The Brits

[Tobytyke]

I for one am hoping that there will be lots and lots of young people converted to northern soul and that they want to purchase original vinyl at inflated prices otherwise i could be stuck with mine.

[Tlscapital]

tls.  All very valid comments, however, too each his own I say, therefore I'm not sure it is worth getting that hot under the collar, apologies if that is not the case 

Cheers Soulman58, I'm not hot under the collar at all. When something is hammered and amplified some more and you might be tempted to show there's another way of seeing it; DO IT !  Mind you, no replies from me to follow-ups (hot-n-rude under the collar) or references to previous and/or later aggressive posts. I don't need to get into an endless dispute where there's no argumentation to be given to insinuations in place of arguing with given opinions. I just wanted to speak my peace and make it clear as to where I stand with such topics/products as others did also. To make it clear to those who read what i didn't write; the dancers were good dancers IMO, I have nothing against THE youth, I am not old, only 43 ! And I do have friends who like stuffs I don't music-wise also. We get along fine and have good talk, laughs and joy doing so. And finally I never justify myself; I share.

[ulyssees]

All for a young crowd keeping the scene alive but please dont imagine that the twirly skirts and badges were ever cool, they weren't. Keep it going but drop the uniform it makes us all look sad.

 

Yule

[Soul-slider]

I remember in 1979 as a 17 year old, I was already into Northern Soul (since 1976) and then got into Ska/Reggae via the 2-Tone movement. Oh, how the old '69 Skinheads rebuked us...."we were there first time around, the Specials are just copying Prince Buster etc, etc".

Because of 2-Tone. which was dissed by the old firm, I now have a nice collection of original authentic Jamaican Ska/Reggae 45's and L.P's alongside my Northern Soul collection.

 

I suppose the point is there's no set point where you have to begin liking a certain type of music....     

[Chippy Minton]

Hi Chippy, serious question do you think NS has been rebellious at any stage since the term was created?

Hello mate,

 

The short answer to your question is, no. However, the point I'm trying to make is not really about NS at all, but UK music as whole within the context of the type of acts who were showcased last night at The Brits.

 

As explained, I really don't think it's a big deal to have some young dancers supporting Pharrell Williams and his pop record - that they are apparently actively involved in NS is great to know, but for me it added bugger all to quite a dull event. This may be because I've come to this music via a slightly different route over time.

 

I am not now, nor ever have been really interested in the whole Wigan, Stoke, 100 Club etc Northern Soul all nighter culture. Please don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not knocking it at all and understand how important these places and events have been to the scene's development and history since the term NS was coined, but R&B and soul music is just one of a number of types of music that I enjoy.

 

For me it was the whole punk thing of the mid-seventies that ignited my imagination, and it was only when that eventually gravitated to the mod culture in the late seventies that R&B and soul music started to grab my attention and interest.

 

At this point I luckily inherited a fantastic record collection from my two much older sisters who were mods during the sixties, but the pure excitement and adrenalin of that whole punk thing is something that I have never replicated since, and is why it pains me to watch such calculated rubbish being thrown at young people at last nights event...

[Soul-slider]

Mods were the first British movement to get into Soul/Motown, so in 1975 if any older punters attended 'Wigan' they could have said "Hey, I danced to this tune 10 years ago!!!"

Same thing now really, we can say to the young 'uns..."Hey, I danced to this tune 30 years ago!!!"    

[Barry]

Wasn't Berry Gordy good at calculating too?

 

I think so 

[Guest in town Mikey]

When i get home, I'm going to have to watch this vid.

[Johnmcc]

I thought that dress made Beyoncé look a bit more hippy than usual.

David Bowie is a twat.

[Scal]

Pharrell Williams "Happy"....

not 'Northern'.....just insipid, bland, chart twaddle.

[Winsford Soul]

The video been removed due to copyrights apparently. Just tried to watch it again and to show it to Lou. She hasn't seen it yet. Steve

[Billywhizz]

WHATS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT ,YOUNG LADIES ENJOYING THEMSELVES DANCING ON STAGE END OF CHEERS BILLY

Edited February 20, 2014 by billywhizz

[Mark Bicknell]

What's all the fuss about because Darrell Banks, Jackie Wilson, Major Lance are still Gods and David Ruffin is still in charge so don't stress people.

[Ow31]

The video been removed due to copyrights apparently. Just tried to watch it again and to show it to Lou. She hasn't seen it yet. Steve

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4fLO0WnDo

[Billywhizz]

What's all the fuss about because Darrell Banks, Jackie Wilson, Major Lance are still Gods and David Ruffin is still in charge so don't stress people.

Seen all them live over the years so whats stress got to do with fuss, little bit of NS comes on the tv and there's a big debate about it. If im stressing someone out comes see me face to face at lifeline as i said end off. cheers billy

[Pete S]

This where he gets his hats from

 

[Pete S]

Seen all them live over the years so whats stress got to do with fuss, little bit of NS comes on the tv and there's a big debate about it. If im stressing someone out comes see me face to face at lifeline as i said end off. cheers billy

 

Was Darrell Banks live in a cemetary?

[Mark Bicknell]

Seen all them live over the years so whats stress got to do with fuss, little bit of NS comes on the tv and there's a big debate about it. If im stressing someone out comes see me face to face at lifeline as i said end off. cheers billy

My point was more about we have the real deal with the music and what was on the television last night has nothing to do with the NS scene apart from by association a few dance moves.

[Bagasulph]

No commercial value? All I can remember from 1968-75 were lots of Northern Soul being in the UK charts - "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache", "Heaven Must Have Sent You", "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me", "There's A Ghost In My House" etc, etc. I think there's always been periods when the scene has been 'on the radar' of the general public before slipping back underground again......

 

Ian D   

 

That's hardly the commercialisation of the scene I'm referring to!

[Bagasulph]

...or maybe attaching yourself to the cool folk?!

Or becoming one of the cool folk.

[Bagasulph]

Looks as if I'm in a small minority here, but I can't stand either Pharrell Williams or the poxy song - it's one of those irritating tunes that just, well, grates, really. 

 

I'm with you. I only came on here to try to work out the connection between this crap and Velvet Hammer. Is it really just that lassie's youtube thing? Really?

[Dave2]

Didn't see the full Brits but if this Pharrell clip is anything to go by, looked like a top night!

 

Like it or not, 'the Brits' represent the UK's finest (allegedly) of the British music industry.  So, we were bloody lucky to have Nile & Pharrell on!

 

The soulful-pop monster that is 'Happy' has yet to grate on me.   I thought the girls were awesome, and quite naturally brilliant.  (Anyone dancing regular in the UK south of 'Manchester' might already know this!)

 

It's not every day NS young regulars get the chance to add character to a predictable (albeit, 4 minute) 'professional' live stage performance - but they gave it large, looked cool throughout (I especially liked the choreographed 'Freeze!' moves  ), and did themselves proud.  Oh Yeah!  Take a bow ladies.

[John A]

Looks as if I'm in a small minority here, but I can't stand either Pharrell Williams or the poxy song - it's one of those irritating tunes that just, well, grates, really.

I'm with ya pal, it stinks and I can't understand why it's even mentiond on this site.

[Pete S]

I'm with you. I only came on here to try to work out the connection between this crap and Velvet Hammer. Is it really just that lassie's youtube thing? Really?

 

Thats absolutely all it is, two tracks edited together so badly it makes Jive Bunny sound like the genius of remix.

[Pete S]

but they gave it large, looked cool throughout (I especially liked the choreographed 'Freeze!' moves

 

Looking forward to seeing this spreading to the main room at Stoke in a months time

[Dave2]

Looking forward to seeing this spreading to the main room at Stoke in a months time

Vogue!

 

Oh My God!!   

[Billywhizz]

Was Darrell Banks live in a cemetary?

You had to stick your two peneith in pete and yeah i've spelt it wrong. No i didnt see darrell banks his old man has a lot to answer for. hope you keep well and the family cheers billy

[Pete S]

You had to stick your two peneith in pete and yeah i've spelt it wrong. No i didnt see darrell banks his old man has a lot to answer for. hope you keep well and the family cheers billy

 

I had to cos you said you'd seen Darrell Banks live and I don't know anyone else who has!

[Billywhizz]

My point was more about we have the real deal with the music and what was on the television last night has nothing to do with the NS scene apart from by association a few dance moves.

thanks for putting ,me right mark, billy

[Winsford Soul]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_4fLO0WnDo

Thanks for that. Lou,s happy now she's seen it.  Steve

[Chalky]

The Brits the best of British, thats a laugh.  It shows what a sorry state the charts are in when Bowie is best british solo male.  

 

They say they want to make the Brits like the Grammy's but it has no credibility cause its been fixed by the companies all these years. 

[Barry]

Or becoming one of the cool folk.

 

...now you know yourself....that comes wi work 

[Scal]

Darrell Banks....killed by an off duty Police Officer in 1970.

[Barry]

How's he sold out Krissii?

 

Serious question.

[KevH]

Darrell Banks....killed by an off duty Police Officer in 1970.

 

Billy,you're not supposed to "like" that one.

[Billywhizz]

Billy,you're not supposed to "like" that one.

whats up Kev,i know office Dibble,end of lol billy,

[Ian Dewhirst]

That's hardly the commercialisation of the scene I'm referring to!

In that case I misinterpreted your point. I guess it all depends on one's interpretation of what constitutes commercialisation of the scene. I think this "Happy" phenomenon has come about totally accidentally as opposed to being pre-meditated. I don't think Pharrell Williams had ever heard of Northern Soul until he saw the You Tube clip with the sprightly lass. Since then, the record has become something of a phenomenon, in that it's already been No.1 on two separate occasions in the last 6 weeks, and, as of today, it's back at No.2 and threatening to be No.1 yet again. It's now sold close to 900,000 copies in the UK alone and should pass the million mark in the next 2 weeks. It was originally written for a film soundtrack so no premeditation there.

Interesting fact: no one in the USA knows this record. It's not even available as a single over there. This is a purely European phenomenon.

Personally, I think it's great. Once again, the British (and European) public have taken a U.S. Uptempo Soul record to their hearts and made it a massive smash. Not that different to what happened with Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" in the early 1970's.

If nothing else, it show's that the UK public can still massively react to great uptempo Pop/Soul records, which I think is a good thing!

ian D

[Scal]

Anyway....b*llocks to The Brits and their pop tunes....
Inspector George Gently is on in a minute.....
PROPER NORTHERN!!!

Edited February 7, 2015 by pikeys dog
swearing - workplace filters

[Soulman58]

Name's not Chippy but back in the early 70's, staying out all night alone was considered "rebellious", let alone any of the other baggage that went with being seriously on the Northern scene.hi Pete,

 

 

Apols as I linked the reply to the wrong individual.   I was around from early 74, not sure any scene that tries to stay underground is truly rebellious unless we were plotting for when the cameras arrived!! 

[Seano]

Long thread and I can't remember who said something about young people using modern tools and social media but good point. Lev and the other dancers were all taking an amazing opportunity to be involved in an event like this. I didn't watch it 'cos I wasn't interested but I can still appreciate the buzz of just being there and even being on stage.

 

i think Lev's YouTube clips are a creative bit of fun and if we can't enjoy the fact that a younger generation are getting into Northern then god help us. Sure we can all be snobby and try to assert how many years we've been into the music but there's not going to be anyone who just appeared on the scene fully formed out of nowhere. We all began somewhere, we all learnt on the way, and hopefully we can all keep learning.

 

For an event like The Brits it's not surprising that the dancers were styled with a fairly uniform set of clothes, and that they were choreographed as well. Would have been nice to see Lev and the others free to dress as they choose but then the show wasn't aimed at us was it?

[Soulman58]

Hello mate,

 

The short answer to your question is, no. However, the point I'm trying to make is not really about NS at all, but UK music as whole within the context of the type of acts who were showcased last night at The Brits.

 

As explained, I really don't think it's a big deal to have some young dancers supporting Pharrell Williams and his pop record - that they are apparently actively involved in NS is great to know, but for me it added bugger all to quite a dull event. This may be because I've come to this music via a slightly different route over time.

 

I am not now, nor ever have been really interested in the whole Wigan, Stoke, 100 Club etc Northern Soul all nighter culture. Please don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not knocking it at all and understand how important these places and events have been to the scene's development and history since the term NS was coined, but R&B and soul music is just one of a number of types of music that I enjoy.

 

For me it was the whole punk thing of the mid-seventies that ignited my imagination, and it was only when that eventually gravitated to the mod culture in the late seventies that R&B and soul music started to grab my attention and interest.

 

At this point I luckily inherited a fantastic record collection from my two much older sisters who were mods during the sixties, but the pure excitement and adrenalin of that whole punk thing is something that I have never replicated since, and is why it pains me to watch such calculated rubbish being thrown at young people at last nights event...

That explains it perfectly. 

[Barry]

 

 

In that case I misinterpreted your point. I guess it all depends on one's interpretation of what constitutes commercialisation of the scene. I think this "Happy" phenomenon has come about totally accidentally as opposed to being pre-meditated. I don't think Pharrell Williams had ever heard of Northern Soul until he saw the You Tube clip with the sprightly lass. Since then, the record has become something of a phenomenon, in that it's already been No.1 on two separate occasions in the last 6 weeks, and, as of today, it's back at No.2 and threatening to be No.1 yet again. It's now sold close to 900,000 copies in the UK alone and should pass the million mark in the next 2 weeks. It was originally written for a film soundtrack so no premeditation there.

Interesting fact: no one in the USA knows this record. It's not even available as a single over there. This is a purely European phenomenon.

Personally, I think it's great. Once again, the British (and European) public have taken a U.S. Uptempo Soul record to their hearts and made it a massive smash. Not that different to what happened with Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" in the early 1970's.

If nothing else, it show's that the UK public can still massively react to great uptempo Pop/Soul records, which I think is a good thing!

ian D

[Soulman58]

Wasn't Berry Gordy good at calculating too?

 

I think so 

So is Mr William Hill 

[Soulman58]

Pharrell Williams "Happy"....

not 'Northern'.....just insipid, bland, chart twaddle.

I can think of many popular northern sounds over the years you could say the same about if they had reached no 1, I can also think of many much worse than Happy

[Mark Jones]

Darrell Banks....killed by an off duty Police Officer in 1970.

Believe Tommy Hunt witnessed the event.

[Scal]

In the old days bastards like me would have just carried on and waited for the next discovery to replace Ann Perry, Fabulous Jades, Popcorn Wylie, Jodi Mathis......and travel to a club in Blackpool, Todmorden, Wigan. Now all I have to do is turn on a telly, radio or PC....wahey, instant "scene"!

[Barry]

In the old days bastards like me would have just carried on and waited for the next discovery to replace Ann Perry, Fabulous Jades, Popcorn Wylie, Jodi Mathis......and travel to a club in Blackpool, Todmorden, Wigan. Now all I have to do is turn on a telly, radio or PC....wahey, instant "scene"!

 

   

[Bagasulph]

In that case I misinterpreted your point. I guess it all depends on one's interpretation of what constitutes commercialisation of the scene. I think this "Happy" phenomenon has come about totally accidentally as opposed to being pre-meditated. I don't think Pharrell Williams had ever heard of Northern Soul until he saw the You Tube clip with the sprightly lass. Since then, the record has become something of a phenomenon, in that it's already been No.1 on two separate occasions in the last 6 weeks, and, as of today, it's back at No.2 and threatening to be No.1 yet again. It's now sold close to 900,000 copies in the UK alone and should pass the million mark in the next 2 weeks. It was originally written for a film soundtrack so no premeditation there.

Interesting fact: no one in the USA knows this record. It's not even available as a single over there. This is a purely European phenomenon.

Personally, I think it's great. Once again, the British (and European) public have taken a U.S. Uptempo Soul record to their hearts and made it a massive smash. Not that different to what happened with Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" in the early 1970's.

If nothing else, it show's that the UK public can still massively react to great uptempo Pop/Soul records, which I think is a good thing!

ian D

 

I'm not suggesting the Pharrell record was a premeditated attempt at commercialising Northern Soul. I realise that's not the case. I'm just pointing out that Northern Soul has developed and survived thanks in no small part to the fact that it is (was) very difficult to market. A million selling pop record is about as far from what I understand Northern Soul to be as it's possible to get.

 

Despite my numerous replies here though, I'm actually not that bothered by it. It'll be forgotten soon enough, same as the Daft Punk Zeitgeist/summer of disco bullshit that everyone was getting all excited about recently and went nowhere.

[Sutty]

Personally, I think it's great. Once again, the British (and European) public have taken a U.S. Uptempo Soul record to their hearts and made it a massive smash. Not that different to what happened with Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" in the early 1970's.

If nothing else, it show's that the UK public can still massively react to great uptempo Pop/Soul records, which I think is a good thing!

ian D

 

I've kept my mouth firmly shut til now but... There is absolutely zero common ground between 'happy' and 'move on up' Ian. Happy is not even a soul record, it's just another pop record with a motown-style beat if you like, just as Culture Club 'church of the poison mind' or Vanessa Paradis 'Be My Baby' were. I really can't see how it represents anything to do with soul music other than it's the most commercial end of it possible. It's become almost sacrilegious to not like this recording and you are deemed as some kind of killjoy if you don't want to jump up and down and sing it at the top of your voice. I'd rather listen to the many new releases over the last 10 years and more that shit all over it from a great height personally.

 

The NS connection is a marketing mans dream come true, I'm really not at all interested in that angle, the scene existed before it and the Brits and it will afterwards. Young people getting into soul music - fantastic, it's great music. Pop music masquerading as soul, no thanks

 

IMHO

 

Cheers Sutty

[TommieOnTheSpot]

So, as well from being of pensionable age I am now a person of uncertain parental lineage, put in my place by a keyboard enthusiast.

Your comments are borne of the spotify, two dimensional, instant recognition of propinquity. 

If you want to play to the audience like a judge on a cheap Saturday evening talent pantomime dross-a-thon then you are nearly ready to be famous.

 

Obviously you are the most soulful person in the history of soulfulness and your love of Northern is paramount as you strive to reach music nirvana;

could I ask you, as you are a Guru of Northern Soul.......

Pharrell Williams "Happy", is it the first 'Northern' record you heard......where did you 'discover' it, on the telly, radio or your PC.  

 

Well first of all, you wouldn't know me from Adam... Firstly I am not a keyboard enthusiast, I say what I think and I admit when I am wrong.... being of a "pensionable age" do you not think it sad you have to defend yourself against 16 year olds on the internet by trying to put them down? Now firstly, I do not even have spotify on any of my electronic devices, I don't even really do MP3's, I collect vinyl... Secondly, I think it takes a lot of courage to get on a stage in front of live television cameras and put something as underground and heart-felt as Northern Soul into the public media, I knew numerous young soulies who are very much on the scene and were dancing for the Pharrell Williams and did a bloody good job... Thirdly, I am by no means a 'Guru of Northern Soul' in no way am I an influential teacher of this music genre for starters, simply a young lad who has grew up in a very soulful home, with a DJ Dad and a Soulful Mum, I don't think anyone should be judged by who they are but I think I would like to mention in this case my lineage and the people I have grown up around, my Dad is one of the promoters for the Soul Essence weekender and I have grown up around a range of fantastic soul DJs, Collectors and just general faces with different musical tastes such as Soul Sam, Bob Jones, Terry Jones, John Pugh, Backdoor Kenny, Ken Onions, Bob Cosby, Dave Greet and my godfather Dave Thorley.... I think providing me somewhat with a discerning attitude to the northern scene I find quite frankly offensive you assume the first Northern record I heard was Pharrell Williams - Happy, which is by no means a Northern record, just a good soulful pop dance record... If you must know the first record that quite frankly 'did it' for me was Betty Wilson & The Four Bars - I'm Yours, the record was played at Rugby All-Nighter on my second visit there and I instantly fell in love with it, made whole body freeze and the hairs on my neck and arms stand on end...  I first heard of Happy when my friend Levanna did a spoof-esque video on YouTube entitled "Northern Soul Girl Dances to HAPPY - Pharrell vs Northern Soul" which I imagine was the same way many people on the scene came to know the song... I suggest in future that you actually meet people and get to know them before you go on a childish “keyboard enthusiast” slag-off which is frankly just nasty and malicious.

Edited February 20, 2014 by nstomp97