Tonite - Northern Soul Bbc Living For The Weekend

[Steve S 60]

There was a dip around 5 minutes after I came off screen at the beginning and then a peak with my repeat performances throughout the second half.....

 

Ian D 

 

That's about the same time the dog started barking at the telly.

[Ian Dewhirst]

That's about the same time the dog started barking at the telly.

 

I've always attracted dogs Steve.......

 

Ian D 

[Frankie Crocker]

I still consider soul music lovers as elite, they know what life is all about

Most definitely, I couldn't agree more with you but with Northern Soul at the pinnacle.

[TheBigO]

Hi Steve,

 

Yep - Without BlackBeat I do think these (early 80's) would have been the forgotten years.

 

Still waiting for the 80's Returnees to come back!

 

That said, both Rotherham Clifton Hall and Rotherham Windmill have 30 year Anniversary gigs coming up soon, so expect to see see quite a few of those diehards who didn't call it a day after Wigan putting in an appearance!

 

Yes, Stafford and 100 Club were certainly in the top half dozen!

 

For the poor sighted, Top Venues Poll reads as follows:

 

Venues 1982.

 

1. Cleethorpes

2. Rotherham Clifton Hall

3 Stafford TOTW

4 Sheffield Romeo & Juliets

5 Rotherham Tiffanies

6 100 Club

7 St Ives

8 Shrewsbury (The Oak)

 

An extremely dynamic, exciting and important period in my opinion.

 

About time it had proper representation in media portrayals that only ever seem to focus on the cliche stereotypical version of what the Northern Soul scene was, in one fairly brief snapshot of 'Pop / Popularity' as reported by the Red Tops nearly 40 years ago.

 

 

Sean

Morecombe was a huge venue in the early 80's (worthy of the list) and a MUST as far as the Letchworth crew were concerned and some of the best times I ever had were at the venue - can still see the Pier bouncing as you approached with the 1000s feet shuffling to the Modern or backdropping to the 6T's. The Starlight room that baked you as the sun came up, the cafe at the bottom where you all met up after to sort where you were all moving onto and getting lifts etc, Marc Farleys perm that made even Dave Thorleys look cool (no honestly it did!) lol Memories - I know That Shaun G took film of the nights ( I know this because I'm on one and so was Rob Kearney just as he span off the stage in the dance comp!) and it would be great if he could post those or the pics as we never took that many pics as we thought we'd be like that for ever - DOH! 

[Frankie Crocker]

Bish, bash, bosh. Just got the figures through and it was a big hit with over half a million LIVE viewers on the first showing:-

 

"The viewing figure for Northern Soul: Living For The Weekend (FRI, 25-07-2014, 21:30-22:30) is 558,900. The slot average is 378,800".

 

Ian D 

So it hit the spot then. Nice work team.

[Frankie Crocker]

There was a dip around 5 minutes after I came off screen at the beginning and then a peak with my repeat performances throughout the second half.....

Ian D [/quote.

The dip was people going on-line to Google this bloke who had dropped out of sight 30 years ago...

Edited August 1, 2014 by FRANKIE CROCKER

[Sean Hampsey]

Morecombe was a huge venue in the early 80's (worthy of the list) and a MUST as far as the Letchworth crew were concerned and some of the best times I ever had were at the venue - can still see the Pier bouncing as you approached with the 1000s feet shuffling to the Modern or backdropping to the 6T's. The Starlight room that baked you as the sun came up, the cafe at the bottom where you all met up after to sort where you were all moving onto and getting lifts etc, Marc Farleys perm that made even Dave Thorleys look cool (no honestly it did!) lol Memories - I know That Shaun G took film of the nights ( I know this because I'm on one and so was Rob Kearney just as he span off the stage in the dance comp!) and it would be great if he could post those or the pics as we never took that many pics as we thought we'd be like that for ever - DOH! 

Yep - Morecambe came along on the cusp of Clifton & Cleggy and around the rise of Bradford Queens Hall & Warrington Parr Hall.

 

But was post 1982 from memory (83 / 84?) so couldn't have made the chart.

 

 

Sean

[Steve S 60]

Yep - Morecambe came along on the cusp of Clifton & Cleggy and around the rise of Bradford Queens Hall & Warrington Parr Hall.

 

But was post 1982 from memory (83 / 84?) so couldn't have made the chart.

 

 

Sean

 

April 83.

[TheBigO]

Yep - Morecambe came along on the cusp of Clifton & Cleggy and around the rise of Bradford Queens Hall & Warrington Parr Hall.

 

But was post 1982 from memory (83 / 84?) so couldn't have made the chart.

 

 

Sean

I stand duly corrected :-) Clifton Hall was fantastic though but its all getting blurred as old age calls :-))

[Ian Dewhirst]

You're right. In the 80s I was bouncing between London and New York licensing tracks and shagging supermodels, in the 90s I was running the best compilation series of all time and winning awards and in the 00s I was re-issuing labels like Salsoul, P&P and Philly International.

Where did it all go wrong?

Ian D

[Chalky]

I remember travelling to Warrington Parr Hall the day after a Morcambe nighter, i think it was the first one and i seem to remember it was free admission.  I'd guess it was around 1986.

 

 

85 I think Warrington started.  It ran on the Friday night and Stafford was on a Saturday.  It was the beginning of the Three Voices Soul Club when Kingy got involved with Stafford and Crofty at Parr Hall, three clubs coming together to cooperate and avoid clashes.

 

Three Voices Echoes Ad for beginning of 1986.

Edited August 2, 2014 by chalky

[Sean Hampsey]

85 I think Warrington started.  It ran on the Friday night and Stafford was on a Saturday.  It was the beginning of the Three Voices Soul Club when Kingy got involved with Stafford and Crofty at Parr Hall, three clubs coming together to cooperate and avoid clashes.

 

Three Voices Echoes Ad for beginning of 1986.

Three Voices add.jpg

 

Think Warrington started '83 or '84 Chalky as I DJ'd the first few and I recall I stopped doing Warrington and Bradford in '84.

 

Also recall attending the first Three Voices meeting at Stafford TOTW, and feel sure that will have been '84.

 

 

Sean

[Chalky]

I went to the Parr Hall to see Chic and Sisiter Sledge I think it was. Before 83 probably, and cant remember if it was a soul night, so no help I'm afraid.

I think Morecombe came later as you say. In 1981/82, my preferred venues being a West Country boy were Yate and Hinckley.

 

Soul Promotions, Morecambe Central Pier began life April 1983.

[Chalky]

Think Warrington started '83 or '84 Chalky as I DJ'd the first few and I recall I stopped doing Warrington and Bradford in '84.

 

Also recall attending the first Three Voices meeting at Stafford TOTW, and feel sure that will have been '84.

 

 

Sean

 

Yeah you are right, just seen some stuff form 1984. Not sure about the Three Voices being 84 though, will check up though.

[Mark R]

Hi Ian,

 

I was on the car park they call the M5 yesterday, and though I'd seen this just didn't get chance to reply.  See below in blue, answers to your replies to my original points in red...........

Hi Mark,

 

I did a magnificent 45 minute reply to the above @ 1.00am this morning, then the site crashed and lost everything. Don't have time to re-create it unfortunately, so here'e the gist of it....

 

"But that's where it's all wrong Ian.......the last thing we need is a museum........or a themed shopping centre. ......or a plaque on a wall.......FFS!!"

 

Why wouldn't you want to preserve a historical UK culture? What's wrong with the heritage? You're belittling a scene that's lasted 47 years and making it sound like a Disney attraction or cheap tat which is not what I'm thinking at all. I wish New York had done something similar to document the 70s and 80s properly before stuff got lost and people passed away. Mel Cheren from West End was in the process of doing something similar when he unfortunately passed away. It's just plain daft not to try and preserve stuff.

 

I can't really believe that you think I am belittling the scene and that I am the one making it appear a Disney attraction, cheap tat etc.  Have you taken a look around some of the venues?  Quite frankly I'm gobsmacked at this and it just goes to show how poles apart we are on this.  I'm amazed.  And there's nothing wrong with preserving history, of course not, but not at the expense of living in or for the past.  It's not healthy IMHO.

 

"Living in all this nostlagia is like just giving up on life in a musical sense".

 

I don't know what you mean. Sounds like gobbledygook to me. Are you saying that there's something wrong with nostalgia? I don't understand what you mean by "giving up on life in a musical sense". I listen to everything. I release across many genres. Just don't get what you're talking about........

 

Firstly, you need to be clear that I'm not talking about you here Ian.

 

There are people who just will not accept anything they are not familiar with, and need little further encouragement to live in the past.  There's a whole wealth of exciting invigorating music out there, be it new 60's discoveries or new release contemporary soul/dance and I think a respectful nod to the past doesn't hurt but I feel to completely live in the past is a mistake.

 

I went to the Leicester Oddfellows reunion, and I danced to plenty of oldies I can tell you.  There's no way I would have missed that, but when there was talk afterwards on Facebook about doing it annually my reaction was that I wouldn't be there.  I don't want to expend too much of my energy in preserving memories, there's too much to look forward to.

 

And before I get accused, I'm not trying to force my opinion on others here.  To quote Keb in CH4's Chasing Rainbows 80's documentary "I wasn't born a purist"...........what I mean by that is that I speak from experience as a youngster back in my early days I was just into Northern and was perhaps a little blinkered.  Having overcome that attitude I am just so grateful that I did when I think of all the fantastic soul/dance music I opened my ears up to since then and the journey continues.  In other words any comments I make are a kind of frustration on behalf of others because I know what they are missing (maybe).

 

Hope that makes some kind of sense and can be seen as a (naive) positive rather than a negative........it's not meant to be condescending or holier than though, just a reflection on my experience.

 

And what do you think these "ordinary people" will expect if they turn up at a current gig? 40" trousers perhaps like they've seen on the TV?

 

Dunno. Most places I go people dress relatively normally. It's not an aspect of the scene I dwell on to be honest. If people wanna dress like that, then I guess it's up to them.

 

OK, I just don't think it's a good thing............if I'm honest it's one of the aspects I'm not happy about if people associate me with Northern Soul

 

How can something once so cool become such a parody of itself?

 

In your head maybe. It's not a parody to anyone I've spoken to. The mid 70s horrors like Wigan's Ovation were a real parody. Nothing could be worse than that believe me. I think you need to take a chill pill and accept that any scene has a wide swathe of people who won't always necessarily conform to your way of thinking.

 

I think you can see from various SS threads Ian that it's not just in my head Ian............look at that One Show thing............are you telling me that wasn't the polar opposite to what being into this thing was all about??

 

You have to realise how tragic some of this is to some people mate.......you really do! You may not agree, but spare them a thought nonetheless.

 

It's not tragic at all and you're the only one that seems to be bandying about these histrionic terms. Everyone I've talked to over the last 3 months for a forthcoming project (which include many names you know very well), has been nothing but extremely positive about the scene. I don't understand your negativity mate.

 

I don't understand my negativity either mate because it really doesn't matter to me in the great scheme of things.  I should practice what I preach and not waste my time here................I've got pages of Traxsource releases to catch up on following my holiday and my time is far better spent there...........

 

Incidentally, hope you're well and and we'll catch up for a beer next time we're in the same gaff! 

 

Of course mate.............that would be great, and it would be much easier to chat about all of this...... 

 

Ian D 

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Ian Dewhirst]

Hi Ian,

 

I was on the car park they call the M5 yesterday, and though I'd seen this just didn't get chance to reply.  See below in blue, answers to your replies to my original points in red...........

 

 

Cheers,

Mark R

 

LOL, something's gone wrong with the quote system. I think we must have overloaded it with different coloured responses!

 

I think we're sort of swinging from quite different perspectives really. I agree with you about many things - I'm no fan of the retro Northern look anyway. I was out of the oxford bags phase pretty sharp (by '74 I think) and did most of my clothes shopping in Manchester where I'd often bump into Richard - you could only get Kickers in one shop in the North back then, so we weren't even wearing any obvious Northern attire by circa '74/'75. In fact when the whole Wigan's Chosen Few/Wigan's Ovation stuff blew-up it just wasn't a cool look anymore anyway. So I empathise with your sentiments there for sure. 

 

I think the difference is that there is 'tat' which is made for a fast buck and quick turnover and there are quality products which are worth buying and will provide years of enjoyment. You can't really put all nostalgia in the tat catergory. I'm still listening to 60s and 70s recordings and re-reading 60s and 70s books and occasionally re-watching 60s and 70s films - all the good stuff obviously. I've mentioned the Museum idea several times before. I like to try and preserve culture while it's still preservable. I know how easy it is for stuff to just disappear and then be lost forever. So I'm thinking of something along the lines of a properly-run and funded institution that would do the job properly, not a knock-up marquee with a few mugs in. I just think it should be done but in a tasteful way. I find it amazing that the northern based Cultural Heritage people haven't taken the initiative already. 

 

However, there is one area that we're definitely poles apart on and that's this:-

 

".I've got pages of Traxsource releases to catch up on following my holiday and my time is far better spent there..........."

 

This would be like a form of Chinese water torture for me and would absolutely lack the patience to do this as religiously as your good self. I tried it one Saturday a few years ago and listened to 16 hours of new releases and I'm damned if I can remember any of 'em now. However, I always check your chart, see what's near the top or what's been hanging in there for a while and give 'em a listen and see if they stick. So don't ever give that up. I estimate that you've saved me several months of enforced listening right there!  

 

See you on the road, for another beer no doubt!  

 

Ian D   

[Guest east rob]

ame="FRANKIE CROCKER" post="2118141" timestamp="1406915470 refosoul

You're right. In the 80s I was bouncing between London and New York licensing tracks and shagging supermodels, in the 90s I was running the best compilation series of all time and winning awards and in the 00s I was re-issuing labels like Salsoul, P&P and Philly International.

Where did it all go wrong?

Ian D

Its come down to this. Having to justify your past to us numpties on ss!

[Swifty]

Morecombe was a huge venue in the early 80's (worthy of the list) and a MUST as far as the Letchworth crew were concerned and some of the best times I ever had were at the venue - can still see the Pier bouncing as you approached with the 1000s feet shuffling to the Modern or backdropping to the 6T's. The Starlight room that baked you as the sun came up, the cafe at the bottom where you all met up after to sort where you were all moving onto and getting lifts etc, Marc Farleys perm that made even Dave Thorleys look cool (no honestly it did!) lol Memories - I know That Shaun G took film of the nights ( I know this because I'm on one and so was Rob Kearney just as he span off the stage in the dance comp!) and it would be great if he could post those or the pics as we never took that many pics as we thought we'd be like that for ever - DOH! 

Was just on about that this afternoon , goosebump time 

[paultp]

Yes but it was made for people like you who were never on the scene until their later years. So job done. Your repeated mantra of Wigan was shit because of your one night there, shows why the scene of your days was full of Divs, and they continue to breed.

What a dull post, it wasn't made for me and it wasn't made for you either, it was made for people who watch telly and want a packaged view of things.

"Repeated mantra" - it's not a mantra, it's the truth, sorry for repeating it but it was shit: the journey was appalling (both ways), the venue was shit, everyone was off their face, the only saving grace was I liked the music. But I never wanted to go again. I could pretend otherwise but what would be the point of that?

You're having a tad of a problem with the continuity of your rant as well; "people like you who were never on the scene until their later years" and "the scene of your days was full of Divs" - make up your mind FFS, mind you Divs are a constant in some ways.

As I said before, I've never claimed to be "on the scene" at any time and I'm happy to admit I was a Div in the 70's - never claimed anything else. Most people were divs if ttruth be told but that is conveniently forgotten these days where time on the scene has turned divs into stalwarts.

I like the music but I like the scene less and less as time goes on, I really enjoyed my time in London but there were a lot of open minded people about at the time. I don't pretend to have any other affiliations or background, unfortunately that seems to preclude me having an opinion in your opinion.

Again, I thought it was a good program considering who it was made for, somewhat better than Paul O'Grady et al anyway.

Perhaps someone should make a documentary about how nobody on the Northern Soul scene can agree about anything and spend most of their time slagging each other off, f*cking each other's sets up and attempting to f*ck each other's events up to the point where the actual music is secondary. Riveting telly, I'm sure someone will pick it up.

[Ian Dewhirst]

Its come down to this. Having to justify your past to us numpties on ss!

 

Yep. Weird innit. But I don't really mind 'cos it keeps my feet on the ground in a bizarre kinda way. Don't forget that I spend my working week dealing with megalomaniac music biz types, sharp-tongued slippery lawyers, bitter and twisted artists, the BBC and Southern Rail, so I come on here to relax and wind-down a bit........

 

Ian D 

[pow wow mik]

hang on a * second...are you saying that everyone being off their face was...a...negative?!?! :-o

Edited August 3, 2014 by mike
offensive language

[pow wow mik]

Yep. Weird innit. But I don't really mind 'cos it keeps my feet on the ground in a bizarre kinda way. Don't forget that I spend my working week dealing with megalomaniac music biz types, sharp-tongued slippery lawyers, bitter and twisted artists, the BBC and Southern Rail, so I come on here to relax and wind-down a bit........

 

Ian D 

So your career has actually been spent dealing with parasites and shitbags? (No need to answer, I've 'worked' in the 'music industry' as long as I could stand it).

Not so glamerous then eh, despite the undoubtedly soulful supermodels?

And I think you're sound so this isnt a personal dig but are you saying Mastercuts was the best compilation series ever? Really?

good sound and that but funk mastercuts...Linda Lewis? Wicky Wacky?!

[paultp]

hang on a 8second...are you saying that everyone being off their face was...a...negative?!?! :-o

At the time it was for me, but I wasn't partaking or dealing, never have. I could say it was brilliant if I wanted to go along with what people like to think is the norm, but for me it wasn't. Not judging, just saying - as a16 year old it really freaked me out.

[Kegsy]

What a dull post, it wasn't made for me and it wasn't made for you either, it was made for people who watch telly and want a packaged view of things.

"Repeated mantra" - it's not a mantra, it's the truth, sorry for repeating it but it was shit: the journey was appalling (both ways), the venue was shit, everyone was off their face, the only saving grace was I liked the music. But I never wanted to go again. I could pretend otherwise but what would be the point of that?

You're having a tad of a problem with the continuity of your rant as well; "people like you who were never on the scene until their later years" and "the scene of your days was full of Divs" - make up your mind FFS, mind you Divs are a constant in some ways.

As I said before, I've never claimed to be "on the scene" at any time and I'm happy to admit I was a Div in the 70's - never claimed anything else. Most people were divs if ttruth be told but that is conveniently forgotten these days where time on the scene has turned divs into stalwarts.

I like the music but I like the scene less and less as time goes on, I really enjoyed my time in London but there were a lot of open minded people about at the time. I don't pretend to have any other affiliations or background, unfortunately that seems to preclude me having an opinion in your opinion.

Again, I thought it was a good program considering who it was made for, somewhat better than Paul O'Grady et al anyway.

Perhaps someone should make a documentary about how nobody on the Northern Soul scene can agree about anything and spend most of their time slagging each other off, f*cking each other's sets up and attempting to f*ck each other's events up to the point where the actual music is secondary. Riveting telly, I'm sure someone will pick it up.

 

This post demonstrates quite vividly that there were people who were into northern soul music who were not

into the northern soul scene, there is a difference.

[Mark R]

I have it on good authority than Norman Jay is currently playing Northern Soul in the sunshine at the Margate weekender!

Cheers,

Mark R

[Jordirip]

I have it on good authority than Norman Jay is currently playing Northern Soul in the sunshine at the Margate weekender!

Cheers,

Mark R

 

He can't be surely. I thought Steve Jeffries was selling his DJ collection of unnamed carver boots on ebay. What will he DJ with?

Edited August 4, 2014 by jordirip

[Back Street Blue]

Been away from this site for a while, apart from the odd event sweep, not seen the programme under discussion either yet....but bet its not as entertaining as reading this thread has been, opposite poles of the scene colliding and the net result, a superb outpouring of pure passion. That's what I call soul!!!

[Guest in town Mikey]

I have it on good authority than Norman Jay is currently playing Northern Soul in the sunshine at the Margate weekender!

Cheers,

Mark R

 

Set list to include

 

Formations - At the front of the queue

Q - Thats the Front

Lynn Randell - Stranger in my queue

Curtis Mayfield - Move On to the front cheeky cockney

 

Stuff like that?

[Steve G]

I have it on good authority than Norman Jay is currently playing Northern Soul in the sunshine at the Margate weekender!

Cheers,

Mark R

 

Heavens preserve us!

[Guest Ianc]

Can anybody name me the track on the soundtrack circa 28mins (male vocals)

 

Many Thanks

[Barry]

Sean mentioned Rotherham Tiffs....wasn't that Alex Lowes promotion or am I dreaming?

[Barry]

There was a high percentage of youth that carried the scene on after Wigan...everyone I used to see at those early 80s nighters and still keep in touch with now are around the 49/52 Mark.

[Steve S 60]

Can anybody name me the track on the soundtrack circa 28mins (male vocals)

 

Many Thanks

 

If This Is Love - The Precisions

[Guest Ianc]

If This Is Love - The Precisions

Cheers

[Larry Semmins]

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/08/tracey-thorn-music-we-often-only-hear-side-story-told-men

[Seano]

Just watched it on YouTube. Don't recall a single mention of Stafford, Keele, 100 Club, or any of the numerous current and past modest soul clubs that have been running at various times throughout this last 30 years.

I'm sure we could all add in plenty more honourable mentions, Lee Manor, Thorne etc, it would be great to have a programme that takes the best of the past (I'm perfectly happy with Wigan and feel very nostalgic about it), but that recognises the mix of past soulies and the new and hopefully growing young crowd and DJs.

[Guest Chris61]

If memory serves me right the programme remit was just about the 70's, it has been mentioned earlier in the thread. 

[Labeat]

Bring on the next 10 years, lets think forward..... positive attitude chaps, lets "all" have a good time

[Seano]

If memory serves me right the programme remit was just about the 70's, it has been mentioned earlier in the thread. 

Fair point, just a shame that the wider public get fed the same diet of it all having stopped developing when Wigan closed.

[The Animal]

ITV showed a programme of 26 episodes of 'The World At War' in the early 70's (narrated by Laurence Olivier) which was the most expensive series ever recorded at the time of completion in 1973.

 

That only covered 6 years of the Second World War.

 

i cannot conceive how any broadcaster could afford to cover a soul scene which approaches 50 years in the UK.

 

How could they possibly cover:

 

The events: Every nighter, dayer or soul night?

 

The record finders and breakers?

 

The promoters and organisers?

 

The dancers and everyday soul lovers?

 

The drug dealers and quick buck merchants?

 

I just don't think IMO that it can ever be done completely.

 

Just be thankful (William DeVaughn) for what you got.

[Daved]

I notice that even the recent Northern soul book only devoted about <20% of its content on post Wigan.

[David bell]

Perhaps a more interesting Levine story would be those of his collection he decided were crap, not worth playing or he overlooked which later were picked up by Butch, Guy etc and went onto become utter classics, Walter and the Admirations et al.

 

After just seeing the full documentary can't say I agree with everything that was said but on the whole enjoyed it, especially where Tony Blackburn tells how he gets asked to autograph a record as Lenny Gamble at Wigan...priceless.

One of the things briefly mentioned was the change in styles of music but didn't mention the oldies verses newies argument that raged in the back of Black Echoes for years and those newies could have been 60s or 70s! This created a big divide but was quite different to that discussed. Also no mention of Mr Ms.

Funny that there was no mention of the man supplying the d/js with the sounds at the time Mr John Anderson they should be ashamed. 

[Ian Dewhirst]

Funny that there was no mention of the man supplying the d/js with the sounds at the time Mr John Anderson they should be ashamed. 

 

John's pretty media-adverse so I'm not so sure he'd have done it to be fair.

 

Watch out for Richard Searling's interview with John Anderson on the forthcoming box set "The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule 1968-2014". The full interview was 2 hours and is currently being edited. It's great!

 

Ian D   

[Dave Rimmer]

John's pretty media-adverse so I'm not so sure he'd have done it to be fair.

 

Watch out for Richard Searling's interview with John Anderson on the forthcoming box set "The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule 1968-2014". The full interview was 2 hours and is currently being edited. It's great!

 

Ian D   

 

Glenn Gunton kindly asked me to add to a basic timeline he had compiled for this box set, and assuming the info I supplied hasn't been edited out, the 'Timeline' does mention loads of 'post Wigan' clubs.

 

I've just counted up, and using 1981 as the dividing line, the info I supplied had 16 clubs running before that date, and 31 after.

 

Of course I will not have included everywhere that held a NS night, and some people will disagree with some of the venues included or omitted, but I think that's a pretty fair ratio of significant venues and clubs. 

[Guest Dave Turner]

John's pretty media-adverse so I'm not so sure he'd have done it to be fair.

 

Watch out for Richard Searling's interview with John Anderson on the forthcoming box set "The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule 1968-2014". The full interview was 2 hours and is currently being edited. It's great!

 

Ian D   

 

Hopefully down to 1hr 59 min  

[Ian Dewhirst]

Glenn Gunton kindly asked me to add to a basic timeline he had compiled for this box set, and assuming the info I supplied hasn't been edited out, the 'Timeline' does mention loads of 'post Wigan' clubs.

 

I've just counted up, and using 1981 as the dividing line, the info I supplied had 16 clubs running before that date, and 31 after.

 

Of course I will not have included everywhere that held a NS night, and some people will disagree with some of the venues included or omitted, but I think that's a pretty fair ratio of significant venues and clubs. 

 

Yes, that's why we wanted to do it, so we could put everything into some sort of context. Glen's been away so I'm picking back up with him today touch wood...

 

We're going to get that timeline drawn up so it's along the lines of a 'Family Tree' of clubs since 1968........

 

Ian D

Edited August 18, 2014 by Ian Dewhirst

[Ian Dewhirst]

Hopefully down to 1hr 59 min  

 

We're wondering if we should edit out the bit where he insists that he hates Northern Soul..... 

 

Ian D 

[Garethx]

I notice that even the recent Northern soul book only devoted about <20% of its content on post Wigan.

I think it's fair to say that the clubs of the 80s and 90s didn't really do anything structurally different from what had gone before. The form and format of the scene and the associated rituals and ethics evolved in the preceding decades. That's the major issue in documenting the post-Wigan years. The roots and the evolution are very interesting. Finding something structural to say about the scene post-'85 is difficult. It just becomes a list of venues, records and DJs. Yes, there will be great anecdotes on the social side of things, but that's for a different book really.

 

Obviously there were dozens of allnighters in these years, tens of thousands of punters and hundreds of DJs. Ranking the importance of those clubs and jocks will always be subjective.

 

From my point of view in writing the book one thing became apparent. By the time Stafford closed it was becoming very difficult to run a big allnighter where the main musical diet was composed of newly-discovered records of whatever vintage. At that point–1985-86–the scene fragmented and became based very much on parochial or local scenes again. Of course people travelled, but not in the way they had done to the big 1970s allnighters: i.e. regularly and fervently in large numbers.

 

A critical point in the musical timeline was when the balance between Oldies and Newies became weighted overwhelmingly in favour of the former. After Stafford closed it became unusual to attend a venue where each DJ exclusively played sets of newly-discovered NS records. 

 

Yes, great records were still found (and continue to be 'till this day), but the idea of one central venue based on newies where the bulk of the scene congregates in very large numbers on a regular basis was pretty much gone forever.

 

Maybe the Torch and the Casino were exceptions in the historical timeline, not the norm. Rare Soul started in dingy cellar-type clubs, so maybe the concept of a 2,000 capacity venue in a huge, high-ceilinged ballroom was the anomaly.

 

Food for thought.

[Kegsy]

 

 

We're going to get that timeline drawn up so it's along the lines of a 'Family Tree' of clubs since 1968........

 

Ian D

 

 

Might be an idea to run it by people on here first.

[viphitman]

John's pretty media-adverse so I'm not so sure he'd have done it to be fair.

 

Watch out for Richard Searling's interview with John Anderson on the forthcoming box set "The Odyssey: A Northern Soul Time Capsule 1968-2014". The full interview was 2 hours and is currently being edited. It's great!

 

Ian D   

Does the box set include the over three decades of northern soul in europe and other parts of the world ???