" The Public Wants What The Public Gets "

[Tezza]

Driving into work today with to The Jam playing on my CD ( unfortunately my Car isn't OVO !! ) and in particular 'Going Underground' (March 1980)

'The Public Gets what The Public wants' juxtaposed with 'The Public wants what The Public gets'

Frequenting various Soul events around the Midlands and South Yorkshire we find that the majority of events play the same stuff week in week out, and even down to a DJ playing the same stuff at different events ( probably the same in other areas but different tooons !!)

Is it a matter of 'Gets what they want' or 'Wants what they get' ??

Without this falling into some SS pit of despair, what is your take on it - Generalisms, no names !!

If its been done to death then ignore it and move on - its nearly XMas XXXX

[Tezza]

There's an event close to where we live that attracts a descent 300+ crowd every Month. Awesome venue, 2 Rooms ( one for Motown, although it does tend to slip through the divide into the big room quite often — That’s for another thread !! ) nice friendly Promoters. Every Month they play a not so varied selection of NS ‘Favourites’ that has the floor busy most of the time. DJ’s arrive and play to the floor, keep it moving as any good DJ should ?! ( leave it !! ). Have they found the Holy Grail of Events or are the Public Brainwashed into thinking this is what they want ??

Frustrates the hell out of me because I see the DJ’s they have on and know the depth of their boxes. They are driven by the belief that this is what is wanted of them.

It is an ideal place to go along and see some old friends that are married to the Stepford Wives of Soul but I leave with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Majority — I think I appear not to be. Am I wrong, should I accept this or do we try to change from within. I know I shouldn’t go to these places if it’s not my thing but they now seem to be becoming the norm.

Don’t tell me of places I should go instead, this will only serve to perpetuate it.

“Please help me , to find myself. I’m a lonely man …..”

[Dekka]

Think it may just be down to Geographics mate,

Manchester and Leeds have a different scene alltogether, more varied and more upfront with their tastes, perhaps it's hereditory.

It seems to me as though most people of this ilk you are talking about tagged along to wigan a few times but never any where else since and so are stuck in a time warp.

All they seem to know is what is on a nineties goldsoul cd's and what the sleeve notes are telling them, this was wigan, this was stafford etc, infact some dj's playlist read like a nineties goldmine cd track list, why do they do it, is it just for bookings? if they are worthy of better why do they sell their soul, so to speak, maybe it's all about their ego, who knows

Theres one thing, wherever the crowd go, I go the other way.

[Guest MrC]

Theres one thing, wherever the crowd go, I go the other way.

Is that why you support Leeds mate?

[Dekka]

Is that why you support Leeds mate?

I always stay true to my faith, Leeds Leeds

How are you mate

[Winnie :-)]

A multitude of venues, playing a multitude of genres for a multitude of different scene goers, it's not going to change now, as has been said many times, pick where you go, what you want to hear, the type of people you want to mix with......

And we all lived happily ever after

Merry Christmas to one and all

x

[Guest MrC]

I'm good mate, hope you and your fine lady are ok.

But... on the subject of the thread... I think there's room (and a need) for both type of events - Country AND Western... no... sorry.. I got carried away.

I go to different events around the Midlands and Yorkshire, and I go to them for different reasons. I was at 'That Driving Beat' in Leeds last weekend, great music, not your everyday well known tunes, a few I hadn't heard before, friendly,but small crowd, and I like all of that, and like to hear stuff that's new to me, all of which are reasons I go to this kind of venue.

Over Christmas week, I'll be popping to a couple of places that have a decent guest DJs with collections I know cover a wide range, there'll be a couple of hundred people there, but I know I'll be hearing 'Oldies', and that doesn't bother me! Mainly because I actually like oldies - a lot of memories there for me - and as you mentioned Tezza, it's more of a social thing, which I also quite like.

Oldies nights do so well purely and simply because they're treated as a social thing, and are normally frequented by people who don't go to nighters anymore. They just want to go out, have a drink, meet old mates, and hear the tunes that contain the collective/shared memories for that group of people.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all, and can't understand why people find the need to decry oldies events that are well attended, just because they want to be seen as 'upfront' or 'moving the scene on'

People know what they want, other people cater to it, that's the way things are and always will be.

[Tezza]

A multitude of venues, playing a multitude of genres for a multitude of different scene goers, it's not going to change now, as has been said many times, pick where you go, what you want to hear, the type of people you want to mix with......

And we all lived happily ever after

Merry Christmas to one and all

x

I understand that different places, different toons but do the places that play the different toons play the same different toons Month in Month out ?? ( do you know what I am saying, a bit convoluted !! )

See ya soon Winnie :-) Have a great XMas

[Guest MrC]

I understand that different places, different toons but do the places that play the different toons play the same different toons Month in Month out ?? ( do you know what I am saying, a bit convoluted !! )

See ya soon Winnie :-) Have a great XMas

No.

Well, not the ones I go to anyway.

[Tezza]

Will have to start a new thread and get people to list the places that play certain genres of 'Soul'

Difficult to do though because your idea of a good 'Oldies' night is different from mine although they are both intrinsically a good night ( if you like that sort of thing !!)

' Dear Santa, ......... '

New Year need to spread my wings and seek out new blood ( or old Blood !!!! )

[Guest MrC]

Will have to start a new thread and get people to list the places that play certain genres of 'Soul'

Difficult to do though because your idea of a good 'Oldies' night is different from mine although they are both intrinsically a good night ( if you like that sort of thing !!)

' Dear Santa, ......... '

New Year need to spread my wings and seek out new blood ( or old Blood !!!! )

I was using 'oldies' as a generic term, and as the tag applied to the Top 500 type sounds... my 'oldies' can be quite different from that too!

Confused? You will be.... unless you watch the next episode of..... 'Soap'... Damn... getting sidetracked again.. (although that is my idea of an oldie - but underplayed - tv series!)

Edited December 19, 2012 by MrC

[Tezza]

I was using 'oldies' as a generic term, and as the tag applied to the Top 500 type sounds... my 'oldies' can be quite different from that too!

Confused? You will be.... unless you watch the next episode of..... 'Soap'... Damn... getting sidetracked again.. (although that is my idea of an oldie - but underplayed - tv series!)

Like the Soap reference mate, really loved that show !!

Not aimed at you Mr C, it was a general thing on my part

Difficult to put down in words what you want to say. Need to have a button to emphasise or infer sarcasm !!!

[Winnie :-)]

I understand that different places, different toons but do the places that play the different toons play the same different toons Month in Month out ?? ( do you know what I am saying, a bit convoluted !! )

See ya soon Winnie :-) Have a great XMas

That's a good point Tezza, I remember asking something similar once ie; Did Butch have certain big sounds that he'd play over and over, which, by definition would then stop them being underplayed, can't remember the answer I got.

Winnie

[Guest Andy Kempster]

There's an event close to where we live that attracts a descent 300+ crowd every Month. Awesome venue, 2 Rooms ( one for Motown, although it does tend to slip through the divide into the big room quite often — That’s for another thread !! ) nice friendly Promoters. Every Month they play a not so varied selection of NS ‘Favourites’ that has the floor busy most of the time. DJ’s arrive and play to the floor, keep it moving as any good DJ should ?! ( leave it !! ). Have they found the Holy Grail of Events or are the Public Brainwashed into thinking this is what they want ??

Frustrates the hell out of me because I see the DJ’s they have on and know the depth of their boxes. They are driven by the belief that this is what is wanted of them.

It is an ideal place to go along and see some old friends that are married to the Stepford Wives of Soul but I leave with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Majority — I think I appear not to be. Am I wrong, should I accept this or do we try to change from within. I know I shouldn’t go to these places if it’s not my thing but they now seem to be becoming the norm.

Don’t tell me of places I should go instead, this will only serve to perpetuate it.

“Please help me , to find myself. I’m a lonely man …..”

just accept it mate, its not going to change any and you're only going to do your own head, just go somewhere better yourself and enjoy it

[Spacehopper]

i wonder how many of the top 500 oldies actually get played out?....i havnt got the new book but used to have the first..not sure where it went so cant be sure but i bet theres loads that havnt been played for a while...although some you probably wouldnt wanna hear out today i suppose

dean

[Len]

Well there's the 'same ol, same ol' or the 'same new, same new' and not forgetting the ‘overplayed, underplayed' .....

....I wouldn't give it too much thought mate, just try and make the most of where you do go - I tend not to analyse things too much

The 'Public' do get what the 'Public' want, unfortunately it's not what I want.....

All the best,

Len

Edited December 19, 2012 by LEN

[Tezza]

Well there's the 'same ol, same ol' or the 'same new, same new' and not forgetting the ‘overplayed, underplayed' .....

....I wouldn't give it too much thought mate, just try and make the most of where you do go - I tend not to analyse things too much

The 'Public' do get what the 'Public' want, unfortunately it's not what I want.....

All the best,

Len

That's the impression I get myself these days. Thought it may be just around the East Midlands area but it appears to be a Cancer that has spread and no amount of treatment is gonna cure it. Need counselling on ' Living with a disease' !!

Have a good one Len

Tezza

[Dekka]

Hi mate, maybe if you could clarify these couple of points

1) Frustrates the hell out of me because I see the DJ’s they have on and know the depth of their boxes. They are driven by the belief that this is what is wanted of them.

2) It is an ideal place to go along and see some old friends that are married to the Stepford Wives of Soul but I leave with a bitter taste in my mouth.

It appears your highly disillusioned and people saying 'just accept it and enjoy it', isn't good enough anymore, am I right

[Guest in town Mikey]

Well there's the 'same ol, same ol' or the 'same new, same new' and not forgetting the ‘overplayed, underplayed' .....

....I wouldn't give it too much thought mate, just try and make the most of where you do go - I tend not to analyse things too much

The 'Public' do get what the 'Public' want, unfortunately it's not what I want.....

All the best,

Len

I dont get what society wants

I'm going underground.

[Tezza]

I dont get what society wants

I'm going underground.

Exactly !!

Its what we did in the late '60's early '70's but now, there is no Underground to go to - or is there and we just can't see it ???

[Kev John]

Exactly !!

Its what we did in the late '60's early '70's but now, there is no Underground to go to - or is there and we just can't see it ???

Tezza

Collectors play rooms that's the undergound venues :g:

atb Kev

[Guest in town Mikey]

Exactly !!

Its what we did in the late '60's early '70's but now, there is no Underground to go to - or is there and we just can't see it ???

I think there are pockets. As has been said Manchester is great for new sounds. So is London.

It is a massive shame that the Ton Of Dynamite room has closed at Gloucester, but Lifeline and the 100 club, are still looking to move the scene forward.

[Steve L]

Exactly !!

Its what we did in the late '60's early '70's but now, there is no Underground to go to - or is there and we just can't see it ???

There is still a proper scene but its struggling to keep afloat IMO due to a multitude of factors not least lack of numbers.

The scene and venue you describe in your second post is about as far away from where it should be as is possible and again IMO is a dead loss.

Its never going to change so there's no point in keep going over this old ground time and time again. The inmates have definitely taken over and are fully in control of the asylum

PS dont forget the Jean Genie factor in all this!

Edited December 19, 2012 by Steve L

[KevH]

Tezza,you're at a point most of us have been at.Especially if you factor in the geographically aspect.Now you've reached your conclusions,you can step over that hill and get on with picking and choosing nights/niters to suit you.

Times are tough at the moment for anything but the nostalgia scene,but the only way is up.

Going underground? Something i've mentioned on here before,but that needs commitment,effort and not least something new to offer the people paying to frequent the new venue.This may be the way its marketed,advertised etc - but truly underground in my opinion would be more word of mouth,membership route.

Smaller club night,more intimate,all dayers. Hang on,we've already got that,just need to look harder.

As for in your area,this has already been and gone.Hardly anyone 'round these parts supported 2 clubs in particular, because they were'nt bangin clonkin and stonkin.

Viva le Resistance.

or ....

[Ian Parker]

Ad Lib, Lincoln. now thats a club that has refreshing tunes. i know early soul (some call it R&B) isnt everyones cup of tea, but that place does it right. tunes we know, tunes we dont know, tunes we'd llike to hear again. there must be other clubs out there that cater for those that like to hear something different ?

i personally love my oldies and will freely admit that i avoid certain places, because i know exactly whats gonna come out of the speakers.

difficult and frustrating, I love the small clubs (Sweetsoul, Stute etc), i also love the big do's. I also love to gig the odd weekend, playing drums in a cheesey covers' band is a good escape from the soul scene. branch out a little, do other things, tis good!

Merry christmas all.........

[MartynJJ]

Find your own way Terry and if a venue aint doing it for you fella, find another. There's plenty to go at if you are able to spread your wings a bit. I'm lining up one or two new venues to visit next year and get off the beaten track a little bit. Quite a decent one up Chesterfiled way i've been to a couple of times, you should check it out

[Tezza]

Cheers Martyn, might check that one out in Chesterfield ( Dec 28th @ The Phoenix )

XXX

[Speedlimit]

the east midlands used to have one off the best ever upfront nights you could ever wish for until a couple of years ago that being the union soul club since it closed the area as turned into a oldies nightmare 4 or more venues in nottinghan per week all playing the same old same old now pick and choose were i go cant see the point in wasting my hard earned cash listening to the same old week in week out youd'e thing theyd wanna hear something different by now. may become a brain surgeon and open up one of their brains just to seee what goes off in there lol :thumbsup:

[Guest rasfoz]

Hi mate, maybe if you could clarify these couple of points

1) Frustrates the hell out of me because I see the DJ’s they have on and know the depth of their boxes. They are driven by the belief that this is what is wanted of them.

2) It is an ideal place to go along and see some old friends that are married to the Stepford Wives of Soul but I leave with a bitter taste in my mouth.

It appears your highly disillusioned and people saying 'just accept it and enjoy it', isn't good enough anymore, am I right

Hi dekka have you considered being a soul counsellor lol seriously thats perfect counselling context

[Dekka]

Hi dekka have you considered being a soul counsellor lol seriously thats perfect counselling context

Hi mate, how ya doin not seen you and Billy and the boys for a while,

Think Terry is in a place most of us reached a while back, maybe we've been there done it and there's nothing new anymore.

Ad-Lib has been mentioned but thats not new, down stairs at Middleton was doing it over 10 years ago, however,

to be fair ad-lib is one of the few now flying the torch, especially early soul and ska.

Perhaps Terry shouldn't expand on those points, as it may well upset some people.

Think perhaps Kev has a good point, underground word of mouth club, I think we are all now ready to move on to that.

[Guest MrC]

But surely, the places that are now playing ska, r&b, old soul - call it what you will - are just places playing 'overplayed oldies' to the followers of those kinds of music?

There's probably a forum board somewhere having the same discussions we're having, but about the nights we see as 'progressive' or 'upfront'

every scene has it's chinstrokers.........

[Guest gordon russell]

The problem with UPFRONT alone is they can,t come up with enough new DANCE SOUL which is whats wanted when you go out......and where they go wrong in a major way is good new tunes need to be mixed in with imaginative underplayed....what actually happens is you get set after set of music thats not all up to it....and when that don,t work they revert to BIG classic oldies in the belief that,that is all the people want it,s not,but as thats all they,re given up against set after set of poor upfront it,s better than nowt.........well theres another way and places that do this empty bottles being a prime example amongst others are getting the people because they,ve discovered how to play this stuff.....without any baggage

Edited December 20, 2012 by gordon russell

[Tezza]

I love my Oldies and not a lover of 'New Soul' or whatever umbrella it comes under. Again, not my cup of tea, don't mind other people etc etc .. ( see a thousand other threads )

It's not the fact that I need to move to fill the void, as I said, different toons for me but for the locals they may be the 'Same old Same old'

The frustration lies within and I know things won't change, more a vent the spleen moment.

We tend to get on SS, a lot of people agreeing with the sentiment but no one actually comes along and says ' Well I quite like it as it is !!' Because of this it implies that the DJ's/Promoters are the reason we are at this point. The masses accept what is pumped out of the speakers as the norm and so they go with the flo. Is this right or not ??

We are not gonna change the world on here discussing it but without getting too abusive or accusational, who is the main culprit ??

I don't want to sit back and accept it. A good friend, who has been with us since the early '70's is getting out because she is frustrated with all the Same Stuff and backstabbing that goes on. I find that, during most of the treads in SS, it usually deteriorates to just that so are we to blame ???

This is not a place I have just arrived at, been like it for too many years but its only recently that I have raised my head above the parapet to be shot at.

All singing from the same Hymn Sheet - Perhaps we can - Perhaps we can't

[Wiggyflat]

Is there any similar styled niters similar to Stoke that play Mirwood style northern soul? Not funky not across the board not rnb not ska ?? ie traditional danceable uptempo northern with new discovered or underplayed similar styled stuff mixed in.

[Guest Polyvelts]

The highlight of my year soul wise has been the soul people Sunday shows on solar radio, guest djs still discovering and unearthing real rare fantastic soul music, special mention to steve g and lars but the dave and jordi ripoles shows were especially brilliant! These are the guys today playing records that I get excited acout !

Edited December 21, 2012 by Polyvelts

[Grayman45]

Perhaps I'm too simplistic. I'd like to walk away from a well supported Northern Night thinking "Enjoyed hearing some of my favourite records, along with some interesting stuff I've never heard before". Shouldn't all "top" DJ's be aiming to do this?

[Ady Croasdell]

Is there any similar styled niters similar to Stoke that play Mirwood style northern soul? Not funky not across the board not rnb not ska ?? ie traditional danceable uptempo northern with new discovered or underplayed similar styled stuff mixed in.

Not that I know of, the soul scene wants a lot of different styles and probably just as well as the one you describe, that I love, just couldn't keep it going.

[Mak]

Congratulations everyone , Three days and Thirty Seven posts and the thread has not yet slipped into a Cyber-Brawl. I have read this thread from top to bottom , maybe the first one ever on SS . I can honestly say I cannot pick a sour point out on it . All points being made are true and the way our beloved scene has gone.

I am a long term soul music lover stretching back to '68' , I have gone through the cycle for Motown to Northern . I believe I have found what is right for me . If , at the weekend I have my Oldies head on I will got to an Oldies event and enjoy it . If on the other hand I fancy a bit of x/over then I will attend an event offering o/ver and again enjoy it. Now if I go to one or the other and I hear Oldies at a x/ver night or x/over at a Oldies night , well let just say I an normally less than chuffed . Maybe the problem is that nowadays a vast amount of soul lovers have nice little or not so little collection tuck ed away at home , and like me I spend as much time at home playing my collection (well most of it , some are just loved to much to play ) and don't really need to hear them all played out at a venue , I fully understand there some of us out there that do not have these collection and have a passion to hear them week in and week out ( that is not a dig by the way).

A point was made earlier about our music being for the want of a better word 'Localized' , I have believed that for a long time and now I find myself wanting to travel to London or over to our continental brothers to listen to what they are offering (or anywhere it is no offer ) , this i fully intend to do in the coming year (sort of back to my niter roots ). Like Terry I live in the East Mids and have very little being offered in the terms of choice , I know we all keep on harping on about ''To many venues diluting the scene '' , but I would love to see a venue spring up around here to offer punters what is being offered elsewhere in Europe , that means good honest dancable 60's , 70's SOUL music that outside the realms of the norm .

I feel your pain Terry

Edited December 21, 2012 by MAK

[Tezza]

Congratulations everyone , Three days and Thirty Seven posts and the thread has not yet slipped into a Cyber-Brawl. I have read this thread from top to bottom , maybe the first one ever on SS . I can honestly say I cannot pick a sour point out on it . All points being made are true and the way our beloved scene has gone.

I am a long term soul music lover stretching back to '68' , I have gone through the cycle for Motown to Northern . I believe I have found what is right for me . If , at the weekend I have my Oldies head on I will got to an Oldies event and enjoy it . If on the other hand I fancy a bit of x/over then I will attend an event offering o/ver and again enjoy it. Now if I go to one or the other and I hear Oldies at a x/ver night or x/over at a Oldies night , well let just say I an normally less than chuffed . Maybe the problem is that nowadays a vast amount of soul lovers have nice little or not so little collection tuck ed away at home , and like me I spend as much time at home playing my collection (well most of it , some are just loved to much to play ) .

A point was made earlier about our music being for the want of a better word 'Localized' , I have believed the statement for a long time and now I find myself wanting to travel to London or over to our continental brothers to listen to what they are offering , this i fully intend to do in the coming year (sort of back to my niter roots ). Like Terry I live in the East Mids and have very little being offered in the terms of choice , I know we all keep on harping on about ''To many venues diluting the scene '' , but I would love to see a venue spring up and offer punters what is being offered elsewhere in Europe , that means good honest dancable 60's , 70's SOUL music .

I feel your pain Terry

Nicely put Mak,

I was a little surprised myself to see there has been no slanderous playground stuff. Nice to see that it is taken seriously.

Is it our own fault that we don't badger the DJ's into playing what we want. Nip up to the Deck, ask him (or her) to play something. If I get a request and 'Its in my other Box' I tend to search it out, and any others of the same ilk, and play them next time. From behind the decks it seems that the Yard Stick is the numbers on the floor, 'full floor, doing the right thing, same time next Month' - or should we, as DJs be testing ourselves as well as the punters.

Mak, you've been around a long time ( soz mate ) and I can imagine there are toons you've not heard since a lot of the 'younger boys and girls' were shittin' yellow. Maybe we should bother the DJ ?? We might not be able to Dance the Dance anymore but it will get the Heart racing and the hairs on the back of the neck .....

Wherever you are this weekend and over the Christmas period ask Santa (Mr DJ) for that extra special pressie. Time Marches On .. wait a minute, I'm sure that's in my other Box. Now where did I put it ...........

Edited December 21, 2012 by Tezza

[Dekka]

Congratulations everyone , Three days and Thirty Seven posts and the thread has not yet slipped into a Cyber-Brawl. I have read this thread from top to bottom , maybe the first one ever on SS . I can honestly say I cannot pick a sour point out on it . All points being made are true and the way our beloved scene has gone.

I think it's out of respect for the genuineness of the post and poster and the belief that one day if we all can pull together we will find the Holy Grail.

As for asking a dj to play 'something different' to what is advertised on the tin, could be asking for trouble, how many times have we read on here or seen for ourselves dj's suffering extreme verbal abuse from punters.

And I have to say it's the 'oldies' brigade who are the most vocal and vicious.

Club Utopia, well, we can all dream.

[Spacehopper]

very rare that i request a track but if i do and 'its in the other box' its a simple no worries mate in reply...

if im the other side of the decks and i havnt got it 'sorry mate will ask the next dj for ya'...and if it is at home...i pop it back in the box for next time too...

its not the end of the world and being polite about it doesnt f+++ up the nite for both...

a good mate and top bloke was djing at a 'mod' night last month when was approached and told 'thought this was a mod night? play some ska and stop playinf this f+++++ northern soul shit!'....that kind of attitude ruined it for both of em...

and i think by ska he probably meant two tone!...how same old is that...at least we have 600+ oldies to be bored with not half a dozen lps!!

dean

dean

[paultp]

I think the OP has it spot on; people get what people want, so people want what people get.

Its the same reason there is so much sh*te on the telly; people watch it so they keep on making it and showing it, then people watch it. You can tell how crap British telly is these days by comparing it with how well crafted some of the foreign programs are when compared to ours.

e.g. The Killing v New Tricks

(Actually, that might make good thread for freebasing)

Why anyone watches soap operas or stuff like Strictly Come Dancing is beyond me. The latter has turned into a sort of sinister caricature of itself IMHO, in the same way that Northern Soul has in many cases.

Keeping the comparison going; johnny foreigner seems to run a better scene than in the UK, same as the telly.

[Jordirip]

The highlight of my year soul wise has been the soul people Sunday shows on solar radio, guest djs still discovering and unearthing real rare fantastic soul music, special mention to steve g and lars but the dave and jordi ripples shows were especially brilliant! These are the guys today playing records that I get excited acout !

Thanks for that Mr. Polyvelts.

Jordi

[Steve L]

Nicely put Mak,

I was a little surprised myself to see there has been no slanderous playground stuff. Nice to see that it is taken seriously.

Is it our own fault that we don't badger the DJ's into playing what we want. Nip up to the Deck, ask him (or her) to play something. If I get a request and 'Its in my other Box' I tend to search it out, and any others of the same ilk, and play them next time. From behind the decks it seems that the Yard Stick is the numbers on the floor, 'full floor, doing the right thing, same time next Month' - or should we, as DJs be testing ourselves as well as the punters.

Mak, you've been around a long time ( soz mate ) and I can imagine there are toons you've not heard since a lot of the 'younger boys and girls' were shittin' yellow. Maybe we should bother the DJ ?? We might not be able to Dance the Dance anymore but it will get the Heart racing and the hairs on the back of the neck .....

Wherever you are this weekend and over the Christmas period ask Santa (Mr DJ) for that extra special pressie. Time Marches On .. wait a minute, I'm sure that's in my other Box. Now where did I put it ...........

That is the crux of the problem, DJ's are terrified to play a record that might have a lesser number of people dancing or, god forbid, empty the floor completely.

The main criteria for a good/banging/stonking night is a full floor from start to finish and anything less is considered failure and as Dekka says leaves the DJ open to ridicule or even abuse.

Until this attitude changes its groundhog day as usual for most.

On a positive note I have spoken to people who frequent oldies venues recently who are getting fed up over constantly hearing the same records but obviously not enough to make a difference yet.

Edited December 21, 2012 by Steve L

[Tezza]

Congratulations everyone , Three days and Thirty Seven posts and the thread has not yet slipped into a Cyber-Brawl. I have read this thread from top to bottom , maybe the first one ever on SS . I can honestly say I cannot pick a sour point out on it . All points being made are true and the way our beloved scene has gone.

I think it's out of respect for the genuineness of the post and poster and the belief that one day if we all can pull together we will find the Holy Grail.

As for asking a dj to play 'something different' to what is advertised on the tin, could be asking for trouble, how many times have we read on here or seen for ourselves dj's suffering extreme verbal abuse from punters.

And I have to say it's the 'oldies' brigade who are the most vocal and vicious.

Club Utopia, well, we can all dream.

Its not a matter of asking for something different from advertised. At an Oldies do -- How many 'Oldies' can you remember that are never played or are are considered 'not up tempo enough' We can Play a night of old Casino, Samantha's Va Va's Torch stuff that is never heard these days but still fall under the Advertised Criteria. A DJ would not be committing an injustice to play these things and let the people know that there is more to Northern than 100 MPH top 500 or whatever.

The ones that do the most shouting .. Empty Vessels etc etc!!

That is the crux of the problem, DJ's are terrified to play a record that might have a lesser number of people dancing or, god forbid, empty the floor completely.

The main criteria for a good/banging/stonking night is a full floor from start to finish and anything less is considered failure and as Dekka says leaves the DJ open to ridicule or even abuse.

Big up on that but how much respect would you get if you had the Balls to do it. Try it, its so refreshing !! There is a line that obviously you shouldn't cross., play stuff because its good not because its rare and cost me a Child. ( If it is good and cost a fortune then more Kudos on you )

It seems from the responses on this that everyone agrees but no one actually thinks it will happen. UKIP is now the 3rd Party in British Politics - Who would have thought that 4 years ago ?? If we don't try we can't complain that nothing changes.

[Northernjordan]

As a punter most of the time. I love hearing new/different tunes. I like my oldies, and at an event i will find myself sat in my chair thinking to myself "when one of these songs comes on I'll get up and have a dance". But once im up and dancing, play whatever and I'll dance. Play me underplayed and rare tracks, through the odd classic in and I'm a very happy man. I just like variety!

Surely this is what most people on both side of the fence wants? It cant be as polorised as some people make out?

Edited December 21, 2012 by NorthernJordan

[Northernjordan]

As a punter most of the time. I love hearing new/different tunes. I like my oldies, and at an event i will find myself sat in my chair thinking to myself "when one of these songs comes on I'll get up and have a dance". But once im up and dancing, play whatever and I'll dance. Play me underplayed and rare tracks, through the odd classic in and I'm a very happy man. I just like variety!

Surely this is what most people on both side of the fence wants? It cant be as polorised as some people make out?

By play me whatever, its got to have a good feel and work with the event...

Edited December 21, 2012 by NorthernJordan

[Tezza]

As a punter most of the time. I love hearing new/different tunes. I like my oldies, and at an event i will find myself sat in my chair thinking to myself "when one of these songs comes on I'll get up and have a dance". But once im up and dancing, play whatever and I'll dance. Play me underplayed and rare tracks, through the odd classic in and I'm a very happy man. I just like variety!

Surely this is what everyone on both side of the fence wants? It cant be as polorised as some people make out?

That is true NJ. I'm obviously not advocating playing 100% Old, unplayed. rare, whatever we want to label it as, but conversely we don't want to go to a venue and hear 90% of the stuff that was played last time etc. There has to be some Neutral Ground. No one, im the real world, expects an event to be catered soulie for them.

[Northernjordan]

That is true NJ. I'm obviously not advocating playing 100% Old, unplayed. rare, whatever we want to label it as, but conversely we don't want to go to a venue and hear 90% of the stuff that was played last time etc. There has to be some Neutral Ground. No one, im the real world, expects an event to be catered soulie for them.

I wasnt saying you were wanting a 100% this or that event. The point i was trying to make was that nearly every one i have met on the scene wants variety and many of their favourites are well outside the top 500. And these people i have met are just people on the local scene. So I would say most people want more than just the top 500? Or am i being naive?I woul imagien every one on here has their favourite classics? and wouldnt complain about hearing them at an event, but its when there is no imagination that bores people, right? I imagine back in the day if you want to Wigan or the Mecca, you would be very disapointed if you didnt hear at least one of the classic of the time. The same applies now, if you were at a soul night and there wasnt a single sound you recognise you will soon get bored and maybe even frustrated. But, if you get your fix of classics, your going to be more open to hearing new tunes. I just dont see how hard it could be to do a night like that, and i cant see how the soul scene is that polorised.

[KevH]

Only problem about bothering the dj into playing what you want is,has he strayed too far from the remit of the club,or is he trying something out to gauge reaction,or is it wrong for the night full stop.

If its the latter,maybe he shouldn't be there at all.And for every time you ask for a record,someone could well be groaning at your choice.

If he's strayed from the norm,maybe he needs a gentle nudge.Apart from that let the dj choose.That's what he's there for.

Neutral Ground - sounds like a name for a new club.