Funky Soul

[Wiggyflat]

That is so Mmmmmm !! to me. Smooth Bobby Bland type voice with the music to kick you where it hurts (the heart)

Love it x

Sounds like a pedestrian southern soul record to these ears....soulpack record that you hoped someone would buy blind.

[Little-stevie]

Sounds like a pedestrian southern soul record to these ears....soulpack record that you hoped someone would buy blind.

Pedestrian Southern Soul no no, not another catagory

[Wiggyflat]

This is my sort of funk in northern terms

[NEV]

So, are you saying anyone who dislikes these funky stuff refuses to accept new sounds?

Did you say Anyone ?

The threads asking if funky edged soul ,or funky soul records have a place on the scene?

So far all ive seen is ,people offering up examples and then people like yourself ,Pete ,Terry ,basically ridiculing everyone of them.

Your not actually offering any examples up ,which draws the conclusion,you obviously don't think there is a place for funky soul within the soul scene.

Sorry ,but for me that's not being constructive .

It's to the point ,if someone offers up a record that was played at the Mecca or Wigan etc ,that is actually a funky record ..."no it's not ,it's been a northern soul tune since yr dot "

Funk is a genre .."northern soul" isn't

So when people start accusing of pigeon holing ,funk records were made by bands who considered themselves as a funk band !

Nobody ever categorised themselves as a "northern soul "band .

Ffs it's a term created to put a name to a dance scene !

Benji..if you wouldn't mind ..Frankie Crocker -ton of dynamite ,in a constructive manner please ,what type of sound is it ?

[Marc Forrest]

Personally not too keen on a lot of it, especially the 70's stuff, maybe a few Northern ones like The Constellations I Don't Know About You.

I personally like the stuff I got into after I stopped going to Wigan, In the early eighties Colin Curtis was playing some sublime stuff in (Berlin Manchester), although moving over to jazz in those days, Tania Maria, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronnie Laws.

Some of the dance stuff at the time in was great too, D Train, Change all that stuff too.

Just love this, still stands up today as 'real' funky soul imo. Sharron Redd R.I.P.

[media=]

Aid.

I personally love sharon redd, but then again around the time you enjoyed colin curtis I was a young street dancing kiddo ;) would love to know where in Berlin colin played early eighties though, it wouldnt happen to have been at a club called Dschungel ?

[Guest john s]

This is my sort of funk in northern terms [media=]

Ah, now that I wouldn't go near!

[Little-stevie]

This is my sort of funk in northern terms [media=]

Thats deep disco ..... another catagory..

[Guest john s]

I personally love sharon redd, but then again around the time you enjoyed colin curtis I was a young street dancing kiddo ;) would love to know where in Berlin colin played early eighties though, it wouldnt happen to have been at a club called Dschungel ?

'Berlin' was a club in Manchester, a bit like that club called 'Wigan' that you have in Berlin...

[Wiggyflat]

Pedestrian deep disco!!

[Marc Forrest]

'Berlin' was a club in Manchester, a bit like that club called 'Wigan' that you have in Berlin...

I see, now thats a proper name for a club me thinks LOL! Thanks for clearing that up. Back to bed NOW with my headphones on, got "The best of Doctor Funk and Captain Breakbeat Digitally remastered and re-edited" on LOL

[Guest john s]

Back to bed NOW with my headphones on, got "The best of Doctor Funk and Captain Breakbeat Digitally remastered and re-edited" on LOL

Proper music!

[Mace]

Nobody ever categorised themselves as a "northern soul "band .

Beg to differ.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZQfLkh_gzM

[Alison H]

Sounds like a pedestrian southern soul record to these ears....soulpack record that you hoped someone would buy blind.

I'm not too concerned about what it sounds like to you (or anyone else really) A tune was posted that made ME go "ooh" rather than "oh" & I wanted the poster to know that I liked it. You can stick it in which ever pigeons hole lol you like,

, doesn't bother or worry me

Regards

Ali

Ps the tune you have just posted i like too, but I better not comment in the event that someone wants to tell me what I should & should not be liking. It's all soul music to me x

[NEV]

Beg to differ.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZQfLkh_gzM

Lol ...I did actually say in an earlier message "apart from Ian Levines outings" but forgot that one

P.s

Joe Hicks must be a "northern soul" record cos it too was played in the 70's and fitted the mould

[Mace]

Apologies if already been posted...not read whole thread.

Good, bad or indifferent ?

[Garethx]

This topic has reared its head for five years on here. Bottom line is there are only two types of music: not even good versus bad, just those you like and those you don't. I look at the debate from a far more clear-headed stance than I used to. You can't separate records into genres and declare one to be superior to another: you've got to judge each piece of music on its merits.

A lot of people appear to be claiming that Northern Soul is a genre when every compelling piece of evidence suggests this is nonsense. Musical fashion has always played a big part and the sound has always evolved, expanded and then sometimes contracted. NS cannot be a single musical genre if it contains Kurt Harris on Diamond on one hand and Burning Desire on Charisma Sound on the other. Both have been played and danced to at NS nights and collected on vinyl by NS punters. Funk records have been played and collected on the scene for over thirty-five years now. Tell me The Crow or Frankie 'Love Man' Crocker or The Delreys Inc. and so on aren't funk or funky. They are and they were massive records in their day and are still avidly collected now, both by time-served veterans and what few young converts come along.

The funkier records seem to have become part of the flavour of the last few years again. If they get played at Northern Soul venues they become 'Northern Soul' just the same as Popcorn records like Sam Fletcher and Kell Osborne became Northern Soul in the 1980s once they got scene spins.

The window of the classic Mirwood / Soul Town / Okeh stomper was only a very brief one in NS's overall 'journey' to use a horrible reality TV phrase. Yes, it is a lot of peoples' favourite flavour of NS, but to claim it is the only flavour is historically incorrect. Curtis and Levine found or broke as much of that stuff as any men alive yet they moved on from it in quite a short period of time.

As time moves on a few of these newer funky spins will stick around to get something approaching oldie or classic status. Hopefully the better ones, but that isn't always the case: a load of the classic Mecca / Torch Cats 60s oldies are absolutely sh*te records too if you ask me, as are many of the Stafford / Leicester / 100 Club sounds as well if we're being brutally honest.

Many of these new funk records are indeed poor, but some are absolute gems and it becomes hard to suppress surprise when some can castigate Fred Williams for lacking 'soul' when some of the touchstones of their 'soul scene' were made by Beverly Ann Bremers, Paul Anka, Little Peggy March or Joanie Sommers. To anyone in the real world that particular leap in logic takes a lot of explaining.

The best deejays can generally gauge which records in a new style might have the legs to eventually possess longevity. My problem with any influx of an unfamiliar sound is when bandwagon jumpers change their sets wholesale to a sound they have no real feel for or depth of interest in collecting. Happened when NYC disco came in and when Popcorn became acceptable. Also happened when Crossover became flavour of the Month and then 50s R&B.

Once funk stuff was being played by some of the up-front niter deejays it seemed a logical conclusion to invite long-term funk collectors like George to spin at 'Soul' venues. Whether he found it valuable is something you'd have to ask him. I know he used to post here but doesn't seem to any more. I like George as a deejay and have heard him play some phenomenal examples of black music: anyone with more than a passing interest in collecting vintage Black American vinyl can't fail to be knocked out with the depth and breadth of his knowledge and taste. Whether the so-called Northen Soul Scene of 2012 is the right place for him is debatable however.

The big niters appear more oldie-based than ever before. This is not a dig at the people who run them or those who attend. What 'Newies' niters there are seem to be finding it tough as regular and sustainable venues. Again not a dig at those responsible for running them either.

While the bigger allnighters might have issues with the funkier soul sound it can sound great in bars without huge dance floors. A proliferation in local soul nights in pubs and bars are doing OK and some of the records mentioned above and others like Willie Joe "Funny Thing" or Bethea The Maskman "Ghetto Love" etc. sound great in that particular context.

I remember when Trouble started Soul Revolution and one of the punters complained to Keb (who was playing records there) about things like drinking on the dancefloor, funk music, non-scene punters and a seemingly endless litany of gripes. In his own irascible way Keb just said "Go back to your dusty ballrooms". I don't have to spell out what he meant.

Playing any strand or flavour of unknown vintage soul music in a ballroom designed for 500 to 1000 people is really hard these days. I bet if the cream of the current crop of deejays unleashed the last remaining unknown Torch styled stompers (if such a thing still existed) in a couple of sets on the current UK niter scene they would be met with a degree of indifference. Some people have never accepted The Mello Souls yet.

Funk isn't killing the allnighter scene, it's strangling itself just by its very nature. It wasn't supposed to last forever and as many punters lurch towards advanced middle age it's facing its death throes.

Edited July 9, 2012 by garethx

[Guest john s]

Apologies if already been posted...not read whole thread.

Good, bad or indifferent ?

[media=]

A classic!

[Liljimmycrank]

There is nothing worse than people lecturing other people, Russ.

I agree......

Anyone who wants to hear southern soul and blaxploitation at a Northern Soul night hasn't got a clue. Ballads next?

.......So why lecture others?

[Philt]

Did you say Anyone ?

The threads asking if funky edged soul ,or funky soul records have a place on the scene?

So far all ive seen is ,people offering up examples and then people like yourself ,Pete ,Terry ,basically ridiculing everyone of them.

Your not actually offering any examples up ,which draws the conclusion,you obviously don't think there is a place for funky soul within the soul scene.

Sorry ,but for me that's not being constructive .

It's to the point ,if someone offers up a record that was played at the Mecca or Wigan etc ,that is actually a funky record ..."no it's not ,it's been a northern soul tune since yr dot "

Funk is a genre .."northern soul" isn't

So when people start accusing of pigeon holing ,funk records were made by bands who considered themselves as a funk band !

Nobody ever categorised themselves as a "northern soul "band .

Ffs it's a term created to put a name to a dance scene !

Benji..if you wouldn't mind ..Frankie Crocker -ton of dynamite ,in a constructive manner please ,what type of sound is it ?

Eyup Nev

I get that bit, self-defined funk bands made funk records by and large. I also get that 'northern' isn't a genre as such. 'Funky soul' bands? Pointless, semantics.

Scene-wise, just records which, in the final analysis, will be good enough or not to people on it who'll vote with their feet. The yardstick that most will use will be what's gone before; some of which had a 'funky-edge' and a bigger proportion of which didn't. If the records posted on this thread are representative of 'funky soul' as some kind of separate entity or [quasi] genre (if pedantry is your thing) - and I suspect they're not but don't really know enough to decide for myself, or if they are reflective of the direction that most think the 'scene' should or want it to go in then I'll get me coat.

Alternatively, if its about evolution and things which, for whatever reason, fit the broad 'bill' as established over however many years, that's got to be a good thing hasn't it? Surely there's a place for records from across the spectrum; always has been so why would that suddenly change? What seems to happen at times can be a bit confusing at times though for sure: on the one hand 'we've always had it, what's the problem', and on the other it's 'upfront' and 'different'.

For me, tthe very best stuff has bits of both i.e. something recognisable and familiar but different and fresh at the same time. Some are just too different to my ears, that's all.

Edited July 10, 2012 by PhilT

[boba]

bob i'm referring to mystics not specials with my comment you quoted.

i've never bought a record for $4 that i've since seen sell for $2500 I doubt I ever will, thats impressive.

you responded quoting a post from Pete S that was talking about how he couldn't move copies of the Specials and Pete made no reference to the Innersouls 45 ever. Not trying to split hairs, but there was no way anyone could have figured that out from your post... Anyways, I agree the innersouls "thoughts" is killer, I regretted not buying it when you were selling it. I finally got a copy recently, the only clean one I've ever seen.

in England is "dirge" spelled differently than in the US? Also, does it mean something totally different than it does in the US? Thanks.

[Roburt]

Anyone who wants to hear southern soul and blaxploitation at a Northern Soul night hasn't got a clue. Ballads next?

Apologies, I've edited my first reply but I'm so angry I'm going to bed.

My post was made very 'toungue in cheek' as the FEW on this thread just rubbish every post that displays a view different to theirs.

Pete, your response was just SO PREDICTABLE. I really only put it up to ellicit your reply ...... think I'll give it a rest now as I don't want to be 'red carded'.

In the end, we all just like what we like,

I have never been a NS fan as such .... went to my 1st soul nite in 1964 & my 1st niter in 1966 ... back then it was just ALL SOUL and that's what shaped my taste. Now my main preference is for MS but can still like sumat I hear for the 1st time in a NS room.

Though to be brutally honest, I'm usually just chatting with mates when I'm in a NS room, rather than actually listening to the music ... so I must 'miss' a load of great tracks.

[boba]

This thread is getting personal and there's no discussion happening. It should be closed.

[NEV]

This thread is getting personal and there's no discussion happening. It should be closed.

After reading Gareth's post and might i say ,what a superb post (as usual) ..I'd have to agree with you Bob!

[Guest Bearsy]

Just had a quick skim through this thread, it's quite funny reading some of the comments posted...I agree with Colin Brown and this is something that i have done in the past pigeon holed records. It's either a good recod or a bad record, let the dancers vote with thier feet! When i go out i would say i know about 20% of the records played most of the time, sometimes even less. If i hear a tune and I like it I dance regardless whether it's RnB, Funk, Soul, Latin etc...there i go again pigeon holing, but you know what i mean.

Here's a dancer that has been filling floors for a while...soul with a hint of funk or funk with a hint of soul? Who cares...just dance!!!

Callum

Callum I agree with you totally and I'm lucky like yourself as I like a bit of everything and if a tune has something about it for me it will get me dancing to it. I've not been in the scene long enough to have any attachment with the good ol days and venues do the past like WIgan, Mecca, Stafford, Samantha's, wheel, torch, Yates, Dome etc etc etc, from what I gather and again probably wrong but all them venues were either slightly or massively different musically to each other but basically all could and would be under the rare/northern Soul banner attended by many the same soulie too. Also dare I say it but many are not Lovers of Soul music only lovers of "northern Soul" the type of music they loved when younger at any of the said venues above cos that's what floats there boat, some of the tunes associated with many of the above venues could of edged towards funky soul or RnB or dare I say disco.

Many just dance to a beat not the tune itself and can only dance one way and if it ain't that beat that suits there style then it's not Northern Soul.

Freddie Williams I can easily dance too and can't wait until Marc comes to Southampton and hopefully he plays it so I can and also I can easily dance to Charles Simmons too but it would be so important to play them at the right time of course.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, many hate modern soul but again to me it's all soul and I can pick and choose which modern I like and don't and wouldnt and couldn't handle a whole night of modern cos to me too much of it crosses over into disco.

Funky Soul is doing it for me at the moment but not all and if it's too funky as in JB wah wah it's painful to me ears just like disco and out and out RnB and many so called Oldies too.

Pick me venues wisely nowadays as know what most djs have to offer and can't remember the last time I didn't enjoy myself :-).

Long live danceable Soul music whatever it's pigeon holed as I say ........

[Guest Bearsy]

Its a very fine line indeed, the solid funk track posted by Tim above is what many would think of as tooooooooo funky or out and out funk..... I was told the same about the tune below by some folk.. Its a great funk edged soul track with balls to me but to some its funky shite, just like the RnB debate i guess in many ways....

F#####g brilliant tune to my ears and another I would gladly dance too at a soul night, heard more tunes that have less soul to it than this regularly played at soul nights.

[Guest Bearsy]

This is my sort of funk in northern terms

I like that very uplifting and very soulful indeed

[Chalky]

There is no need to closed any topic. Just leave the personal stuff out. At least one Dj unfairly criticised for playing records he was booked to play, hardly his fault. There is no need to name names as such, that isn't what the topic was about.

Stick to the music and the intial topic question please, leave the personal attacks off the topic.

[Guest gordon russell]

Soul is Soul,no matter the Genre.You get good Records the same as bad ones.Why "Pigeon-Hole" it?

Because the mistake is made when........folk get it in their head that because they like some stuff it,s for playing out WRONG!!!.....it may be great soul funk r&b or whatever but get this just because ONE may like it don,t make it going out music as some of the tune already posted up go to show

[Pete S]

you responded quoting a post from Pete S that was talking about how he couldn't move copies of the Specials and Pete made no reference to the Innersouls 45 ever. Not trying to split hairs, but there was no way anyone could have figured that out from your post... Anyways, I agree the innersouls "thoughts" is killer, I regretted not buying it when you were selling it. I finally got a copy recently, the only clean one I've ever seen.

in England is "dirge" spelled differently than in the US? Also, does it mean something totally different than it does in the US? Thanks.

Bob I wasn't talking bout the Specials I was talking about the other version of I Really Love You

[viphitman]

Nice little funky soul cheapie and even though ceasar's coat may has a few little funky spots on it, the emperor's is still proudly wearing that funny black fist tattoo on his forearm

[Marc Forrest]

Many just dance to a beat not the tune itself and can only dance one way and if it ain't that beat that suits there style then it's not Northern Soul.

Freddie Williams I can easily dance too and can't wait until Marc comes to Southampton and hopefully he plays it so I can and also I can easily dance to Charles Simmons too but it would be so important to play them at the right time of course. .

cheers Bearsy, I will most defnitely have Fred Wiliams with me. Wether I will play it or not will indeed depent on how the night /floor is going though. I wouldnt like to see myself playing a record out just for the sake of playinig itout..if you know what I mean ;)

In my humble personal opinion though I wouldnt classify "Tell her" as a Funky Soul tune or even Funk. To me it is a simple , honest and awesome of course deep Soul track. Not DEEP Soul in the true sense of the word though of course ;)

On the other hand the flipside "The Dance Got Old" is more likely to be in my book of funky Soul tunes.

But I guess that just goes to show where some of the problems thsi thread again has brought up originate from...the "right" classification of tunes and genres. One man`s Funky Soul is another mans Oldie (Joe HIcks), one man`s oldie is another man`s Deep Funk discovery (The Crow amonghst other examles) and so on.. people are different, have different entries to the whole spectrum of Soul music and therefore classify tunes totally different and indiviually. So its really down to the basic: Enjoy what you hear and if you cant enjoy it hang on till next tune suits your taste better!

[Marc Forrest]

Anyone who wants to hear southern soul and blaxploitation at a Northern Soul night hasn't got a clue. Ballads next?

Percy Millem "Call On Me" Goldwax, Sam Dees "Lonely For You Baby" SSS Int., Art Freeman "Slippiong Around" Fame...just to name three classic Southern Soul tunes I would always enjoy hearing at an allnighter. But Then again I havent got a clue anyway LOL

[Jordirip]

Some fairly bad examples of funk edged records on this thread chaps....

Some very good ones too.

[Little-stevie]

cheers Bearsy, I will most defnitely have Fred Wiliams with me. Wether I will play it or not will indeed depent on how the night /floor is going though. I wouldnt like to see myself playing a record out just for the sake of playinig itout..if you know what I mean ;)

In my humble personal opinion though I wouldnt classify "Tell her" as a Funky Soul tune or even Funk. To me it is a simple , honest and awesome of course deep Soul track. Not DEEP Soul in the true sense of the word though of course ;)

On the other hand the flipside "The Dance Got Old" is more likely to be in my book of funky Soul tunes.

But I guess that just goes to show where some of the problems thsi thread again has brought up originate from...the "right" classification of tunes and genres. One man`s Funky Soul is another mans Oldie (Joe HIcks), one man`s oldie is another man`s Deep Funk discovery (The Crow amonghst other examles) and so on.. people are different, have different entries to the whole spectrum of Soul music and therefore classify tunes totally different and indiviually. So its really down to the basic: Enjoy what you hear and if you cant enjoy it hang on till next tune suits your taste better!

A good point well made Marc....

Petes comment regarding Southern soul , yet again another catagory ... What would my experience be without some southern tinted soul, quite limited really.....

[Winnie :-)]

Just had a quick skim through this thread, it's quite funny reading some of the comments posted...I agree with Colin Brown and this is something that i have done in the past pigeon holed records. It's either a good recod or a bad record, let the dancers vote with thier feet! When i go out i would say i know about 20% of the records played most of the time, sometimes even less. If i hear a tune and I like it I dance regardless whether it's RnB, Funk, Soul, Latin etc...there i go again pigeon holing, but you know what i mean.

Here's a dancer that has been filling floors for a while...soul with a hint of funk or funk with a hint of soul? Who cares...just dance!!!

[media=]

Callum

Callum I agree with you totally and I'm lucky like yourself as I like a bit of everything and if a tune has something about it for me it will get me dancing to it. I've not been in the scene long enough to have any attachment with the good ol days and venues do the past like WIgan, Mecca, Stafford, Samantha's, wheel, torch, Yates, Dome etc etc etc, from what I gather and again probably wrong but all them venues were either slightly or massively different musically to each other but basically all could and would be under the rare/northern Soul banner attended by many the same soulie too. Also dare I say it but many are not Lovers of Soul music only lovers of "northern Soul" the type of music they loved when younger at any of the said venues above cos that's what floats there boat, some of the tunes associated with many of the above venues could of edged towards funky soul or RnB or dare I say disco.

Many just dance to a beat not the tune itself and can only dance one way and if it ain't that beat that suits there style then it's not Northern Soul.

Freddie Williams I can easily dance too and can't wait until Marc comes to Southampton and hopefully he plays it so I can and also I can easily dance to Charles Simmons too but it would be so important to play them at the right time of course.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, many hate modern soul but again to me it's all soul and I can pick and choose which modern I like and don't and wouldnt and couldn't handle a whole night of modern cos to me too much of it crosses over into disco.

Funky Soul is doing it for me at the moment but not all and if it's too funky as in JB wah wah it's painful to me ears just like disco and out and out RnB and many so called Oldies too.

Pick me venues wisely nowadays as know what most djs have to offer and can't remember the last time I didn't enjoy myself :-).

Long live danceable Soul music whatever it's pigeon holed as I say ........

I think you've been misinformed about the Dome Bearsy, David Flynn, Carl Fortnum, Alan H, Greg, all lovers of soul music, add in some of the guests, Andy Rix, Ady Croasdell, Dave Rimmer, Andy Dyson, etc and the picture i formed of the venue, was that they were all into soul music and at the forefront of championing the underplayed and unknown, alongside the 100 club, scenesville and These old shoes. I never went to Stafford, but I've heard enough of the music via being told, ''stafford spin'' or podcasts, to put that into the same category

[Steve G]

Here's a few funky soul records that float my boat.....

Delegates Of Soul - I'll come running back

I would put all these in the funky soul catagory......

Some fairly bad examples of funk edged records on this thread chaps....

You see Rod this is where this thread just becomes a posting point for people's very diverse personal taste and knowledge. As Marc and others says one man's garbage another man's top want.

I'd say the Delegates of Soul isn't really funky at all, and by the way is a piss poor version of a great record - Charles Mintz singing the same tune IS an awesome funky edged dancer.

But I'd also agree with Gareth S why are we trying to pidgeon hole these records into micro-genres all the time?

Steve

[Guest Bearsy]

I think you've been misinformed about the Dome Bearsy, David Flynn, Carl Fortnum, Alan H, Greg, all lovers of soul music, add in some of the guests, Andy Rix, Ady Croasdell, Dave Rimmer, Andy Dyson, etc and the picture i formed of the venue, was that they were all into soul music and at the forefront of championing the underplayed and unknown, alongside the 100 club, scenesville and These old shoes. I never went to Stafford, but I've heard enough of the music via being told, ''stafford spin'' or podcasts, to put that into the same category

i think you misunderstand what i was trying to say Winnie, for example the Dome wasnt like Wigan, Wigan wasnt like Mecca, Mecca wasnt like Stafford wasnt like Burnley etc etc etc, in other words they all kind of went under the Soul/northern/soul/rare soul banner they we all talk about when talking about nights & nighters and many have attended them all so to me it matters not what was played where and by who and when its about where i am at today i dont live in the past but love plenty of things that have been a part of my past so me personally will always keep looking forward and waiting for the next thing in life to enhance the great life i already have and enjoy wehter thats music, records, cars, holidays etc etc etc

[Winnie :-)]

i think you misunderstand what i was trying to say Winnie, for example the Dome wasnt like Wigan, Wigan wasnt like Mecca, Mecca wasnt like Stafford wasnt like Burnley etc etc etc, in other words they all kind of went under the Soul/northern/soul/rare soul banner they we all talk about when talking about nights & nighters and many have attended them all so to me it matters not what was played where and by who and when its about where i am at today i dont live in the past but love plenty of things that have been a part of my past so me personally will always keep looking forward and waiting for the next thing in life to enhance the great life i already have and enjoy wehter thats music, records, cars, holidays etc etc etc

Got what you mean now Bearsy, good philosophy to have, but tough to follow for us dinosaurs

I do think though that if we fast forward 20 years, clubs/countries that are very free thinking now about what is played, will have their own groups of people reminiscing about the direction they were taking in the beginning, and longing for 'the good old days'

[boba]

Bob I wasn't talking bout the Specials I was talking about the other version of I Really Love You

ok well dylan i guess i also misread the post you were responding to, sorry. either way, that innersouls rules (as well as the a-side of the mystics "that's the kind of love", one of the greatest sweet soul cuts to come out of chicago).

[Guest Bearsy]

cheers Bearsy, I will most defnitely have Fred Wiliams with me. Wether I will play it or not will indeed depent on how the night /floor is going though. I wouldnt like to see myself playing a record out just for the sake of playinig itout..if you know what I mean ;)

In my humble personal opinion though I wouldnt classify "Tell her" as a Funky Soul tune or even Funk. To me it is a simple , honest and awesome of course deep Soul track. Not DEEP Soul in the true sense of the word though of course ;)

On the other hand the flipside "The Dance Got Old" is more likely to be in my book of funky Soul tunes.

But I guess that just goes to show where some of the problems thsi thread again has brought up originate from...the "right" classification of tunes and genres. One man`s Funky Soul is another mans Oldie (Joe HIcks), one man`s oldie is another man`s Deep Funk discovery (The Crow amonghst other examles) and so on.. people are different, have different entries to the whole spectrum of Soul music and therefore classify tunes totally different and indiviually. So its really down to the basic: Enjoy what you hear and if you cant enjoy it hang on till next tune suits your taste better!

i would Totally understand if you didnt play it too Marc as your rihght it all depends at the time and after all i might be the only one that does like it lol

[Guest Bearsy]

Got what you mean now Bearsy, good philosophy to have, but tough to follow for us dinosaurs

I do think though that if we fast forward 20 years, clubs/countries that are very free thinking now about what is played, will have their own groups of people reminiscing about the direction they were taking in the beginning, and longing for 'the good old days'

ahhh the good old Days you cant beat them Winnie i cant remember the last time i got but by the local gaurd dogs after chasing us accross the school after scrumping in the cherry trees you only as old as you feel Winnie the only thing holding most people back in life is Change its not that scary i put new pants on this morning

[Jumpinjoan]

It is all music yes, but is it all soul music? I'm not so sure

If it was all soul music there wouldn't be a funk scene surely? I did ask before but do they play hours of northern soul at funk do's? Also, do they play the kind of records that are being played at soul do's now? Serious question as I am really interested

I'm against pigeon holing as much as anyone, a good record is a good record no matter when it was made. Whether you like a record or not really doesn't matter - if the dance floor is full then it's job done in my book. I have never once said what should or should not get played. All I've said is a lot of it is just not good enough (for me) which is every bit as valid as saying it is good enough surely?

What I do find hard to understand though is why these tunes weren't played years ago? Could it be that they weren't considered good enough compared to all the other tunes that were being discovered at the time? If they weren't good enough then what makes them good enough now?

I really don't think it's a case of people not wanting to hear something new or that they are happy to stay stuck in the past. Jeez, hearing new stuff is what it's all about for me and almost everyone I know. It's more that the records fall way short of the high standards and quality of what's gone before.

[Tailormade Gaz B]

Thats deep disco ..... another catagory..

Deep Disco - good term. I like the term and the record!

Edited July 10, 2012 by TailorMade Gaz B

[Winnie :-)]

ahhh the good old Days you cant beat them Winnie i cant remember the last time i got but by the local gaurd dogs after chasing us accross the school after scrumping in the cherry trees you only as old as you feel Winnie the only thing holding most people back in life is Change its not that scary i put new pants on this morning

I don't think I'm explaining myself very well, when I say dinosaurs, I don't mean, I want to hear the same tunes all the time, I mean, I have my own understanding of how northern should sound, so if I go to an exclusively northern night, I expect to hear that sort of thing ie: tempo, structure of the song etc. If I go to an across the board night, (which is my preference) then I'm much more open minded, same as when I used to go to the predominately rare nights, I suppose it's all about the packaging. I think it was Chalky who said earlier in the thread, he prefers the term Rare soul, can't disagree with that, because I think it allows for all genres to be played, but if the night gets advertised as Northern soul, then if it's not traditional, there's going to be criticism, nature of the beast, as far as I can make out.

[viphitman]

What I do find hard to understand though is why these tunes weren't played years ago? Could it be that they weren't considered good enough compared to all the other tunes that were being discovered at the time? If they weren't good enough then what makes them good enough now?

As mentioned above some funky tunes became northern classics in the 70's but for many the first diet of soul was fast and furious. The longer people have stayed on the scene the more changes of directions they have encountered. Dj's and collectors introduced modern crossover rnb popcorn beat ballads and funky flavoured records to the scene over the last 30 / 40 years at different times. People were discussing every slight change from the standart formula since god knows when. I remember feeling challenged and feeling a little weird when all that mid tempo and rnb stuff got played more and more. Later on I started to like it as well and now some of that stuff is deemed as classics and also played at some more commercial events !!!! It's not a question of whether some tunes being good enough, it's a question of time, place and opportunity to intruduce tracks which go away a little from the standard formula. If the time is right for the dance floor then more tracks will be accepted of the choosen genre or style. A lot of tunes were played in the 70's which many people now consider as an embarressment to the soul scene but non the less the time, place and opportunity was there for those tracks to be accepted, enjoyed and played. At the same time some tunes became classics which were musically miles away from the standard northern soul track!!!!! Maybe now is the time to play a little more funky flavoured tunes and in the future some will be considered as classics and some as utter crab.

Edited July 10, 2012 by viphitman

[Guest Bearsy]

I don't think I'm explaining myself very well, when I say dinosaurs, I don't mean, I want to hear the same tunes all the time, I mean, I have my own understanding of how northern should sound, so if I go to an exclusively northern night, I expect to hear that sort of thing ie: tempo, structure of the song etc. If I go to an across the board night, (which is my preference) then I'm much more open minded, same as when I used to go to the predominately rare nights, I suppose it's all about the packaging. I think it was Chalky who said earlier in the thread, he prefers the term Rare soul, can't disagree with that, because I think it allows for all genres to be played, but if the night gets advertised as Northern soul, then if it's not traditional, there's going to be criticism, nature of the beast, as far as I can make out.

Winnie my toungue was in my cheek not everything inlife is so seriuos to me i agree with just about everyone on this thread as i can see it from all sides so yep im a lucky man

[Geeselad]

The worst of it aint as bad as,

a. the pop shite played at Wigan

b. some of the leaden plodders from Stafford and the 8ts.

its injected some much needed pace into dancefloors after nearly a decade dominated by lots of tricky, albeit soulful tunes with a crossover flavour, A much needed change of direction, imho but then I've loved funk since being surrounded by the rare groove scene in London as a stude.

[Geeselad]

I agree......

.......So why lecture others?

Lost count of the times I've heard the gospel according to P smith onb here!

[Spacehopper]

well like a lot of you started reading and then skimming through this thread...my thoughts and opinions not aimed at anyone in particuliar!!

i wonder is it because we are getting on a bit or sat at a pc that we get so narrow minded sometimes...

i never went to wigan or mecca but some of those tunes now classed as northern oldies were in no way the type of soul that dave godin named northern....some were funky edged even then...some garage bands and some blatant teen pop...

ive been going to 'northern' nites since the 80s and dont like it all....who does?...if they play funky edged at a northern nite whats the problem as long as its not all night....go and chat vinyl,have a drink or a smoke if you do...i have to when they play disco...i mean 70s and modern! ;-)...but i dont moan about it..i cant dance to the slower 70s funk but the uptempo stuff..bring it on

regarding george...blew the roof off go go children..(.lots of younger people there though!!!) but not all.. plenty soulies too...played a few northern tunes and even 60s motown although yes mainly funky stuff...ARSE KICKIN UPTEMPO STUFF THAT MADE YOU DANCE!!!!

yes go go children is not a northern soul night...although the majority are soul fans...and along with rnb and funky stuff theres lots of northern played...check this month playlists!.....guests have inc...johnny beggs who played lots of latin...pete tebbit who played some big mod numbers...warren boogaloo,des parker,trowbridge matt,sean chapman,pete lyster,dr pickles,mick lloyd and more who are all djs on the northern scene...my point is the playing of something different is nothing new and we have people who are oldies fans come down and dance and have a good time....despite they wide range of music...it can be done

the reason they are not posting on ss?....despite having a massive ammount of members and being the busiest soul forum....most people out roll their eyes whenever i mention soulsource...and thats not just at go go children either...

dean

[Spacehopper]

as far as why werent they played before...tastes change for a start....why wasnt some of the blue eyed soul at wigan played at the torch or wheel?..

and i used to dj with a reggae sound and would be getting maybe a dozen new release tracks every week!!..and 50 at a time straight from JA...sometimes when you have an abundance of tunes you do overlook some for the best tracks those tracks that hit you straight away..just like it must have been back in the day when you were all tripping over great northern tunes....