Brought Up In The 60's And 70's?

[Barry]

Do you think the fact that there were 'real' other forms of music around you during your youth helped you be more musically mature than todays kids?

I'm not saying there isn't good stuff about today or there wasn't nonsense about then but the focus today seems to lean toward nonsense.

Was a good grounding in music in general a factor in your understanding of Soul music?

And can you add three non-NS artists/bands that made an impression on you in your youth.

Edited October 13, 2012 by Barry

[Guest MrC]

Always seemed to like the 'soul' records that I heard on the radio anyway, before I even realised what it was, then got into 'northern' as I became a teenager.

Have always listened to different types of stuff though, but that's cos the radio was always on in our house rather than the tv, so you'd hear all different types of stuff - oh, and I worked in a few record shops too.

My kids all have a wide musical taste, but again, I think that's because they were brought up hearing so many different types of music at home, in the car, at soul nights etc.

[Barry]

dp

Edited October 13, 2012 by Barry

[Guest MrC]

David Bowie, The Clash, The Waterboys

[Guest dundeedavie]

I think it's a rose tinted glasses situation, every generation has it's musical nuances and from a soul viewpoint you just got lucky that soul was the 'big' thing at the time

[Barry]

I think it's a rose tinted glasses situation, every generation has it's musical nuances and from a soul viewpoint you just got lucky that soul was the 'big' thing at the time

But was it Davie?

Soul music had The Beatles, Stones thing (R&B related I know) to oppose it in the 60's, the Pink Floyd rock thing early 70s, punk in the mid/late 70's, New Romanticism in the 80's - all extremely popular forms of music in their own right - surely Soul Music was in the mix and more commercially popular than now but was it the 'big thing'?

[Barry]

But was it Davie?

Soul music had The Beatles, Stones thing (R&B related I know) to oppose it in the 60's, the Pink Floyd rock thing early 70s, punk in the mid/late 70's, New Romanticism in the 80's - all extremely popular forms of music in their own right - surely Soul Music was in the mix and more commercially popular than now but was it the 'big thing'?

Christ!

I've hi-jacked me own thread.

[Barry]

I think it's a rose tinted glasses situation, every generation has it's musical nuances and from a soul viewpoint you just got lucky that soul was the 'big' thing at the time

Three artists/bands Davie?

[Guest MrC]

Soul Music was pretty popular in the mid/late 70s, just look at all the K-Tel etc compilations that were big at the time, Superbad, Souled Out etc, there was always a Motown act in the charts, Candi Staton, Rose Royce, Earth Wind and Fire were all massive at the time too

[Barry]

Soul Music was pretty popular in the mid/late 70s, just look at all the K-Tel etc compilations that were big at the time, Superbad, Souled Out etc, there was always a Motown act in the charts, Candi Staton, Rose Royce, Earth Wind and Fire were all massive at the time too

I'm not saying it wasn't, of course it was but you could state the same for other forms of music too.

(This thread has gone Pete Tong already haha)

[Guest MrC]

But it did seem to be the biggest single style of music around at the time commercially, punk was huge, but not really from a charts, TV, radio angle

[Barry]

But it did seem to be the biggest single style of music around at the time commercially, punk was huge, but not really from a charts, TV, radio angle

You've got to add the 'Disco' word into that though.

[Chalky]

My dad was a rocker in his youth and loved to play his guitar, in later years he loved his country and western and was as nuts about that as I am about soul. My mum worked in a pub and when they changed the records on the juke box she bagged the ones they took off. So music was a constant in our house. As a nipper my dad would play me records and talk to me about the artists so some of his influence rubbed off, Elvis and Buddy Holly for instance.

[Jbs]

hendrix, joplin and eric burden

[Guest dundeedavie]

Three artists/bands Davie?

Modern ones I listen to?

I'm listening to Alex Clare a lot at the mo, Paramore, O.A.R, Collective Soul to name a few

[Guest MrC]

You've got to add the 'Disco' word into that though.

Soul and Disco - same thing (or they have been in a couple of 'modern' sets I've heard! )

[Mal C]

My dad was a rocker in his youth and loved to play his guitar, in later years he loved his country and western and was as nuts about that as I am about soul. My mum worked in a pub and when they changed the records on the juke box she bagged the ones they took off. So music was a constant in our house. As a nipper my dad would play me records and talk to me about the artists so some of his influence rubbed off, Elvis and Buddy Holly for instance.

It is funny how our parents shape your musical tastes, my mother loved Elvis with a passion, and she went out with allot of bikers or Rockers, she told me she actually went out with Vale Onslow's son for a while, who was a very well known Motor bike dealer in Birmingham.

Anyhow Once I started to become interested in records I found a record she had that always makes me smile, she had a cracked orange RCA copy of Roy Hamilton - Crackin up over you, which she used to sing to while using the hoover... she said she thought it was Elvis....

Mal.c

[Guest sharmo 1]

I loved all sorts really from reggae to soul but other artists were Hawkwind , velvet underground , Iggy ,T-Rex ,Joy division , Dammed , Adverts , Pink Fairy's ,999 , Suicide ,Springstene ,X-ray spex ,Chelsea ,Peter sutcliffs knife and fork draw ( my band) original murderers ( my band) the pokers ( my band) ,Ultravox , magazine ,buzzcocks (spiral scratch howard devoto) Beatles , Patti Smith ,Penetration ,sparks ,ozeric tenticles ,soft machine ,cream ,and probably a thousand more.i also listened to Buddhist and north american Indian chanting .comming from a traverling family background I was exposed to romanish folk song's and I still sing them to this day much to the amusment of Paula who obviously doesn't understand Romany words regards simon.

[Barry]

I loved all sorts really from reggae to soul but other artists were Hawkwind , velvet underground , Iggy ,T-Rex ,Joy division , Dammed , Adverts , Pink Fairy's ,999 , Suicide ,Springstene ,X-ray spex ,Chelsea ,Peter sutcliffs knife and fork draw ( my band) original murderers ( my band) the pokers ( my band) ,Ultravox , magazine ,buzzcocks (spiral scratch howard devoto) Beatles , Patti Smith ,Penetration ,sparks ,ozeric tenticles ,soft machine ,cream ,and probably a thousand more.i also listened to Buddhist and north american Indian chanting .comming from a traverling family background I was exposed to romanish folk song's and I still sing them to this day much to the amusment of Paula who obviously doesn't understand Romany words regards simon.

Last Words Of The Great Explorer Sharmo

[Guest toby]

Being born and raised on the White City estate in W12 London my early youth was all reggae and soul music ,and so it came to be i allways loved soul,

But in the next block of flats to us lived Roger Daltrey (the Who),and 3 doors down lived Adam Faith (used to go out with one of my Aunts) so music was everywhere all around,

records were everywhere along with music,

the things that probably shaped my musical tastes were,watching Adam Faith in the General Smutts pub singing,and watching the Who practice in our youth club,oh and the sound systems the west indian guys used to have on .........ah memories ,i'd love to go back to them days,no worries,no cares,no fears of anything,oh and to pick up all records scaterd on the floor of Goldhawk rd marketin their hundreds,

nice times

[Guest brummiemick]

I think the 60s was a incredible time for new sounds but i don't think my sense of music is any more mature than some kids of today because I was around then.

As a kid in the early 60s I was bored rigid by the charts and the stuff that was clinging on by its finger nails from the 50s. May be sacrilege to some but at the time i couldnt stand The Beatles or The Stones who i saw as rip offs of black artists and i absolutely hated Gerry & the Pacemakers, Cliff Richards & the Shadows.

Then I started listening to soul music on Radio Luxembourg deep into the night and it felt like someone had turned the lights on, albeit under the bedsheets :-) although I wasn't generally into English bands I loved the likes of the Spencer Davis Group, but by then I had been influenced by black soul.

Then when Radio Caroline came along, it was so exciting as I felt I was part of an exclusive "In The Know" club. When it banned in 67 (?) it was at the time probably the worst day in my life. And this was all before I even went to youth clubs! At the time I thought I was definitely ahead of the curve as very few of my mates had heard of Radio Caroline or Soul music and they weren't really that bothered by music. In reality i knew sweet FA about music but knew what i liked and i wanted to be different, and in the early to mid 60s soul music couldn't have been more different for me to the crap in the charts.

I now have three grown up daughters, two of them follow the charts and are not really bothered about music in general, but my youngest who lives in London loves a huge range of music and knows more than I ever did. However in many ways we are similar in that we both LOVE music, especially different stuff and think it is a vital part of life.

Edited October 13, 2012 by brummiemick

[Bazza]

I think it's a rose tinted glasses situation, every generation has it's musical nuances and from a soul viewpoint you just got lucky that soul was the 'big' thing at the time

Simple ,concise but very true,If you went to a club to dance ,it was soul music,that's all there is to it, lucky I guess

Bazza

[Guest FrostyJak]

Stones, Slade & TRex

[Guest Soultown andy]

I had a couple of auntys who sang in local bands in the late sixties ,and an uncle who collected records through out the sixties and early seventies.He married around 73ish and i got his collection,which luckily was mainly soul.Not sure wether we were more musicaly mature but the culture of actualy going to record shops on the bus on a saturday, was certainly different to how kids collect music these days.Non soul influence Elvis trex and loved and still love gene pitney roy orbison and johhny cash,sorry cant seperate those 3.

[Jaco]

I recall being more Interested in the Motown sound rather than the Beatles etc in the mid 60's and that this would have been a fairly standard route to the fuller appreciation of Black American music and then Northern.

My musical tastes broadened in the late 70's particularly when new wave came along. I thought that the New York scene of the mid 70's which spawned punk was one of the most exciting musical eras. Bands like Television, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, New York Dolls, Pere Ubu etc transformed my lack of appreciation for the music of the day.

This path then took me to appreciate the likes of Sonic Youth, Dead Kennedys, Big Black etc in the 80's and these tastes remain intact together with an undiminished respect for The Band and more recently Arcade Fire.

But it is without doubt that those early influences have stayed with me for almost 50 years now and show no signs of abating.

[The Tempest]

Both my parents were mods in Glasgow in the sixties listening to the local groups , like The Poets , etc ,, so I was virtually brought up listening to motown . When I grew older as a kid and the hormones kicked in I ended up watching Quadrophenia one night at a mates and the rest as they say is all down hill from there !!!

In my day , childcare was done by granny !! Picked up and dropped off religiously before and after school so my folks could get to work . No Cebeebies then ! Just hundreds and hundreds of 45's and a dansette player to contend with ,

It's a sad state of affairs at 7 yrs of age when you know the B side of The Surfaris - Wipe Out , is Surfer Joe !!

Anyway sought out the " in crowd " at high school leading to youth club disco's , parties , scooter runs , collecting records and preferred the music more to the dress style , eventually listened more to my mate's big brothers , ex wigan / mecca and converted to the scene , however I and many others at the time owe it to the movie above to point us in the the right direction , or should I say " TO BE SOMEBODY "

So there you go , 30 yrs condensed into a few paragraphs !!!

Edited October 13, 2012 by 123-motown

[Barry]

I'm proper getting family with these replies and am made up to see the people behind the Soul (ies) - sorry, had a drink but cheers for the recollections, it makes you so much more....human

[Dekka]

Although not quite a teenager in the late 60's early 70's Motown influenced me greatly

However, it was the Small faces, Humble Pie, Free, Ten years after, Taste then Rory Gallagher which became my main interest

Going on my own to sheffield city hall from Barnsley at 13 to see Wishbone Ash and Rory Gallagher, this

then lead me to finding original american artists like Sonny Boy Williamson, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells etc,

then Northern soul, 2 tone and Ska got thrown into the melting pot, but i'm really a Blues Boy at heart.

[Britishbarry]

1966 and I had just left school, some old friends took my mates and I to a seedy club up an alley in Reading, I was blown away by the music , things like Rex Garvin , Sock it to em , The Capitols , Cool jerk and many more . From this point on I was not interested in chart music . Come the early 70's I was heavily into the likes of Rory Gallagher (In my opinion the best guitarist ever) , Captain Beefheart and Led Zeppelin ( who I saw at Wembley in the early 70's . So those are my three

[Guest Mart B]

Got into this stuff through my brother he was massive motown fan in the sixties trouble is I was only 9 when i got into it .But i took it further & got into Northern around 1974 youth club stuff & Steve Ls late lounge etc.

Tried to get my brother into Northern @ a later date but he said "it all sounds the same","Where have us into Northern heard that one before" the rest is history.

This scene is unique.

[Guest nubes]

It is funny how our parents shape your musical tastes, my mother loved Elvis with a passion, and she went out with allot of bikers or Rockers, she told me she actually went out with Vale Onslow's son for a while, who was a very well known Motor bike dealer in Birmingham.

Anyhow Once I started to become interested in records I found a record she had that always makes me smile, she had a cracked orange RCA copy of Roy Hamilton - Crackin up over you, which she used to sing to while using the hoover... she said she thought it was Elvis....

Mal.c

Bizzarely so did my Mum...when she heard me play it off the Jumping At The GoGo LP!!!!...Delxxx

[Guest nubes]

Both my parents were heavily into music...both were into jazz...my Mother loved early Motown...her fave band being the Temps...she also liked Sam Cooke...my Father preferred more gritty soul...like Stax ...he really liked Otis Redding and Ray Charles both was very much into Gospel and Country music as well...like Toby...growing up in London...one was exposed to a lot of different musical styles during that period....especially growing up within the Afro Caribbean comunities..Bluebeat...Ska...the early Trojan stuff...i still remember when Desmond Dekker was No.1 with the Israelites....every Black household must have had that record...cause that is all one heard round our way for about a month!!!!....Delxxxxx

[Ritchieandrew]

From 1966 I decided to become a Mod. The local 'Greaser' cafe Georges was just down the road, and there was a lot of banter aimed @ me when I passed by, the Jukebox blaring with the top twenty hits of the time. I picked up on a lot of Soul artists from pirate radio stations, & when the Kestrel & Palace opened up, i got to hear the Wheel sounds. I liked & still like British bikes but I dissliked biker jackets and drainpipe Wranglers, whice most Rockers wore, preffering a good suit with a massive vent, Levis, Lee riders, Comos.............etc. Other bands that struck a cord with me were The Ramones, The Lovin Spoonfull, & artists like Dusty Springfield & Len Barry. I was also into Rock Steady & Reggae.

Regards Ricardo.

[Spacehopper]

personally....born in 67..by 72/3 although into chart pop was also playing my dads 7s (not allowed to touch his lp's) temptations,jr walker,little queenie...peer pressure mid 70s was into elvis (much to the shame and piss takin of my dad and older brother)... 78ish my older bruv now doing the allnighters and i started to listen to northern,bought my first northern tune,dad also playing james brown,sam and dave etc....79 two tone happened over the next four years got into punk also...left school 83 and following bruvs footsteps again got a scooter...heard northern again and though wow i know that!...over the next five years aswell as soul nites and rallies i also got into reggae(dad also used to play steel pulse,marley lps)...1990 got out of scooter scene and started djing reggae...2003ish got a scoot again and although i'd always kept my soul and played it at home i started mixin it in with my reggae slots and within a few years was well and truely back on the soul scene and hardly ever buying or djing reggae

my biggest influences alongside my dad and brother would be the jam(got me looking at so many tunes from the 60s),the specials(got me hunting for the original ska sound) stiff little fingers(again loved their reggae/punk covers slightly ahead of the clash) and bob marley...mainly lp tracks,first reggae act outside of skinhead stuff i listened too..

as far as todays kids go....i do think the majority (NOT ALL) are less musically minded than us mainly cos the media has so much power today we just had peer pressure to contend with now they are bombarded with how they should look and what to listen too mainly by multi national companies owned by millionaires and failed popstars of the past...occasionally the likes of x factor come across some real unique talent but by the time they get a record deal they sound as shit as everything else...look how many 'underground scenes' british kids made over the years which be came popular down to US despite the crap pop stuff we were served up..mod,soul,skinhead,two tone,punk,new romantic,goth....now the only scenes made by kids seem to be 'dance' scenes such as dub step etc which to be honest dont take much imagination or talent and are hardly any different from scenes before them and thats from some who got drum and bass and even hard house and techno in the 90s...two underground scenes that i think were the last to shakes things up a bit

dean

[Harry Crosby]

I was born in 1960, so was brought up through the 60`s. The first record i bought after saving my pocket money, was Dave clarke fives-Bits and pieces. My mum has a photo of me somewhere playing my cardboard box drum kit. My mum was a lover of music and still is inher 80`s, i did her a soul cd a few months ago. She was a big fane of the Ronnettes , Crystals, & Righteous brothers, she even had her hair like Ronnie spector at one time. Years after me and my brother nicknamed her Modette mum. I was walking through a market with the wife the other day, there was a guy selling cd`s and playing was Telstar, that was allways a favourite in our house. Our christmas parties were legendary in our area. I remember men and women turning up on scooters, in slick suits and fancy skirts and boots. I used to l,isten from the top of the stairs. My older brother was a Rocker, so i also listened to the other side of things, Stones etc. This however became a problem when i turned 17, my brother was one of the local big boys on the motorbike scene and leather clad men and women allways hung around our house, with B.S.A`s & Triumphs regularly parked outside. So you can imagine the uproar when i turned up home from work on my 17th birthday, on my Li 150............F***IN HAIRDRYER :lol:

[Stevie T]

brought up in the 60,s not sure if i had any influences , always liked music , always liked to dance and in retro spec it seems it was

music with a up beat bluesy sound . Again it seemed my senses where searching for the right thing for me , then on a monday in 1973

it hit me , N.S night Tiffs in Halifax , walked in the door , heard the sound and bang , my senses were well and truly fullfilled , like a hand

had reached into me and pulled me up the stairs . i like other music but dont need it ! R&B and N.S i need it just like any drug .

[Guest FrostyJak]

As a kid i remember

I was born in 1960, so was brought up through the 60`s. The first record i bought after saving my pocket money, was Dave clarke fives-Bits and pieces. My mum has a photo of me somewhere playing my cardboard box drum kit. My mum was a lover of music and still is inher 80`s, i did her a soul cd a few months ago. She was a big fane of the Ronnettes , Crystals, & Righteous brothers, she even had her hair like Ronnie spector at one time. Years after me and my brother nicknamed her Modette mum. I was walking through a market with the wife the other day, there was a guy selling cd`s and playing was Telstar, that was allways a favourite in our house. Our christmas parties were legendary in our area. I remember men and women turning up on scooters, in slick suits and fancy skirts and boots. I used to l,isten from the top of the stairs. My older brother was a Rocker, so i also listened to the other side of things, Stones etc. This however became a problem when i turned 17, my brother was one of the local big boys on the motorbike scene and leather clad men and women allways hung around our house, with B.S.A`s & Triumphs regularly parked outside. So you can imagine the uproar when i turned up home from work on my 17th birthday, on my Li 150............F***IN HAIRDRYER :lol:

My brother was a strange mix of styles him & his mates ....Leather jackets orange jeans & winkle pickers riding scooters listen to donavan ,stones & percy sledge.otis redding

I picked up on the soul side thanks yooth

[Northernjordan]

I think its unfair to brand the youth of today as musically imature. I think musical tastes and the broadness of sounds are hugely influenced by what "scene" you get into or the circles you move in, however, there arent as many "scenes" to get into theses days. I find most of my friends (of the non-scene variety) have decent music taste, from the likes of The Who, The Jam, Two Tone to Madchester. But maybe this is why we get along? Because we like a lot of the same stuff. Also, alot of people i kmow are really clued up on the current dance scene, i think these guys are musically mature but maybe not in the sense of listening to music made in the 60's?..

I just think alot of the people on here were fortunate to get involved and have the opertunity to get involved in a wide raange of lifestyles that open up your musical horizons. Im sure many of you had friends that there only desire was to sit in the local pub and listen to the top 20 from the time on the duke box? Are these more musically mature than there conterparts today who only desire is to listen to the top20 in the local night club? Im not sure...

[Barry]

I think its unfair to brand the youth of today as musically imature. I think musical tastes and the broadness of sounds are hugely influenced by what "scene" you get into or the circles you move in, however, there arent as many "scenes" to get into theses days. I find most of my friends (of the non-scene variety) have decent music taste, from the likes of The Who, The Jam, Two Tone to Madchester. But maybe this is why we get along? Because we like a lot of the same stuff. Also, alot of people i kmow are really clued up on the current dance scene, i think these guys are musically mature but maybe not in the sense of listening to music made in the 60's?..

I just think alot of the people on here were fortunate to get involved and have the opertunity to get involved in a wide raange of lifestyles that open up your musical horizons. Im sure many of you had friends that there only desire was to sit in the local pub and listen to the top 20 from the time on the duke box? Are these more musically mature than there conterparts today who only desire is to listen to the top20 in the local night club? Im not sure...

Do you think the fact that there were 'real' other forms of music around you during your youth helped you be more musically mature than todays kids

The above is a question not a statement.

[Northernjordan]

The above is a question not a statement.

I have tried answer the question from another point of view?"Do you think the fact that there were 'real' other forms of music around you during your youth helped you be more musically mature than todays kids"And it does read quite statemnt like, it would read better if it said; "Do you think kids today are less musically mature than in your youth?"

Edited October 15, 2012 by NorthernJordan

[Barry]

I have tried answer the question from another point of view?

My mistake then.

[Northernjordan]

I have tried answer the question from another point of view?"Do you think the fact that there were 'real' other forms of music around you during your youth helped you be more musically mature than todays kids"And it does read quite statemnt like, it would read better if it said; "Do you think kids today are less musically mature than in your youth?"

However, I have just seen the question mark in the original posting. Sorry.

[Pete S]

i still remember when Desmond Dekker was No.1 with the Israelites....every Black household must have had that record...

That was the one record that really broke reggae in the UK and it sold over 250,00 copies! Incredible.

[KevH]

That was the one record that really broke reggae in the UK and it sold over 250,00 copies! Incredible.

Was Greyhound out around this time Pete? Dave and Ansil ?

Edited October 15, 2012 by KevH

[Guest in town Mikey]

I'm a 70s teenager. So punk formed a large part of mu musical youth. Although I had discovered Northern Soul about the same time.

Even back then. I felt I had more in common with a rocker who I felt was immersed in his music, than a mod who I felt wasnt. I still do. I also felt i had more in common with someone who was into whatever music, that wasnt 'mainstream'. I had lots of rockers mates that my mod mates couldnt stand. In fact I had a beer with one recently. And he is still mad into new rock n roll, bluegrass etc etc.

Bands like SLF, X Ray Spex, The Damned etc are still faves today. Plus loads of 80s and 90s bands that I am mad keen on. New Model Army and Eat for a start.

But like others have said. Buddy Holly and Elvis are faves. David Bowie, T Rex as well. Sometimes even popular acts can be good

I think maybe one of the things the Northern Soul scene is too good at, is patting itself on the back about being a true underground scene. I have been just as guilty. But there are loads of other scenes with guys into their music just as keenly as the keenest soul fan. And they love to find the ultra obscure song as much as we do.

Edited October 15, 2012 by in town Mikey

[Tezza]

Born in the mid 50's but had an older Sister ( by 6 years ). Mum was a big Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and Ray Charles fan. My Sister was a Mod and into her Motown, Stax and Atlantic stuff. Was spoon fed Soul from a very early age and so it was a massive part of my childhood. Got into the Progressive stuff in the late 60's and obviously Bowie in the 60's, 70's 80's 90's ..... but always came back to my roots. Typical White. Middle Class Soul Boy !!!

Peer pressure is a big part of everyones Musical history. Fortunately I mixed with the right people !!!!

Edited October 15, 2012 by Tezza

[Simsy]

Born in 66'. My folks would go to house parties and take me and my sister and some 45's. They would come home with UK Lou Johnson demo's that they didn't set out with. My dad din't buy loads of vinyl but he bought a bit and every weekend he'd have the radiogram on and I'd get to hear Ray Stevens on CBS 'Turn your radio on' and 'Everything is beautiful'. O.C Smith's - Son of Hickory Hollers tramp was massive in our house and I still love that record to this day. Lots of CBS, Fontana, London, Decca, the records had a wiff of old leather, or a certain sort of scent that I can still remember. We had the Beatles Help LP and that got hammered. I listened to both sides this sunday - post bath. We also had The Beach Boys 20 Golden Greats on 8 track in my Dad's Ford Zodiac Executive - XYX 83G and I'm sure 2 girls said that 'Barbara Anne' sounded really cool whilst on holiday in Tenby in that baking summer of 76'.

By 1979 I was 13. Me and my best mate Steve Cashman, a Jewish kid who lived round the corner from me and supported Spurs. We won't hold that against him, but like me he had a keen interest in music. Mid seventies we were listening to the Searchers, needle & pins amongst others, Simon & Garfunkel - keep the customer satisfied/bridge over. We were listening to Blondie, Elvis Costello, Olivia Newton-John - one that I want (oh the shame). Beatles - taste of honey. Flux of Pink Indians, Crass and the Sex Pistols.

I remember No More Heroes being played at the 1st year school disco in 1977 - think it was number 1? Before you knew it we were in the second year and listening to 'It rained again today' by Secret Affair in Necky's classroom, then Madness, then the Specials, the Beat. Wasn't allowed a skinhead, but had a crew cut, dad chased me round the kitchen. Being a sort of rude boy, Sta Press type geezer apart from the 2 Tone bands the options were limited. Bands like the 4Skins and 'Oi' and shit like that. Contemporary mod bands could be a bit flaky, Merton Parkas, Lambrettas, however for me unlike the rude boy/skinhead scene, musically the mod movement also had attached to it, things like Smokey Robinson and the Four Tops etc. I went to a record shop in Cambridge (The Beat Goes On) and swapped all of my ska for soul.

In 1983 one of the faces from The Prize Guys Scooter Club played Out on The Floor on Charger records and that was it. I'd buffeted about with some half decent genres and settled on rare soul. Nearly 30 years on, essentially music taste remains the same and I have my ska collection back.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Simsy

[Guest in town Mikey]

The Chords werent flaky Simsy

I bet thats the story of loads of guys who got into soul in the 80s.

[Harry Crosby]

I was born in 1960, so was brought up through the 60`s. The first record i bought after saving my pocket money, was Dave clarke fives-Bits and pieces. My mum has a photo of me somewhere playing my cardboard box drum kit. My mum was a lover of music and still is inher 80`s, i did her a soul cd a few months ago. She was a big fane of the Ronnettes , Crystals, & Righteous brothers, she even had her hair like Ronnie spector at one time. Years after me and my brother nicknamed her Modette mum. I was walking through a market with the wife the other day, there was a guy selling cd`s and playing was Telstar, that was allways a favourite in our house. Our christmas parties were legendary in our area. I remember men and women turning up on scooters, in slick suits and fancy skirts and boots. I used to l,isten from the top of the stairs. My older brother was a Rocker, so i also listened to the other side of things, Stones etc. This however became a problem when i turned 17, my brother was one of the local big boys on the motorbike scene and leather clad men and women allways hung around our house, with B.S.A`s & Triumphs regularly parked outside. So you can imagine the uproar when i turned up home from work on my 17th birthday, on my Li 150............F***IN HAIRDRYER :lol:

One of the Fella`s who used to come to our parties was Tony, we used to call him uncle Tony, he would sit and chat to us for HOURS and HOURS

[Guest nubes]

That was the one record that really broke reggae in the UK and it sold over 250,00 copies! Incredible.

Isnt it strange when you look back now...considering how popular music has moved in leaps and bounds...just how groundbreaking that record actually was... Delxxxx