morning I took my son to do his first grading for Karate. A very simple thing but the pleasure I got from it was a reminder not to miss out on things like that.

I suppose I'm scared to death of becoming normal If that makes sense, I know I have to embrace middle age - Maybe B and Q is where it's at after all!

Len.

[Len]

Hi Shaz,

I'm ok (Honest!) I'm actually in a really good mood, just sharing my thoughts thus getting all this therapy free of charge!....Jeeeze, you wanna see what 'hits the cutting room floor' sometimes!

It's interesting that in a lot of 'cases' people that try staying away for various reasons end up coming back at some point - Usually 'firing on all cylinders' to make up for lost time.

Len.

Edited April 23, 2012 by LEN

[Wrongcrowd]

Len, your 'dilemma' seems to be all in your head, you still enjoy going to soul events (great to see ya at Soul Essence by the way), and I know you're still passionate about hearing fresher tunes, so it's not that you're bored of the whole thing.... you just need to find some balance, and get your priorities right.

You can't beat yourself up about cutting down on the time you spend at soul nights, when you have a young family. You'll never, ever be able to replace time lost with your family, but you absolutely will be able to catch up on time lost on the 'scene'... it's not as though it moves that fast nowadays anyway....

The time to be concerned is when you think you'd rather go fishing, or get a hankering for a Hornby in th attic.

See ya at Sam's 90th...

[Len]

Len, your 'dilemma' seems to be all in your head, you still enjoy going to soul events (great to see ya at Soul Essence by the way), and I know you're still passionate about hearing fresher tunes, so it's not that you're bored of the whole thing.... you just need to find some balance, and get your priorities right.

You can't beat yourself up about cutting down on the time you spend at soul nights, when you have a young family. You'll never, ever be able to replace time lost with your family, but you absolutely will be able to catch up on time lost on the 'scene'... it's not as though it moves that fast nowadays anyway....

The time to be concerned is when you think you'd rather go fishing, or get a hankering for a Hornby in th attic.

See ya at Sam's 90th...

Nice one Cliff - Cheers.

Len.

[Russ Vickers]

I know there are a lot of people who are well satisfied at home in their record rooms etc on a Saturday night. Pete, I have a three year old daughter and a six year old son, this Saturday morning I took my son to do his first grading for Karate. A very simple thing but the pleasure I got from it was a reminder not to miss out on things like that.

I suppose I'm scared to death of becoming normal If that makes sense, I know I have to embrace middle age - Maybe B and Q is where it's at after all!

Len.

You can do both Len, I have for years....pse dont become normal, its not normal.......

Russ

[Guest squaw]

I have to admit that when I saw the Pontins flyer I was a bit miffed to discover they had managed to spell DAVE wrong in my name, but then I saw what they'd done to you..............................

Proof Readers Of The World Untie !

Anton [who did the flyers] once spelt his own name wrong on the bolton niter flyers.Should have known better when i read his company logo,We are expensive ,but shit .

[Guest Sharon H]

Hi Shaz,

I'm ok (Honest!) I'm actually in a really good mood, just sharing my thoughts thus getting all this therapy free of charge!....Jeeeze, you wanna see what 'hits the cutting room floor' sometimes!

It's interesting that in a lot of 'cases' people that try staying away for various reasons end up coming back at some point - Usually 'firing on all cylinders' to make up for lost time.

Len.

Oh dear thats me ......I may need the therapy too at some point ....lol

I'm pleased you're ok Len .....I realise it's all very "tongue in cheek " .....such a great way to air your views on here and read eveyone elses ......brightened my Monday up .

[Scotters]

"Wax on..Wax off" is I think one of the first tasks you gave me when I met you just under a couple of years ago Len.

I'll update it back to you and others like us with family and other commitments.."Weekend on...Weekend off"

There's the balance I think, which I'm still sort of trying to find myself after you got me on this merry-go-round of a wonderful yet time consuming thing.

Steve

[Zed1]

Other than the odd nite I've pretty much given up - seems these days unless you own a Handbag or an Anorak the scene has little to offer.

[Winnie :-)]

Yes, not meaning to be too negative (remember we're only analysing) But, yes sometimes I think, is this a youth culture we should have left behind years ago, having fond memories to look back on?

I don't want this sliding into 'about the scene' again, just lately I'm really enjoying myself and I think to myself, it would be pretty 'cool' to walk away with a warm feeling inside rather than suddenly looking around and we're all at Soul Sam's 90th!

Back on topic - I'd like to know your thoughts on whether you think you could handle The Voice this Sat night.....It is good mind!...Our Win is back after a bit of a break, care to share reasons etc for going away Win? (Unless personal of course) Or coming back? - We all missed ya!

Len.

I stopped going partly for personal reasons, but mostly because I was bored, there seemed to be no natural progression, different genres were appearing, popcorn/latin/R&B but I'm not a great lover of that sort of stuff, I was and am, preferring the modern sound a lot of the time over the classics. It could rightly be said, I chose my venues so the musical fare was down to me, I wouldn't deny that, but the constant barrage of oldies was becoming monotonous and even new/rare stuff becomes old hat if it doesn't fit in with your own understanding/description of a genre. Hence the need for me to see the scene moving forward, but as I've already mentioned from my own perspective, I preferred modern and felt/feel that is the natural progression, rather than some of the sub-genres I've already mentioned.

The other thing I found was I missed dancing, and I missed the people, I know we're not really all best mates, that can't be when the only thing that really binds you is music, but there definitely is an affinity between most of us and reading reports of venues, made me realise I was missing out and the scene still had something to offer me. Name checking Dave Abbott here, because whilst I wasn't going out he took the time to send me some of the funkier northern he was playing, and I found I liked it, and that went some way to getting me to want to put on the dancing shoes again.

Another thing that really affected me was losing friends for ever, and a simple message I got that said, ''you live once, go out and live'', I've thanked the girl who sent me that, because it stopped me wallowing.

Currently I'm out every week and thoroughly enjoying it, I should probably have never stopped, but I've addressed that now

Winnie

[Scotters]

After just getting roped into joining in playing "Just Dance 3" or whatever it was on the Wii for the first time with my young kids tonight, there's NO WAY I'm EVER giving up soul. The whole experience hurt my ears and my body (was quite funny mind!)

[Len]

Ahem, I may have been on Soul-source a bit too long today.....I just tried to tick 'like' on ShazzC's last post and this box 'thingy' just popped up on my screen saying - An error occurred - You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day - Wow, that's some achievement hey folks?! Lol.....Although, extremely sad....crumbs...

Oh, deary dear.....Now I feel terrible....

Len.

P.s - Just catching up.

Edited April 23, 2012 by LEN

[Len]

Other than the odd nite I've pretty much given up - seems these days unless you own a Handbag or an Anorak the scene has little to offer.

Mmmm, interesting you're looking for an 'inbetweeny' night (We covered that once a while back)....They're are some, you've just got to seek em out mate

All the best,

Len.

Edited April 23, 2012 by LEN

[Winnie :-)]

Ahem, I may have been on Soul-source a bit too long today.....I just tried to tick 'like' on ShazzC's last post and this box 'thingy' just popped up on my screen saying - An error occurred - You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day - Wow, that's some achievement hey folks?! Lol.....Although, extremely sad....crumbs...

Oh, deary dear.....Now I feel terrible....

Len.

P.s - Just catching up.

20 a day Len, so you've been a bit busy today buddy

[Guest mellytee]

Its called balance Len....I struggle with it but would go insane(er) if I couldn't get a fix of soul & the weird and wonderful people that inhabit Soulworld. My kids are 9 & 7 and are in bed /on the stairs going to bed when I go out and presumably sleep whilst I am out dancing and drinking etc with my pals. They need to see that you can have fun and be you aswell as being Daddy or in my case Mummy!!

Get a grip man!!!! Stop mithering!! You are a long time dead

Melly AKA Isaac and Clemmie's Mum XX

[Guest allnightandy]

Stopped going to soul do's back in the late 70's went playing rugby for a few years that took my mind off it

but still bought records via post

got married , had kids still played my records every few years 10 years ago started buying records over the net , then i bumped into an old friend a few years back who i used to go to Wigan with Hadn't seen him for over 30 years , started to go again Longfield (Prestwich) Heywood a couple of times

Blackpool tower (when you could buy a ticket for just the Saturday night)

Kings Hall Blackburn once

but me and my mate have drifted apart again so i have stopped again even though i am surrounded by soul nights

Edited April 23, 2012 by allnightandy

[Winnie :-)]

Its called balance Len....I struggle with it but would go insane(er) if I couldn't get a fix of soul & the weird and wonderful people that inhabit Soulworld. My kids are 9 & 7 and are in bed /on the stairs going to bed when I go out and presumably sleep whilst I am out dancing and drinking etc with my pals. They need to see that you can have fun and be you aswell as being Daddy or in my case Mummy!!

Get a grip man!!!! Stop mithering!! You are a long time dead

Melly AKA Isaac and Clemmie's Mum XX

They can get a bit more judgemental as you get older Mel My boy (who's now a man) regularly tells me I should be a bit more discerning in my interests, he actually asks me why I'm not growing up. My daughter on the other hand (who's currently staying at mine) is more than happy with me going out, as she gets to turn the sport off of the tele

The self analysis that Len's currently experiencing can also come from questioning the ''politics'' of the scene, because it's at odds with the basic prerequisite of enjoying yourself

[Len]

I stopped going partly for personal reasons, but mostly because I was bored, there seemed to be no natural progression, different genres were appearing, popcorn/latin/R&B but I'm not a great lover of that sort of stuff, I was and am, preferring the modern sound a lot of the time over the classics. It could rightly be said, I chose my venues so the musical fare was down to me, I wouldn't deny that, but the constant barrage of oldies was becoming monotonous and even new/rare stuff becomes old hat if it doesn't fit in with your own understanding/description of a genre. Hence the need for me to see the scene moving forward, but as I've already mentioned from my own perspective, I preferred modern and felt/feel that is the natural progression, rather than some of the sub-genres I've already mentioned.

The other thing I found was I missed dancing, and I missed the people, I know we're not really all best mates, that can't be when the only thing that really binds you is music, but there definitely is an affinity between most of us and reading reports of venues, made me realise I was missing out and the scene still had something to offer me. Name checking Dave Abbott here, because whilst I wasn't going out he took the time to send me some of the funkier northern he was playing, and I found I liked it, and that went some way to getting me to want to put on the dancing shoes again.

Another thing that really affected me was losing friends for ever, and a simple message I got that said, ''you live once, go out and live'', I've thanked the girl who sent me that, because it stopped me wallowing.

Currently I'm out every week and thoroughly enjoying it, I should probably have never stopped, but I've addressed that now

Winnie

Yeh, I did notice mate - Bless ya Win ref your honest reply - It seems that basically, there's nothing else like 'what we've got' and if you are truly passionate about it, you would simply miss it too much as it's a part of your 'make up' (You would not be a 'Happy Bunny') So best to carry on and enjoy it as long as you 'handle with care'!

Sorted - See you at Burnley! lol

Len

Edited April 23, 2012 by LEN

[Tabs]

Very eloquently put Dave.

Four friends, four different home towns, but all sharing that common bond.

Hope we get to share many more nights like last Saturday.

And for the record it's ALWAYS my fault (according to Sian.)

On topic now. Went to Burnley Saturday night with four friends.(And we were all from a different town or city funnily enough) A fair drive, it took us three hours, mostly because Sian had put BB1 in the satnav not BB11. So after driving round Blackburn for a while saying "I don't recognise this" we eventually arrived at Burnley. Although it wasn't Sian's fault !

So having had a couple of hours great laughs with friends on the journey there, we then had another eight hours of great music, with friends, beer, records to look through, and even more laughs. Somes tunes I knew and thought were superb, some I thought why are they playing this crap. More importantly, some tunes I didn't know, and thought were great. That's what we went for. A busy dancefloor paid testement to the fact that the DJs did their job perfectly. Even more laughs, especially when Sian sprayed hand sanitiser in her mouth thinking it was breath freshener and complained it tasted horrible. It wasn't Sian's fault though !

The journey home took us four hours, Tabs snored most of the way until we arrived at the 'Services time forgot'..Lymm truck stop. Having put the world to rights we carried on and I arrived home, tired, but happy.

If I'd stayed in Saturday night would I have had as much fun ? Well to be honest, if the same people on the bus had come to my house Saturday night, probably yes, because they would be great company anywhere. But we have a shared interest that is Northern Soul, and to enjoy it at it's best you have to be at venue. If I'd stayed in Saturday night I'd have been bored to death by 8pm, and probably gone to bed by 10pm. And I still managed to watch The Voice, that's what we have got Sky+ for.

Could I give it all up ? Probably not, because I'm a sociable kind of guy, and enjoy the company of my friends who, as I mentioned, all live in different places. My own family circumstances are such that the two lads are grown up and I'm a widower, so if the best I've got to look forward to on a saturday night is staying in watching The Voice I'd be in a very dark place !

[Diddy Morgan]

len , as the decal ive just stuck on my living room wall says

when in doubt .......dance !!!!!

[Len]

len , as the decal ive just stuck on my living room wall says

when in doubt .......dance !!!!!

Like it mate

Len.

[Len]

The self analysis that Len's currently experiencing can also come from questioning the ''politics'' of the scene, because it's at odds with the basic prerequisite of enjoying yourself

Chr*st, you're brave Win

Len.

Edited April 23, 2012 by LEN

[Guest mellytee]

They can get a bit more judgemental as you get older Mel My boy (who's now a man) regularly tells me I should be a bit more discerning in my interests, he actually asks me why I'm not growing up. My daughter on the other hand (who's currently staying at mine) is more than happy with me going out, as she gets to turn the sport off of the tele

The self analysis that Len's currently experiencing can also come from questioning the ''politics'' of the scene, because it's at odds with the basic prerequisite of enjoying yourself

God help me then when I'm even older than I am now.....I intend to wear purple, jump up and down on their beds every morning when they want a lie in and I'm going to be as embarrassing as possible.....what goes around comes around

Yeah I get Len and the dichotomy (?!) but I am very shallow, had too much shite in the last few years to ever worry about not enjoying my nights out...they are few but very very precious to me

[Wilxy]

Great thread by the way...... some very poignant views

[Len]

Nina has also asked me to point out that "Mrs Long Suffering" in this case doesn't give me a hard time about going out; in fact she encourages me, cos she is an "Old Soul" too. She asked me to say that the supportive "other half's" who end up looking after the kids and providing us with a constant supply of tea on a Sunday (every hour, on the hour), while we recover deserve medals - we should also be reminded that they probably miss the dance floor too"

I think I knew the answer to my own question really - balance, priorities etc but it has been helpful having those points reiterated by others. I couldn't give it all up but this weekend I'm gonna spend it with the family.....I'll be in me record room after bath time though!

All the best,

Len.

Edited April 24, 2012 by LEN

[Russ Vickers]

Nina is a top girl, one of the best people I have had the priviledge to meet on the scene. I would class my other half in a similar vein, was bang on the scene with & without me for years, but when we had a family Jenny made the decision no more nighters until Izak was older, her decision & whilst I wish she would still travel with me, she's happy with her decision & generally very supportive of me whislt I continue to be 'Peter Pan'. Theres an occasional conflict, but generally we muddle by. We forget sometimes, that us lucky ones couldnt do what we do without the support of an understanding spouse or partner, god only knows how the ones that married civilians get on....

Best Russ

[Guest in town Mikey]

Nina has also asked me to point out that "Mrs Long Suffering" in this case doesn't give me a hard time about going out; in fact she encourages me, cos she is an "Old Soul" too. She asked me to say that the supportive "other half's" who end up looking after the kids and providing us with a constant supply of tea on a Sunday (every hour, on the hour), while we recover deserve medals - we should also be reminded that they probably miss the dance floor too"

I think I knew the answer to my own question really - balance, priorities etc but it has been helpful having those points reiterated by others. I couldn't give it all up but this weekend I'm gonna spend it with the family.....I'll be in me record room after bath time though!

All the best,

Len.

Nina still doesnt let you near the records until you've washed hey?

[Guest gordon russell]

Len......go out where ya want when ya want.....most on this scene go out JUST to socialise they're not interested in the music by and large....nothing wrong with that,we,re only here once......me l absolutely love walking in that nighter hearing that banging vibe and seeing lifelong people and meeting new ones......make it part of your life NOT all of it.....just one of the things you do.......having said that some of the dodgy events you get involved with....l can understand you questioning it lol.....

[Citizen P]

Stopped going to soul do's back in the late 70's went playing rugby for a few years that took my mind off it

but still bought records via post

got married , had kids still played my records every few years 10 years ago started buying records over the net , then i bumped into an old friend a few years back who i used to go to Wigan with Hadn't seen him for over 30 years , started to go again Longfield (Prestwich) Heywood a couple of times

Blackpool tower (when you could buy a ticket for just the Saturday night)

Kings Hall Blackburn once

but me and my mate have drifted apart again so i have stopped again even though i am surrounded by soul nights

Andy, tried getting more mates ???

T

[Len]

Len......go out where ya want when ya want.....most on this scene go out JUST to socialise they're not interested in the music by and large....nothing wrong with that,we,re only here once......me l absolutely love walking in that nighter hearing that banging vibe and seeing lifelong people and meeting new ones......make it part of your life NOT all of it.....just one of the things you do.......having said that some of the dodgy events you get involved with....l can understand you questioning it lol.....

Cheers Terry - I wondered where you'd been! lol

"......make it part of your life NOT all of it.....just one of the things you do......." - Yes, I and I'm sure many others, just need reminding of this sometimes that's all.

Ref local events - I'm just trying to provide a service albeit exhausting at times! (Also for selfish reasons of course) Hope to see you in 'Len's Den' soon.....Actually no, you'd hate it...Actually, yes! I'd still like to see you in 'Len's Den' - Purely for the entertainment value - to see the look on your face watching us all 'Two Stepping' at 5 miles per hour! lol - "Come on Rushden!"....

Len

Edited April 24, 2012 by LEN

[Guest allnightandy]

Andy, tried getting more mates ???

T

I lost touch with everybody many years ago a few are dead and i don't know where anyone is now

It was Cart's who saw my name on my van when he was going past

and we hooked up again for a while , but we had a bit of a heated debate over politics and Gordon Brown

who he thought was doing a great job as he would working for local government ,and we just sort of drifted

as for everyone else

I wouldn't recognise anyone now as it's been over 30 years LoL

[Russ Vickers]

I lost touch with everybody many years ago a few are dead and i don't know where anyone is now

It was Cart's who saw my name on my van when he was going past

and we hooked up again for a while , but we had a bit of a heated debate over politics and Gordon Brown

who he thought was doing a great job as he would working for local government ,and we just sort of drifted

as for everyone else

I wouldn't recognise anyone now as it's been over 30 years LoL

F*ck me Andy, your never alone at a Nighter.......it takes me 5 mins to get chatting, I wouldnt really care anyway, s'long as the music is good, get ya sen out youth !!!

Russ

[jocko]

Well I was going to come on with one of my smart assed quips about this, but instead got all dewey eyed and jealous at enthusiasm in Lens, Mr Vickers and Mr Rimmers posts!

The strings on my mojo seem bust beyond repair!

[Guest dundeedavie]

I would say I'm out of the 'Northern' scene at the moment in that I haven't been to a do (really) in about 2 years ( I occasionally turn up at the Dundee do but thats to say hiya, not for the music).

We do play Northern at Basics of course but we're not a northern night, Northern all night I think would bore me now

[macca]

I thought I had when I emigrated in 1991, then about 5 years later, walking past a bar in town I heard the voices of east harlem 'cashing in'. what a jolt to the senses! another four years later, an old mate said he was coming over to a soul do in my neck of the woods. I decided to check it out. it was mostly modern & crossover I think, with people like edu from barcelona on the decks. I was hooked again. Have made tons of friends here who are passionate about their soul, their soul dos and life in general.

[Len]

Well I was going to come on with one of my smart assed quips about this, but instead got all dewey eyed and jealous at enthusiasm in Lens, Mr Vickers and Mr Rimmers posts!

The strings on my mojo seem bust beyond repair!

Hi Jocko,

People are saying things others can really relate to that aren't often shared I suppose - The fact you 'got all dewey eyed', means (to me at least) that 'the strings on your mojo' ain't bust mate.

I'm pretty sure (in fact I know) you're one of the people that 'has it' and that never goes away, which is kinda what this thread is about.

All the best,

Len.

P.s - Just out of interest, what was the 'smart assed quip' gonna be? Or would that kill the moment?! lol

Edited April 24, 2012 by LEN

[Harry Crosby]

Unfortunatly, due to ill health it now seems this is what i`m going to have to do, i`m in the situation of still loving it and enjoying the life long friendships ive built over the years, also my wife loves the scene also, which is putting me between a rock and a hard place, of course we`ve spoke at length over the past few months and my wife being the person she is has said if thats what we have to do, we have to do it. Its an awful situation to be in as apart from a break between the mid 80`s and early 90`s ive loved the scene since 1976.

Even through that short period of time when i wasn`t active on the northern scene i still had records and listened to them on a regular basis. So for me this will be a very bitter pill to swallow after giving my life to the music that i love. I will still continue to buy records and collect as i`m sure that is an addiction that will never be cured It`s now gonna have to be the time to slow down and take things easy, but i really will miss it all. Luckily enough i have a very supportive family and set of close friends who are all helping me through this. Ive a couple of things planned for the near future which health permitting i would like to do, and then its time to scale everything down, and fingers crossed get myself back on the right track. An old friend who is no longer with us, once said to me......"IF IT`S IN YOUR BLOOD, IT`S THERE FOR GOOD.......never a truer word said as far as i`m concerned

[Iancsloft]

I'm not scared of him ... and it's umping

Me or Ted the Staffy Joan. lol

[Iancsloft]

Started going to Do,s playing Soul music in 1969-70 never stopped. But for Soul Music i would never have met so many people and become great friends with many of them its a way of life.

Best of all is meeting up with many of those wonderful artist over the years who,s music put me on this path of life.

Wonderful human beings each and every one of them.

Love, Peace & Happiness Always

Ian Cunliffe

ps On my death bed my final words will probally be ....Have you any soul records lol

[Len]

Unfortunatly, due to ill health it now seems this is what i`m going to have to do, i`m in the situation of still loving it and enjoying the life long friendships ive built over the years, also my wife loves the scene also, which is putting me between a rock and a hard place, of course we`ve spoke at length over the past few months and my wife being the person she is has said if thats what we have to do, we have to do it. Its an awful situation to be in as apart from a break between the mid 80`s and early 90`s ive loved the scene since 1976.

Even through that short period of time when i wasn`t active on the northern scene i still had records and listened to them on a regular basis. So for me this will be a very bitter pill to swallow after giving my life to the music that i love. I will still continue to buy records and collect as i`m sure that is an addiction that will never be cured It`s now gonna have to be the time to slow down and take things easy, but i really will miss it all. Luckily enough i have a very supportive family and set of close friends who are all helping me through this. Ive a couple of things planned for the near future which health permitting i would like to do, and then its time to scale everything down, and fingers crossed get myself back on the right track. An old friend who is no longer with us, once said to me......"IF IT`S IN YOUR BLOOD, IT`S THERE FOR GOOD.......never a truer word said as far as i`m concerned

Hi Harry,

We met briefly at Soul Essence (I was with Gouch) Sorry to hear you unfortunately may not have the choice soon, it's a reminder that we're all lucky to have that choice.

What your friend said is so true, I was chatting to Gary Holyman yesterday and he said he sometimes 'falls out with soul' but very soon after, gets 'withdrawal symptoms'

Isn't it amazing that music can have that effect on us?

Len.

Edited April 25, 2012 by LEN

[Spacehopper]

bought my first soul record aged 11 in 78 after hearing my dad and bruv playing it....didnt start going out to soul nights till about 83 via the scooter scene...after about 7 years i left the scooterscene and started to dj but for the last couple of years had been listening and buying more reggae than soul...for the next 14 years was away from the soul and scooter scenes but still playing my soul at home....

9 years ago i got another lambretta and started spinning a few northern tunes at my reggae residencies in bristol...within in 2 years id almost stopped djing and buyin reggae... and the soul bug had bit me again even bigger

so for the last 7 years me and nicci are out almost every weekend...mainly around the sw...if i had more money to stop over in hotels id travel further more often....although we always enjoy ourselves wherever we go...i love to hear tunes i dont know but can enjoy an oldies night too...better than the telly!

ive always been obsessed with records since i was about 6 so that will never change...im sure when my type 1 diabetis statrs giving me shit i will have to stop going out but even then i will still go to the best club in town which is our music room!...

hopefully at 45 ive still got maybe 15 years before that happens...WOW if its anything like the last 7 bring it on!!!

dean

[Len]

Well, I've just had a wholesome family weekend......Jeeeeese! God give me strength!!! Blo*dy kids! - They're sooo Childish!!! When's the next nighter? - I need a rest!

To anybody else 'out there' who has gone 'N'WOL ('Normal' without leave) from the scene - How do you cope?! Surely you must be longing for a soulful 'release'?!....

Len.

N.B -It did have some high points really, snuggling up on the sofa with my three year old daughter watching 'The Wizard of Oz' (For the 15^th time!) Closely followed by 'Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory' while it was piddling down outside.

Edited April 30, 2012 by LEN

[Guest mellytee]

I feel half dead Len............bickering, karate chops, whining, TV, DVD,s, ..............that'll teach them a lesson and let me out to 'play' more often!!!!!!!

LIST OF USEFUL DVD'S FOR KIDS:

Because of Winn Dixie - a dog and a girl but no death

Igor - bit trippy in parts

My dog skip - lovely but dead dog at end.

Harriet The Spy - therapy session for 7 year olds

Nims Island - scary & funny

Hoot - fell asleep but kids loved it?!

I take no responsibility for nightmares induced!!!

Im out next weekend thank christ!!

[Len]

Thanks for that Mell...um, I think I'm 'still learning' Nina wasn't impressed when I put 'Lake Placid 2' on - oops! Lol

Len.

Edited April 30, 2012 by LEN