Two Step - What Is It?

[Premium Stuff]

Anyone tell me what 'Two Step' is please?

 

I'm guessing it is a kind of slow-ish modern-ish soul music defined by some kind of 'two step' dancing - i.e. the music is defined by the type of dance you do (much like 'stomper').

 

Am I right? 

 

Can anyone describe the dancing, or post up video clips showing it please?

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Benji]

You're pretty close Richard. Very slow but with a beat. Bit like Modern Soul's answer to the 60s beat ballads (but a tad slower). Not to be confused with "2step" that was popular 10 odd years ago (Craig David etc.).

[Premium Stuff]

You're pretty close Richard. Very slow but with a beat. Bit like Modern Soul's answer to the 60s beat ballads (but a tad slower). Not to be confused with "2step" that was popular 10 odd years ago (Craig David etc.).

 

Cheers Benji - so it's like modern soul for old folk 

 

Anyone got any video footage please so I can see it

 

Thanks

 

Richard

[Epic]

Two Step is music that should be played on a radio show, on your sound system at home or maybe in the car.

 

It was never intended to be danced to !!!

[Ian Dewhirst]

Some good examples on here.....

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Backbeats-Steps-Soul-Heaven-More-Steppers/dp/B0062Y9CFC

 

Ian D

[Daved]

^{I love two step. It’s mainly late 70s to early 80s stuff.  I won’t provide a list of records because someone will say that a certain track doesn’t qualify. The deeper into these sub-genres you go, the more anoraky and aggressive people become. You should see the debate on EMS about two step recently. I’m no expert on it but know what I like!}  

 

[Nick Soule]

[Premium Stuff]

 

Cheers Nick

 

Is that the two step that gets done in rare soul clubs these days - or is it the 2step that Benji mentioned above that Craig David etc. made popular - or are they one and the same thing? 

 

Cheers

 

Richard 

[John Reed]

^{I love two step. It’s mainly late 70s to early 80s stuff.  I won’t provide a list of records because someone will say that a certain track doesn’t qualify. The deeper into these sub-genres you go, the more anoraky and aggressive people become. You should see the debate on EMS about two step recently. I’m no expert on it but know what I like!}  

 

 

There have been a couple of lengthy debates on here too, although I can't seem to find the threads

Edited March 28, 2013 by John Reed

[Steveh73]

2 step was borne out of the Lovers Rock reggae scene in the early 80s and was chiefly a London-based thing - the tunes that were picked up were mainly mellow soul with a beat that roughly corresponded to the reggae otherwise being played by the sound-systems. It is nothing to do with the kind of UK Garage popularised by Craig David, the Modern Soul scene or Steppers scene in Chicago, although some tunes overlap from one to another.

[Premium Stuff]

Now I'm confused - there are loads of different types!

 

I'm interested in the type that gets played in Northern/Modern venues - want to see what it looks like and know of a couple of classic examples of the sub-genre please 

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Bo Diddley]

Often wondered about this myself. Often used in sales...."great two stepper..". I'd agree it's the sort of this you might like to listen to but not sure of how it's fits in if played at a Norther Soul type venue.

 

I have this record, a nice cheapo, and have always assumed it fitted the description. Currently £15 on JM site. Moses - Sweetest Love

 

https://youtu.be/lEk3So5rLeA

Edited March 28, 2013 by bo diddley

[Daved]

I suppose a few obvious examples are:

 

Leroy Hutson — Because of You

Bobby Womack — Woman’s Gotta Have It

Beverly & Duane — I Wanna Be With You

Stephanie Mills — Keep Away Girls

[John Reed]

Its the strong baseline that really dominate's what a 2-Step tune is.  Clausel - Let Me Love You was a massive tune in the mid/late 80's in London, just to name one.  Also anything to do with Leroy Hutson was a sure fire hit.

Edited March 28, 2013 by John Reed

[jocko]

Two Step is music that should be played on a radio show, on your sound system at home or maybe in the car.

It was never intended to be danced to !!!

Really! 2000 people at Southport use to disagree. And an awful lot of London people would disagree! I certainly do.

Glad to see its not just Northern people who try and dumb it down.

In top 10 ridiculous statements this year. Can't see it being moved!

[Jordirip]

Really! 2000 people at Southport use to disagree. And an awful lot of London people would disagree! I certainly do.

Glad to see its not just Northern people who try and dumb it down.

In top 10 ridiculous statements this year. Can't see it being moved!

 

Parkers in Manchester would certainly beg to differ as well. Big, packed heaving dancefloor all night everytime to connoisseur 2 steppers.

 

There is a really good definitive list on here somewhere that lists tons of classic 2 step tunes. R. Kelly certainly ain't one of them just 'cos it's got 'Step' in the title, that's just your regular modern mid tempo plodder, or 'giffer' soul as Jason Stirland brilliantly once christened the genre.

[Mark68]

Yep used to hear a bit of it at Parkers (enjoyed those nights) and it was a predominant sound of London pirate stations in the 8ts....Starvue, Jeffree, Father's Children etc etc

[macca]

Arnold Blair on Gemigo was definitely intended to be danced to, I'd have thought. There might be some who prefer it in the intimacy of their dining room though...

[Mark R]

A good example from the 90's from one of the Northern scene's favourite darlings???...........

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Duke]

I remember the term being applied to a particular sound the emerged in the very late 80's. Things like Bobby Brown's 'don't be cruel' is the most high profile example of what I'm on about. Seems it may have been used differently in different regions. Clausel is brilliant but I just thought of it as a bit slow...plodder is a good description of the sound and the associated dancing but I don't think that's a very marketable word.

[Greg Belson]

One of my favourite examples.....

 

[Mark R]

The worst aspect of the current modern scene is that the slower tunes struggle for needle time.  This is a notable (& very worthy)exception in recent years.............

 

 

 

 

BTW, the Lionel Blair is probably the best example of a two-stepper from back in the day I would think.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[grouse]

Anyone tell me what 'Two Step' is please?

 

Never mind 'Two Step'

 

I'm still trying to figure out what a 'Tittyshaker' is.....

[Ceejay]

Really! 2000 people at Southport use to disagree. And an awful lot of London people would disagree! I certainly do.

Glad to see its not just Northern people who try and dumb it down.

In top 10 ridiculous statements this year. Can't see it being moved!

 

 

 

 

I'M WITH EPIC ON THIS ONE!!!    

[Mark R]

Well I'm with Jock, and that comes from someone who has listened to more house music than anything else over the last decade or so!!!

 

My pet hate is how polarised lots of people are on the soul scene.................vinyl only........download only............uptempo..........no uptempo.

 

If you feel it, you can dance to it, whatever the tempo.

 

This was massive as a new release at Southport, but it would have no chance of anything but an early doors or radio spin now, which is extremely sad IMHO......

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Len]

Never mind 'Two Step'

 

I'm still trying to figure out what a 'Tittyshaker' is.....

 

Same here...but I'm still trying my bestest to picture it

 

All the best,

 

Len  

[Len]

If you feel it, you can dance to it, whatever the tempo.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

 

 

......I can tell you what it's not (if that's any help).....It's not a 'Burnley Sound' (There's a whole thread on that)......and it's the last kind of dance you would see (or do!) at Burnley

 

All the best,

 

Len  

[TOAD]

wheres burnley ?

[Len]

wheres burnley ?

 

Near St Ives (Of the legendary nighters / dayers fame)......down in Cornwall of course........thank the Lord for Sat-navs.....or Taxi's (before someone else says it)........  

 

Len  

[Len]

Back on topic - Two step (the dance) is great, and easy to do! It’s just ‘stepping’ from one foot to the other (clues in the title), absorbing the music, and enjoying yourself - Otherwise known as ‘Dad Dancing’ (in a complimentary kinda way)….Holding a bottle of beer is optional, but allowed in this particular instance.

 

Brian Goucher trained me at ‘Essence’    …..I simply had to do some ‘Norman Soul Dancing’ at times though. It just didn’t feel right doing it all night, but these guys can, no spins or anything required - blo*dy ridiculousness if you ask me - Call themselves Soulies!    

 

Seriously though, I would imagine any music that you can do ‘Two Step’ to, can be classed as ‘Two Step’, up until the tempo gets too fast to do so (That’s my understanding anyway)

 

If adopted every so often, it can save one looking like a ‘husk’ after a nighter, which apparently isn’t the most attractive look - so Nina (Mrs ‘Long Suffering’) frequently tells me….usually closely followed by, 'F*ck off Len, you’re scaring the Children'……..

 

…..’Poetic licence’ that last bit, by the way (honest)  

 

All the best,

 

Len  

[Guest]

Jeesh have some of you lot been living in an alternative universe to the rest of us.. First Bob Sinclair and now no one knows what two step is..

 

[Geeselad]

its a rhythmic thing surely, Clausel sums that up for me, but i've also seen it refer to some slow, often epic soul ballads, that to these ears verge on the quiet storm territory. 

[Cunnie]

Summed up perfectly here   

[Guest]

Let's get one thing straight. Clausel is not a 2 step record. A proper 2 step record should have a slightly funky beat to it like Starvue or Hutson All because of you.

This subject crops up every year!

[Premium Stuff]

Summed up perfectly here   

 

Thanks Cunnie - much appreciated - sets it out nicely 

 

I'm sure there's some 3step and 4step in there though 

 

Richard

[charliew]

Nice vid Mart but the proffesors telling us to give him any new ideas or renditions lol ,so i gather there is no actual set steps its just a case of going with the flow and feeling the music,

[Guest LeoLyxxx]

The purest form of soul music alongside sweet, beat ballads and other more down/midtempo-genres.

 

People seems to like steppers here in Sweden but yet no clubs for it, would like to try it sometime for a broadminded audience and a small dancefloor. For me it's easily the most catchy form of soul music there is.. funky bassline, good rhtythms, often nice synthesizers and great guitar licks without the old school 60s way of writing music, it can often be a song where the groove is the center of everything and ends up being nicely hypnotic even though the tempo isn't that fast.

 

Lovely stuff!!!

 

Favourites:

 

Carver high "not tonight"

Patti Shaw "somebody pulled the switch"

Alton Mcclain "makin' room for love"

Teddy Pendergrass "close the door"

Lee Mcdonald "i still believe in love"

Ocean to Ocean "summertime"

 +++++++++ thousands more

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Here's a previous link which should assist.

 

 

 

Not the bible - but this previous link is a accurate testament to the 2 step term & showcases some excellent sounding examples.

 

Edited March 29, 2013 by Nick Harrison

[Steveh73]

Sorry to say this but Clausel was played on the 2 step scene and was even bootlegged to cater for demand from that scene.

Let's get one thing straight. Clausel is not a 2 step record. A proper 2 step record should have a slightly funky beat to it like Starvue or Hutson All because of you.

This subject crops up every year!

[Guest]

Sorry to say this but Clausel was played on the 2 step scene and was even bootlegged to cater for demand from that scene.

Maybe later but not originally. Sounds nothing like a 2 step track.

[Epic]

Jeesh have some of you lot been living in an alternative universe to the rest of us.. First Bob Sinclair and now no one knows what two step is..

 

 

Bob Sinclair & Two Step in one post !!! That would be a poser for Room 101.

 

It's called Two Step because of the distance you go from your chair..... in case you get a little tired !!!

[Guest dundeedavie]

Love a bit of 2 step, perfect tempo to get your groove on !!

[Guest LeoLyxxx]

Also whats so great is availabillity on the records, a truly smashing 2step 45 can cost you nearly nothing.. Puts the fun back in collecting instead of buying overplayed uptempo evergreens people have been hammering since the days of yor.. Feels fresh and healthy

[Scotters]

Interesting as always to see different view on stuff like this. Best no one starts another thread for "what's crossover?"!   

 

A more modern interpretation for sure but I'll throw this into the debate from '93....The late great Teddy Pendergrass - I believe in love.

 

This particular mix always gets me "stepping"

 

[John Reed]

Let's get one thing straight. Clausel is not a 2 step record. A proper 2 step record should have a slightly funky beat to it like Starvue or Hutson All because of you.

This subject crops up every year!

 

It was definatly a big tune for a couple the London sound systems in the late 80's cant remember 100% which ones, but one of them may have been Touch Of Class

Edited March 29, 2013 by John Reed

[Jordirip]

Well I'm with Jock, and that comes from someone who has listened to more house music than anything else over the last decade or so!!!

 

My pet hate is how polarised lots of people are on the soul scene.................vinyl only........download only............uptempo..........no uptempo.

 

If you feel it, you can dance to it, whatever the tempo.

 

This was massive as a new release at Southport, but it would have no chance of anything but an early doors or radio spin now, which is extremely sad IMHO......

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

 

Blimy Mark, that's bizarre, I dug that out and played it at home a few nights ago. Lovely tune, what a shame it was never on a 45 or even 12".

 

Jordi

[Wrongcrowd]

Two Step is music that should be played on a radio show, on your sound system at home or maybe in the car.

 

It was never intended to be danced to !!!

 

Speaking as one of the 2,000 at Southport......I'm so disappointed in you

Edited March 29, 2013 by Wrongcrowd

[Jordirip]

Also whats so great is availabillity on the records, a truly smashing 2step 45 can cost you nearly nothing.. Puts the fun back in collecting instead of buying overplayed uptempo evergreens people have been hammering since the days of yor.. Feels fresh and healthy

 

2 step (and rare groove) was what got me back into the scene and collecting bug again in the late 80's. There was always a killer 2 step track buried away on most late 70's / early 80's soul albums and it was always fun trying to find them. The Americans call 2 step 'smooth funk' I was once told by a dealer.

[Mark R]

Blimy Mark, that's bizarre, I dug that out and played it at home a few nights ago. Lovely tune, what a shame it was never on a 45 or even 12".

 

Jordi

 

Promo LP vinyl though Jordi, I take it you have one of those?  If not I recall Fish had one at a good price recently.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Premium Stuff]

Talking of America - I seem to recall the Cloe Martin / It comes to my attention / Geneva getting booted for the USA maket ? Often see the boot being sold as 'original' .

How can you tell the difference please?

Cheers

Richard