crimewatch or a soul site

[Mike]

another day another story

this one hard to believe

but had reports of a pair trying to scratch a living by taping other people 45s off decks and then trying to flog acetates of them on to no-values wannabes

all a bit low-life and sleazy

surely can't be true

can it??

[Guest Kolla]

If it's the Ady / Butch story then it's true... tunes were recorded straight from the sound desk...... or did you mean ANOTHER rumour ??

[Chalky]

It's true, very true. They were recorded at the Rocket on the Sunday (part of ModStock). You can get the full story on Rare Soul Forum! Look under the topic morals. One dj is already playing one of them.

[Chalky]

If it's the Ady / Butch story then it's worse than that ... tunes were recorded straight from the sound desk...... or did you mean ANOTHER rumour and have I just said something I shouldn't )

Just re-read it and when I saw "pair" mentioned I was wondering if it's another one.

[Mike]

lol

it sounds the same story

levine and that sidekick of his involved?

not on rsf ?

so in dark there

get it out in the open

who's the dj

[Chalky]

lol

it sounds the same story

levine and that sidekick of his involved?

not on rsf ?

so in dark there

get it out in the open

who's the dj

It's Levine bodyguard Gavin who recorded them, sent them to one well known dj/producer who "re-issues" (use that term lightly) and also to a well known promoter appparently.

Not for me to say who the DJ is really.

[Guest]

Do you know what, just reading this post makes me wanna wrap this whole scene up,only remember last year when that crossfire event was sabotaged by so called "soul" fans......might just choose to stay at home and buy and listen to my records alone....

throughly fed up....Brett

[TheBigO]

Is this the Magicians boot that's going around?

[Guest]

A well known D.J was doing it a cple of years ago,not Levine but it was while chris king was doing his spot.

[Chalky]

Is this the Magicians boot that's going around?

yes the Magicians has been spun :-/

[Guest Kolla]

Do you know what, just reading this post makes me wanna wrap this whole scene up

Brett - you just have to rise above it like the rest of us good soulies. What goes round comes around as they say...

As someone who actively marketed that first Crossfire (ie: told everyone to go, handed out fliers, posted up event info bleedin' everywhere, published the promoters responses to competitor's shananigans) I was unwittingly dragged into the scuffle.

I have to say though - the people that are buying these... cough... "re-issues" are just as bad. To coin JTrouble's phrase - supply = demand

[Mike]

Was trying to get my head round this

then thought why bother

simple when take a step back and look at it from a distance, its a simple case of thieving

by what has been said, it seems the person has stolen what could be considered some of the top sounds around, hasn't bought them, found them, discovered them, traded them.... no they were stolen.

Be bad enough if did it for personal enjoyment but no did it for greed, proven by passing on to two people famous for their bootlegging activities both past and present.

Person responsible is a thief, not a good one or a clever one but just a thief, a thief, the same as the people who he passed them onto.

Its not politics or any of the other smokescreens the likes of these have used in past .. it is just pure thieving, they wanted something that they didnt have to make $$, they got it by thieving

simple

thieving

[Guest]

Kolla, your right my friend, but sometimes things like these really do get to you.

Regarding "Bodyguards".....like him to meet some of the characters i used to knock around with as a young rascal in the steel city!

yours "reformed rascal"...with spirits lifted......see you at the 100 anniversary....

[Chalky]

I agree totally Mike, one of the records cost one of the DJ's several thousand and he must wonder why he bothers going out seeking "new" rercords that can only benifit the scene. I wouldn't blame the DJ's and collectors who seek out the "new" stuff if they did say f*** it and packed it in!

[Garethx]

The identity of the guy who did the surreptitious recording seems to be common knowledge. But who's playing the stolen tunes at do's (sorry, haven't been out for a while)?

The people who are doing this need to be named and shamed. They obviously have no moral or ethical dimension to their so-called deejaying or they surely wouldn't part with the cash or spin the 'records' in question at paying functions.

[stomper45]

this sorts thing being going on since the 7ts, yet for most part people allowed to get away with it coz people sit on the fence no one speaks up; result many probably dont know its happening (me included)...then the average Joe finds eventually he's been duped and possibly leaves the scene.

modern technology can work both ways, in forums like here if information is 100% correct then;couldnt we could "code" the accusation like

"wow i see DJ B is playing an acetate/copy of X as thought DJ A had only known copy of this recent find"

ah doubt it'll happen tho.

next thing djs will have to b checking mixer desks before they start or now have a reason for talking over intro or end of that ultra rare record.

Danny d

[Guest]

Interesting ideas Danny. As someone who has never quite grown out of the "young rascal" idealogy, for those people caught doing it ,I personally favour a meat chopper and and a pair of pliers. IMHO, of course.

[Mike]

had a comment posted on recent news article

believed to be by a certain Gavin Steran

a interesting post and as such does raise a few questions in my view

[Guest Kolla]

had a comment posted on  recent news article

believed to be by a certain Gavin Steran

a interesting post and as such does raise a few questions in my view

LINK to the comment here

The parties that Gavin has mentioned in his reply are aware of his response so I guess it's a case of "watch this space".

[Guest micksmith]

THIS GARVIN GUY- I DON'T KNOW HIM AND I'M GLAD I DON'T. IS HE BITTER OR WHAT-SOMEBODY BETTER SUPPLY HIM WITH MORE TOYS-HE'S THROWN WHAT HE HAD OUT OF HIS PRAM.

ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS IS PEOPLE WHO WANT TRACKS WILL EITHER TAPE EM' OR BOOT EM'. HOW RIGHT I'VE BEEN.

[Guest Stuart T]

LINK to the comment here

The parties that Gavin has mentioned in his reply are aware of his response so I guess it's a case of "watch this space".

I see that he has finally found the button for the spellcheck, the hamfisted baboon. Shame there isn't a "twatcheck" button as well. Funny he should mention his "friends", presumably his behaviour is what you'd expect from certain members of his peer group.

I particularly loved this bit:

"6. Their was only 4 records played that I did not already have in some sort of format"

I'm not surprised given the track thieving bootlegging scum that he associates himself with.

Is there a soul event in London which is prepared to let Lurch in the door nowadays?

[Guest Stuart T]

THIS GARVIN GUY- I DON'T KNOW HIM AND I'M GLAD I DON'T. IS HE BITTER OR WHAT-SOMEBODY BETTER SUPPLY HIM WITH MORE TOYS-HE'S THROWN WHAT HE HAD OUT OF HIS PRAM.

ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS IS PEOPLE WHO WANT TRACKS WILL EITHER TAPE EM' OR BOOT EM'. HOW RIGHT I'VE BEEN.

You'd love him Mick, he's a real bundle of laughs.

[Mike]

anger prevents me from asking any of the questions that arose in my mind

nothing worse than lowlife thief trying to justify themselves

[Guest]

The guy is a mug. And only a matter of (short) time before something happens to him probably.

The answers he gave and supposed justification for his actions could only have been the ramblings of someone who has no IQ. Or penis.

[vaultofsouler]

the ramblings of someone who has no IQ. Or penis.

PMSL.... a.k.a. braindead c*** I take it....

[Little-stevie]

Gavin my son, you have guts...What you done aint right but i know why you did it...and i'm laughing out loud..Don't think we will be seeing much of you out and about for a while..

[Ady Croasdell]

Gavin my son, you have guts...

If nicking something off someone when they don't know about it is guts, then you've got an odd view of valour.

I think I've seen him at soul dos about five times in the last five years, so it would be quite hard for him to go out any less.

[Headsy]

can someone expand on the susposed reason why he did this ?

he obviously ''thinks'' he had just cause but then again he sounds like the sort of kid who wanted the only football in the school yard so he could pick the teams.

[Guest in town Mikey]

can someone expand on the susposed reason why he did this ?

he obviously ''thinks'' he had just cause but then again he sounds like the sort of kid who wanted the only football in the school yard so he could pick the teams.

He is a very good friend of Ian Levine.

Ian upset many people on his return to the scene, and embarked on a vendetta on most of the London Clubs, as he felt he wasnt getting enough spots, or respect.

I stayed out of it for 2 years, while he threatened and abused friends and associates. This included a death threat to a very popular London promoter.

It basically culminated in very very low attendances at the Rocket allnighter, where he was a DJ. The main room is huge, and some nights there were less than 100 people in the whole building, 3 rooms.

Then to cap it all. When the first Crossfire was held, 'someone' informed the council that drugs etc were likely to be sold in the venue, and at the last minute the all night licence was revoked.

Reading Gavin's email, I sense he feels justified, because his friend was upset. I hope they are very happy now, the insignificant little germs.

I have just found an email I sent to a friend about the time of the Rocket closing, to explain my opinion, sorry if it is a bit long :

Its all stemming ( I am led to believe), from a misunderstanding a few years ago.

Ian started coming to the more popular nights like Scenesville and Capitol. He asked Matt Jahans, who was then a promoter at the Dome if he could have a dj spot.

Capitol had just announced on their website the list of guest djs for that year. 2001 I think. And involving anyone else would mean replacing someone else who had already been promised a spot.

Matt explained this, BUT, also asked Ian to send him a tape, and he would consider putting him on the following year.

This was not met with tatol joy from Ian.

Lots of "dont you know who I am" etc.

This escalated into insults being traded in Ian's chatroom "the Advanced Northern Soul list". From both sides of the now, quite deep, divide.

This all culminated in some of the insults Ian used being posted on the walls of the toilets at Scenesville.

Insults aimed at most of the London promoters, who Ian felt were ignoring him, and refusing to let him dj at their venues, including Ady Croasdell, Nick Brown, Matt Jahans. Death threats were bandied about. And threats to inform, licensing councils, drug squad officers etc of illegal activities alledgedly happening at their venues.

So for the last 2 years Ian has screened who is allowed on that list, and a war of attrition ensued.

When the Metropolitan allnighter began at the Rocket, promoted by two great lads, Kevin Johansen and Paul Clarke, the majority of London's soul scene decided they couldnt attend because Ian was djing. And after all the things said, from both sides, they either thought they wouldnt be welcome, OR they would be letting down their mates, the other promoters, if they did attend.

This meant that apart from the opening night attendances were poor. (Lots of media luvvies and bottles of Becks.)

Even nights featuring Sandi Sheldon and the Orlons were poorly attended.

Now Ian has fallen out with the Metropolitan promoters and the nights finished.

He has since decided to promote the Rocket himself.

So the promoters of most of the London clubs decided they would put on an allnighter the same night. Culminating in the sequence of events contained in the first email I sent out today.

This has been coming.

There is no middle ground.

I offered 2 years ago to "Mediate", but this was totally useless. Too many unforgivable things had been said. And both sets of people were unable to find any common ground.

I have personally tried to keep out of it ever since. Even under extreme provocation, when close friends of mine were subjected to the kind of filthy lies that frankly under normal circumstances would have resulted in a violent confrontation, in most other cases.

It has been a blessing that so many soul people are more worried about the state of the scene, than responding in a knee jerk fashion to some of the insults.

Nobody comes out of this well.

And the people who are suffering the most are the guys who just wanted to go to either night on saturday, and enjoy dancing to some soul music.

Unfortunately, from the emails I am getting. This isnt the last we have heard about this.

This is a somewhat truncated view of the last 3/4 years. I havent been privvy to a lot of the stuff said, ( not accepted when I applied to join ANS) so may have a somewhat tainted view.

But I am just a soul boy from a little town in Gloucestershire, who would get in a car/coach/train everyweekend, to travel to allnighters to get away from all the local w***ers who thought that saturday night was about getting into fights.

How niave I feel now.

[Guest Kolla]

Headsy, the only person who can expand on the reason(s) is Gavin himself but judging by his response so far ... it all seems pretty clear, IN HIS HEAD, why he did it.

I'd happily put a sizeable bet on the fact Gavin as never read the 1936 classic "How to win friends and influence people" - though he really really should.

[Guest]

Stuart - In reply to your question about what clubs Gav will be welcome into now............ Almost funny really when he was welcomed to the CSC and all the DJ's shook his hand a few months ago :-)))

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

Kin ell Ady you really have been unlucky then, he really can't have been to many more than that.

Obviously the Rocket and events where Levine DJ'd oh and a saw him once helping out doing some filming at a modern do i really can't think of any others.

He has his own twisted reasoning although far be it from me to second guess what that is. I suspect that he thinks of the Rocket as his "Manor" and if his arch enemy's (in his mind) dare to poach his gaff then anything is fair game i would guess. He really doesn't like the crossfire team very much at all from what i can gather.

[Headsy]

the word bully springs to mind but when you are a bully you have to be prepared that some people will not let you bully them..........just twat him and get it over with, never liked him, never will, and would love him to spout off in me and my mates company ( but he knows what we think of him up north from the Mecca days. )

................................................................................

......................................

am I allowed to say this as we still live in a free society ?

,

I would add this is my personal opinion on I.L. and I hope does not cause any problems to this site.

[Guest alison]

I posed the "Why and what purpose did it serve" question on another list.

The reply was "Because I can and because they played in my back yard".....by that last comment I assume it referred to The Rocket.

So, sadly, that is his justification and reasoning.

I'll never get my head round all this backbiting and quite frankly I don't want to.

[Guest Stuart T]

Sturat - In reply to your question about what clubs Gav will be welcome into now............ Almost funny really when he was welcomed to the CSC and all the DJ's shook his hand a few months ago :-)))

Not sure what you mean by welcomed, unless you mean in the same way that everyone else who goes is welcomed. He was let through the door, just like anyone else, as he had never been banned from going there as far as I know. However, at least one of the DJs there that night who spoke to him was not prepared to shake his hand, and another of them completely ignored him as he had no interest in speaking to him. Hardly "welcomed" eh? I'm not sure that the others had a clue who he was.

The claim that he was "welcomed" sort of reminds me of when Levine was told that he was no longer banned from the CSC and responded with the demand that he not be just "tolerated" but expected the "red carpet treatment". And as regards the story of him wanting a spot at the CSC, apparently he actually wanted to be a resident DJ, and that was before he had even got any half decent records together. My how everyone laughed....

[Guest]

Oh well never mind, I deleted all the emails a long time ago now, I know the truth :-)

[Guest Andy BB]

"THIS GARVIN GUY- I DON'T KNOW HIM AND I'M GLAD I DON'T. IS HE BITTER OR WHAT-SOMEBODY BETTER SUPPLY HIM WITH MORE TOYS-HE'S THROWN WHAT HE HAD OUT OF HIS PRAM."

Seems like a nice guy to me, at least his grammar is nice. Sent me a beautifully worded and nicely punctuated death threat after I posted that piss take of the Strange World of Northern Soul box set on Ebay.

I tell a lie, I think he think he spelt 'crucified' incorrectly.

Oh well.

[Guest Stuart T]

The truth is stranger than fiction isn't it? Stearn was never barred from anywhere that I know of but I think that he liked to give the impression that he was. Which is odd.

It is quite likely that Stearn was the person who complained (anonymously) to Westminster City Council about the licencing for the first Crossfire (not realising that a friend of the organisers works in the Westminster planning department). In fact, I think he admitted doing it. Needless to say the venue bottled out of arguing that the event was private members and therefore didn't need a late licence, especially as their licence was up for renewal at the the time (the renewal notice was in the window on the night). I'm sure Ady can comment on that part should he want to, although maybe he is fed up with all that nonsense by now. But that is the measure of the man.

Spreading the faith my arse. Then someone never seen nor heard of since moaned on one of the more obscure lists that Crossfire was crap because it finished at 4 am. Probably him again. All rather desperate. Has he actually got any connection with the soul scene whatsoever other than trying to bugger things up?

[Guest Stuart T]

Seems like a nice guy to me, at least his grammar is nice. Sent me a beautifully worded and nicely punctuated death threat after I posted that piss take of the Strange World of Northern Soul box set on Ebay.

I tell a lie,  I think he think he spelt 'crucified' incorrectly.

Oh well.

FPMSL You lucky bastard, I'm jealous, he just threatened to "shiite" on me. I think I'd rather be killed.

[Guest]

I'd happily put a sizeable bet on the fact Gavin as never read the 1936 classic  "How to win friends and influence people"  - though he really really should.

More like "How to f*** Friends and Irritate People."

I know my posts are a bit samey, but this whole thing REALLY fucks me off...How can ANYONE get away with this for so long? All respect due to the parties under fire in this- Dunno if I could take it that long without doin' something about it...