who will replace us?

[Chalky]

By comparison though Azza, whilst the scene in Europe and further a field for that matter, is healthy and growing it is small by comparison to the UK.  The amount of venues in the UK alone on any given weekend is probably more than the rest of the work put together, there's probably more venues in the North West than Europe on any weekend 

You are right though the scene in the Uk will change.  Whilst there are more youngsters than say five years ago, there still aren't enough to replace the mass exodus that will happen given the average age of allnighter and indeed soul night attendees.  The average age has to be in the 50s, I have little enthusiasm at the minute for nighters, mainly because of my job, 60-70 hours per week and away all week, and the recovery time.  I cannot be alone in that regard. The large majority at any venue are getting on and they will leave the scene one way or another in the next ten years.  I doubt there are enough or will be enough to replace them but that won't be a bad thing. 

Hopefully the commercialsim will recede and the divs with it.  But far too many youngsters seem to be going down the oldies route, not sure if that is to get on the DJ bandwagon or if that is their preferred taste but hopefully that will change otherwise it will be as stale as it is now.

But in reality no one knows how the scene will look, will the youngsters still be as dedicated and hard core when they have bills, mortgages and have to hold a job down...not to mention kids?  

P.S. i don't really care how it will look, it is up to those who will keep it going to define how it will be at the end of the day.  I doubt anyone really cared 30 or 40 years ago, we were just youngsters living the life, I doubt any of us thought it would still be thriving today. 

 

Edited October 25, 2016 by chalky

[Twoshoes]

I can't remember on which event post I saw it but two of the younger Dj's in one of the rooms were down to play Northern House, not sure what that is or if it is the future but it is a new one to me. I guess sometime in the future whoever takes over will be debating whether certain tunes are Northern House, Northern trance  and the Dj's in question maybe will be pilloried for taking the scene in a whole new direction while those still playing the nighter sounds of today which by then will be oldies will be told to get with it. 

 I don't think it will be just those on the scene popping their clogs that will see declining numbers, call me an old codger if you like but recent events have kept me and Lou from attending events and on quite a few Saturday nights we have both said we were glad not to be going out. A week of hard physical work is not as easy to get over as it once was and a Saturday night with the feet up is welcome. With so many events on in our area there's always next week.

      I'm not going to worry who takes over, although I've been into all aspects of black music since my early teens I've never been as active on the scene as I am now, if my records end up on a car boot or charity shop I say good luck to whoever finds them, in fact I quite like the idea of someone discovering Northern Soul that way or one of the younger generation having the thrill we once got in what where then second hand shops, rummaging through I guess what will be  heaps of 80's picture cover pop singles and coming across a few choice Northern tunes in a charity shop of the future.

    I still look through records occasionally in charity shops and I am always reminded of thrill I used to get aged fourteen by the Blue Stax label, for me the sight of that little stack of records on a blue background made my heart jump......I'm glad it still does.

[Bbrich]

Lots of very valid and interesting views on this thread, but i have a slightly different take as I do see a fair few people say in their late40's onwards (kids moved on etc..) looking for a night out, a bit of a dance and maybe a couple of drinks. Someone suggests a local motown nite, maybe a northern track gets played, they buy a few cd's etc...  etc...  some of them progress to a local northern nite, some get more into the music start collecting, looking for rarer sounds , more upfront soul nites etc.. weekenders sound fun  etc.. So as the 65+ start to fall away there is a gradual feed of 50'ish people to takover...    (I am not talking here about people returning to the scene but those who most of the music is new to) after all unless they want to sit watching tv all night what else is there ?  they could well have been into say house music/hip hop etc...  but they probably not going to go to the local high street club with the 20 yr olds.  

Equally I cant see many 20 year olds who want to spend their weekends with a load of 50+ folk so if anything they will create an alternative scene even if it is with the same music (my daughter has recognised a few of 'our sounds' at club nights she goes to although they never call it 'northern').  How many of us when in our teens/twentys would have gone to a nite with people old enough to be our grandparents!

 

[Bunderthollox]

Also wherveryou go the bar staff theyhore at bigger dos are always having a boogie without exception. Ive knownpeople give them cds at the end of the night and they have been quick to say on many occasions that their own  music is shit. So get out there and keep promoting the genre. It will only die if you let it

[Corbett80]

On 24 October 2016 at 14:33, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

You will..

Play 'em and you'll be able to pull all the women in the old folks home!

 

[Bunderthollox]

This thread is sinkin into the mire nar lad 

Edited October 25, 2016 by bonhsoulie

[Chalky]

On 24/10/2016 at 14:33, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

You will..

Play 'em and you'll be able to pull all the women in the old folks home!

Most at a venue are out of the old folks home these days 

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

That isn't what I meant with the old folks home comment, I meant that when the records do come up for sale we'll all be too old to do anything with 'em.

[Len]

22 hours ago, bbrich said:

 How many of us when in our teens/twentys would have gone to a nite with people old enough to be our grandparents!

 

Not me for sure! 

I think we will be talking about who will replace us for the next 10 years - Hopefully in the mean-time we'll remember to make the most of the time each of us has left on this fascinating Scene of ours.

All the best,

Len 

[Len]

4 hours ago, chalky said:

Most at a venue are out of the old folks home these days 

I said don't fret - You're only 50 mate! 

Len 

[ZootSuit]

11 hours ago, LEN said:

I said don't fret - You're only 50 mate! 

Len 

Oi geezer, u have been out with ur Grandad, AND had me round ur drum, its Mr B from Luton..........67 and still shuffling , and more to the point, NOT out an old peeps home !!!!!.

 

 

Edited October 26, 2016 by ZootSuit

[Zed1]

On ‎25‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 11:13, chalky said:

 

P.S. i don't really care how it will look, it is up to those who will keep it going to define how it will be at the end of the day.  I doubt anyone really cared 30 or 40 years ago, we were just youngsters living the life, I doubt any of us thought it would still be thriving today. 

 

What he Said  ....

I don't think the vast majority of us in any way consider ourselves as Custodians of the music, or the scene for that matter. For the most part we've all just been along for the ride, and that ride is getting pretty close to the stop where we get off. Where it goes next is really out of our hands as we won't be doing the driving.

 

 

 

 

 

[Geeselad]

On ‎25‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 12:49, Twoshoes said:

I can't remember on which event post I saw it but two of the younger Dj's in one of the rooms were down to play Northern House, not sure what that is or if it is the future but it is a new one to me. I guess sometime in the future whoever takes over will be debating whether certain tunes are Northern House, Northern trance  and the Dj's in question maybe will be pilloried for taking the scene in a whole new direction while those still playing the nighter sounds of today which by then will be oldies will be told to get with it. 

 I don't think it will be just those on the scene popping their clogs that will see declining numbers, call me an old codger if you like but recent events have kept me and Lou from attending events and on quite a few Saturday nights we have both said we were glad not to be going out. A week of hard physical work is not as easy to get over as it once was and a Saturday night with the feet up is welcome. With so many events on in our area there's always next week.

      I'm not going to worry who takes over, although I've been into all aspects of black music since my early teens I've never been as active on the scene as I am now, if my records end up on a car boot or charity shop I say good luck to whoever finds them, in fact I quite like the idea of someone discovering Northern Soul that way or one of the younger generation having the thrill we once got in what where then second hand shops, rummaging through I guess what will be  heaps of 80's picture cover pop singles and coming across a few choice Northern tunes in a charity shop of the future.

    I still look through records occasionally in charity shops and I am always reminded of thrill I used to get aged fourteen by the Blue Stax label, for me the sight of that little stack of records on a blue background made my heart jump......I'm glad it still does.

going way back, Mike Pickering first likened house to the northern thing, house it was first played in the UK at the Hac and the kool kat in Nottingham. There was a distinctly different sound in the north in the  late 80's and early 90's, with a definite focus on soulful vocals and uplifting piano riffs, mainly from the US and Italy, but for me the sound got lost in the commercialisation of house and clubbing by the mid 90's.

[Modernsoulsucks]

On ‎26‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 07:34, chalky said:

Most at a venue are out of the old folks home these days 

Many a true word......

I know one lady who lives in OAP flats next to my mum. 73 or so and now a regular at a Sunday do in the NW for last 12 months. No previous connection with the scene/music.

My mum asked me to take her ! My mum is 88 on Monday.

[Girdwoodinc]

I think the "Northern" part of the scene will fade out but the soul scene will keep going albeit with smaller numbers - not all "youngsters" like oldies but a mix of truly across the board stuff from deep and sweet through to uptempo. There isn't enough youth in the scene to sustain it, most "kids" nowadays don't seem to go out even to club nights (house etc) and the numbers there are also falling away, it's just an unfortunate facet of modern life.

[Guest John29]

On 25/10/2016 at 01:55, John29 said:

I think your right. Most weekends I drive the late night buses out of Nottingham and Mansfield. Fridays have got really bad, we are wondering how long the company are going to keep the services going, and Saturdays, you generally get two really busy ones out of the month. With the prices they are charging in the clubs for drinks etc, the kids just can't afford it.

 

[Girdwoodinc]

I don't think it's the price of nights out John but just seems to be the general culture nowadays with kids, we were talking about it elsewhere on club forum, kids just seem to be caught up in "social media" and want to live the Kardashian lifestyle which is definitely not getting sweaty dancing the night away.

[Len]

27 minutes ago, Soul children said:

I don't think it's the price of nights out John but just seems to be the general culture nowadays with kids, we were talking about it elsewhere on club forum, kids just seem to be caught up in "social media" and want to live the Kardashian lifestyle which is definitely not getting sweaty dancing the night away.

Getting their 'kicks' from dressing up as scary clowns / or filming themselves doing disgusting things like throwing up in slow motion etc (That ain't youth culture to me)

All the best,

Len  

[Mattbolton]

I'm not sure there will be a scene per se, but young people still have a definite passing appreciation to soul music. 

 

This is was the teenage crowd dancing to my tunes on Wednesday just gone. 

 

 

 

[Girdwoodinc]

Where was that Matt?

[Twoshoes]

16 hours ago, geeselad said:

going way back, Mike Pickering first likened house to the northern thing, house it was first played in the UK at the Hac and the kool kat in Nottingham. There was a distinctly different sound in the north in the  late 80's and early 90's, with a definite focus on soulful vocals and uplifting piano riffs, mainly from the US and Italy, but for me the sound got lost in the commercialisation of house and clubbing by the mid 90's.

I've seen Soulful House on YouTube so whether that's where they cull appropriate sounds from I don't know. I have nothing against trying new stuff on the scene, good luck to em' though I can't honestly see myself shuffling to whatever it is they play

[Len]

As Matts' pic shows, you can get a decent crowd of young people enjoying our music, but to most, it's simply background music to a good night out. Nothing wrong in that, I just doubt they will have the obsession we have towards it........Probably a healthy outlook actually - They're all blo*dy smiling! (Not sure I like that) 

Len 

[Mr Smithy]

On 10/24/2016 at 20:55, John29 said:

I recently asked someone about a venue and was told I wouldn't know hardly anything that was being played, so I didn't go.

 

Doesn't that explain some of it.
Nice as it is to hear familiar toe tappers and sometimes only that will do, maybe.
You may have to sit through 10-20 average to medium, even awful ones but isn't it all worth it when that chin-dropper you've never heard before comes on.
More of the same may keep it going but the quest for new ( hopefully) will bring on more.
 

[Winsford Soul]

On ‎21‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 10:56, colouredman said:

Apparently, after the Wheel they said Northern would die off. Similarly after the Torch they said the Northern scene would end. After Wigan they said it would never be the same again and would die. They said Stafford was the beginning of the end.

Hmmmm? Well somethings not quite gone to plan, coz apparently now there are more Northern devotees than ever before, regardless of age. Plus now we have a scenario which didn't exist in Wheel, Torch, Wigan or Stafford times; it's now a global, worldwide phenomenon!!! Furthermore figure this; it's the most enduring music-based subculture ever, bar none!

Everything changes and evolves, and the Northern scene is no exception. In years to come there may not be a scene as we know it today, so what. At the Wheel you figure that no one would have thought that collectors in 2016 would want to pay 4 and 5 figures for a northern record, but here we are.

 At the Torch someone would have suggested you'd ingested a shade too many chemicals if you'd have said that Americans currently want to find rare soul more than any other genre, or that there would be northern collectors in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, Japan, etc etc etc.

So don't break out the black suit for Northern's funeral just yet; coz it's definitely not over yet.... It's just different, and evolving, and will continue to do so.

Finally if you think not, consider this; worst case scenario, there is no scene in years to come and our collections end up in 2nd hand shops and boot sales.

Someone picks up a bunch of these strange records with big holes in the middle and funny looking labels. They take a chance on a few and realise there's something quite catchy and infectious about them and that there's an identifiable 'sound' to them all.

Next thing you know they start lookin out for more with that same sound and start to collect them, then find ways to dance to them, then look for others with similar tastes.......

Sound familiar???????

That's the best post ive seen on here for years

Steve

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

I've posted enough in this thread now but one more point, a bit of advice to DJs, if you find yourself with a young crowd, forget the 'old guard' and their thirst for Newies...

Spin some of the big oldies, Salvadores, Tomangoes, Tempests, Younghearts, MVPS, Shirley Ellis, The Belles, Bobby Garrett, in fact put Elaines soundtrack CD on!

These are the tunes that got ALL OF US hooked, todays' Newies and Slowies ain't the ones to hook 'em with, hit 'em with Johnny Sayles and Sandi Sheldon!

[Mal C]

Not with Johnny Sayles mate, haven't you heard it's 500 quid now?

Somebody mentioned too many younguns going down the oldies route, isn't that how everybody got hooked?

Then As you get older you end up listening to crap semi house modern records which are about as soulful as a toothbrush.... 

Seriously it's all a musical journey! 

m

Edited October 28, 2016 by Mal C

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

19 minutes ago, Mal C said:

Not with Johnny Sayles mate, haven't you heard it's 500 quid now?

Somebody mentioned too many younguns going down the oldies route, isn't that how everybody got hooked?

Then As you get older you end up listening to crap semi house modern records which are about as soulful as a toothbrush.... 

Seriously it's all a musical journey! 

m

Johnny sayles 500 quid? My wealth went up 3 1/2 grand in less than a week thanks to this place! With the St Lawrence and the Washpan!

So what are you sayin here? Johnny Sayles is killer, if that'd been played at the soul night I described above, the floor woulda caved in, we'd have ended up downstairs!

Gotta get my records valued!

[Peter99]

The original question posed has been meandering all over the place. Nothing and no one could replace the experiences I had back in the day. How could they? Why would they? Why should they?

It was a place in time, a very special place, and everyone will have a different space and place.

 

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

6 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

The original question posed has been meandering all over the place. Nothing and no one could replace the experiences I had back in the day. How could they? Why would they? Why should they?

It was a place in time, a very special place, and everyone will have a different space and place.

 

Indeed and soon it will mean a whole lot of different things to a whole lot of new folks, good music will always live on, it becomes the soundtrack to your youth, and will again, to other folks. The students we spoke of may remember it as a specific event, maybe they copped off with their future wife, maybe it was the best night of their life for some reason, we know not what.

The upshot really is... You/Me/All of us we're gettin' old, nothing is gonna change that, retro music of quality will live on, we however will not.

That's all there is to it really.

[Mal C]

14 hours ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Johnny sayles 500 quid? My wealth went up 3 1/2 grand in less than a week thanks to this place! With the St Lawrence and the Washpan!

So what are you sayin here? Johnny Sayles is killer, if that'd been played at the soul night I described above, the floor woulda caved in, we'd have ended up downstairs!

Gotta get my records valued!

if you do now would be the time to sell them, its gone silly again... as for the 'Scene' Ive no idea I dont go to the clubs mate, just a fan of the music...  I'm sure there will still be clubs in 15-20 years time to cater for the amount of people who want to go out...

m

[Chalky]

15 hours ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

I've posted enough in this thread now but one more point, a bit of advice to DJs, if you find yourself with a young crowd, forget the 'old guard' and their thirst for Newies...

Spin some of the big oldies, Salvadores, Tomangoes, Tempests, Younghearts, MVPS, Shirley Ellis, The Belles, Bobby Garrett, in fact put Elaines soundtrack CD on!

These are the tunes that got ALL OF US hooked, todays' Newies and Slowies ain't the ones to hook 'em with, hit 'em with Johnny Sayles and Sandi Sheldon!

That's because they hadn't been hammered for 40 years.....we got into new discoveries so what is wrong with that for todays crowd?  Surely it is about the quality not the venue it was played at?  There is some fabulous brand new soul music as well.  Take the blinkers off, as long as it is good enough there should be no problems.

[Guest grappersoul]

There's no chance Imo of 'the young ' keeping the scene anywhere near as popular,this will be last roll of the dice for our generation 50+ ..just look at the average age signed in on ss (I don't actually sign in much)have you seen the average age?younger age bracket is 30+..and not so many..if there was a real young population of collectors surely they'd be on here especially if they are UK residents and collectors ..the record prices are enough to put any young person off collecting ..the bills at home will have to be paid first. .do some really think they'll(on the whole ) pay these prices  or more likely the newer collector hoping so to keep their recent over priced record at a buoyant price..wishful thinking  imo. ..there won't be enough  young to be exploited like the wanna be dj's neither on a scene that's gonna be whole lot smaller. ..just my view on this subject. .

J... ..

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

Hi Chalky I don't consider myself blinkered mate, I attend soul events on a regular basis where hardly any oldies are played if any at all. All I was trying to say is that some records are far better than others and that many of the newies, good as they may be, are not as hard hitting and punchy as some of the classic 100mph oldies, not only that but a lot of the kids have seen Elaines' film and have the CD, to then go to a soul night and not hear any of the oldies, must be like going to a 70s disco night and not hearing any Chic, Sister Sledge, Heatwave or Bee Gees.

Last time I heard Dave Evisons' set he played for two hours, the most on the floor at any one point was seven, for the majority of the set he played to one woman who although not knowing any of the records was really enjoying it, this wasn't a nostalgia event it was an across the board event. He played one Torch oldie, The Younghearts but by then the majority of the crowd had departed to the smoking area, and couldn't be arsed to fill the floor, any of the less hardcore had left the event early by this point. These weren't youngsters either, or blinkered returnees with a thirst for oldies.

All I was saying was that DJs at 'young' events should play to the crowd that they have, and play the biggies, on account of them being actually better, the event I described earlier in the thread wasn't an event for the likes of us anyway and the teenagers wouldn't have been bored by oldies in the same way that we perhaps are. I just happen to think that 'Time' or 'Soul Time' are way better than 7th Avenue Aviators or Dottie Pearson, and would whet the young crowds' appetite better.

[northernnigel60]

People gettin on about "who'll take over when us old-uns have long gone ".

It doesn't help when certain so called "named" DJs, have in the past, had a go at one or two young DJs for playing pressings. These so called experienced &

seasoned DJs should know better.The youth of today should be encouraged not slated for playing the very records i've seen for sale in the old pro's "under a 10er"

boxes. It goes to prove that with the odd one or two pro's, its all about the £££££ not the music. I think that they see the youth as a threat.

Just think, with out the youngsters, who'll be swelling your pension fund when your in the nursing home.?

[Guest BabyBoyAndMyLass]

21 minutes ago, northernnigel60 said:

People gettin on about "who'll take over when us old-uns have long gone ".

It doesn't help when certain so called "named" DJs, have in the past, had a go at one or two young DJs for playing pressings. These so called experienced &

seasoned DJs should know better.The youth of today should be encouraged not slated for playing the very records i've seen for sale in the old pro's "under a 10er"

boxes. It goes to prove that with the odd one or two pro's, its all about the £££££ not the music. I think that they see the youth as a threat.

Just think, with out the youngsters, who'll be swelling your pension fund when your in the nursing home.?

Ha, most youngsters wonder if the whole OVO policy is there to guarantee DJ spots to certain individuals with vast collections of big money pieces. Whilst said DJs are too scared to play their big oldies in case they look uncool.

*Tin hat now on head to dodge the bullets!

[Michelle Johnson]

Great music will always live on. The enormous catalogue of songs unearthed to serve the Northern Soul scene is a legacy enjoyed by today's younger generation. Maybe not as original vinyl played at provincial Soul Clubs, but as an important genre of dance music.

In my youth the only way to hear a top tune was to own it, know someone who owned it or go to a club with a DJ who owned it. It was exclusive. In todays digital world it just ain't so anymore. Anyone and everyone can "get into Northern Soul". I'm a 57 year old returner but I meet newbies young and old and lots of "It'll never be over for me" diehards who haven't skipped a weekend for 40 years! I prefer to hear OVO at clubs and niters and dance to it with likeminded people. Thanks to the digital age I can hear those tunes again in my car with out forking out ££££. And my kids hear them and are influenced by them.

My 20 year old at Uni in London sent a video clip from a club he was in of what was unmistakably Curtis Mayfield Move On Up with a note saying, "We gotta go dancing Mum, be my date". His girlfriend took him on a date to the 100 club and he had a great time.

My 19 year old at Uni in Leeds was out on the town with his mates when he heard the unmistakable 4:4 beat and snare drum from inside a club. He said, "I immediately knew what sort of music they were playing Mum, and said we should go in. My mates couldn't believe how brilliant the music was!".

I wouldn't take either of them to a typical provincial Soul Club, but I'd happily take them along to Blackheart, Rugby or Kings Hall.

I think provincial Soul Clubs probably will wither and die as the people who frequent them advance towards their dotage and 100's of bootleg copies of Do I Love You" will flood carboot sales. However, I think events like Niters will probably continue to attract new generations who want to experience the authenticity of the music in the type of environment that gave life to it.

 

[Bunderthollox]

24 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Ha, most youngsters wonder if the whole OVO policy is there to guarantee DJ spots to certain individuals with vast collections of big money pieces. Whilst said DJs are too scared to play their big oldies in case they look uncool.

*Tin hat now on head to dodge the bullets!

No thats true that. 

[Chalky]

1 hour ago, northernnigel60 said:

People gettin on about "who'll take over when us old-uns have long gone ".

It doesn't help when certain so called "named" DJs, have in the past, had a go at one or two young DJs for playing pressings. These so called experienced &

seasoned DJs should know better.The youth of today should be encouraged not slated for playing the very records i've seen for sale in the old pro's "under a 10er"

boxes. It goes to prove that with the odd one or two pro's, its all about the £££££ not the music. I think that they see the youth as a threat.

Just think, with out the youngsters, who'll be swelling your pension fund when your in the nursing home.?

But the scene, especially the Djing side of it is built on rare original records.  

The are loads of Djs young and old with decent originals so if you haven't got the equipment leave it to those who have.....or start your own night (not that any more are needed) and play your boots.  But let everyone know what you play and they then have the choice to part with their hard earned money.  But a very good set of originals can be built with little money, just needs some imagination.

I doubt any collector worries about who is gonna swell their pension in the nursing home.

[Zed1]

2 hours ago, northernnigel60 said:

 

Just think, with out the youngsters, who'll be swelling your pension fund when your in the nursing home.?

Really?.....

So a few dozen Kids (at most) are going to buy up all the big name tunes from all the hundreds (if not thousands) of DJ's and collectors currently on the scene, thus future proofing the value of all these tunes?...

They must have a fookin' big paper round then!.

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by Zed1

[Rugby Soul Club]

On 29/10/2016 at 16:03, Michelle Johnson said:

Great music will always live on. The enormous catalogue of songs unearthed to serve the Northern Soul scene is a legacy enjoyed by today's younger generation. Maybe not as original vinyl played at provincial Soul Clubs, but as an important genre of dance music.

In my youth the only way to hear a top tune was to own it, know someone who owned it or go to a club with a DJ who owned it. It was exclusive. In todays digital world it just ain't so anymore. Anyone and everyone can "get into Northern Soul". I'm a 57 year old returner but I meet newbies young and old and lots of "It'll never be over for me" diehards who haven't skipped a weekend for 40 years! I prefer to hear OVO at clubs and niters and dance to it with likeminded people. Thanks to the digital age I can hear those tunes again in my car with out forking out ££££. And my kids hear them and are influenced by them.

My 20 year old at Uni in London sent a video clip from a club he was in of what was unmistakably Curtis Mayfield Move On Up with a note saying, "We gotta go dancing Mum, be my date". His girlfriend took him on a date to the 100 club and he had a great time.

My 19 year old at Uni in Leeds was out on the town with his mates when he heard the unmistakable 4:4 beat and snare drum from inside a club. He said, "I immediately knew what sort of music they were playing Mum, and said we should go in. My mates couldn't believe how brilliant the music was!".

I wouldn't take either of them to a typical provincial Soul Club, but I'd happily take them along to Blackheart, Rugby or Kings Hall.

I think provincial Soul Clubs probably will wither and die as the people who frequent them advance towards their dotage and 100's of bootleg copies of Do I Love You" will flood carboot sales. However, I think events like Niters will probably continue to attract new generations who want to experience the authenticity of the music in the type of environment that gave life to it.

 

Lovely to read your story about your19 year old at Uni in Leeds.

Our daughter is at Leeds Beckett. She was at a gig at the student union last week and the conversation got around to where everyone came from. She said Rugby and got the "oh, there's an allniter there".

Admitting your parents ran it would have been so uncool a few years back but not anymore. Brilliant to have the young blood taking an interest.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Rugby Soul Club

[Mattbolton]

On 28 October 2016 at 15:15, Soul children said:

Where was that Matt?

Hifi Club, Leeds. Longest running weekly soul club around if I'm not mistaken? 

[Mattbolton]

And if either of your kids in Leeds want to pop down for free one Weds night, just let me know. 

[Chalky]

You will probably always get good attendances in the cities, particularly with a good student population, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield etc.  Most probably perceive it as a night out.  In reality that is all it ever will be for the vast majority of them once they leave Uni and go back to the real normal world.  It would need a high percentage of these kids to really get into and travel for them to continue the scene in ten, fifteen years and that is far from what is happening.

I was at King Georges Hall recently and the vast majority of the crowd were nearer their pension than a student grant....even I felt good about my age 

Edited October 31, 2016 by chalky

[Rugby Soul Club]

19 minutes ago, mattbolton said:

And if either of your kids in Leeds want to pop down for free one Weds night, just let me know. 

Matt, that's a really lovely Gesture.

I just asked Katie (my daughter) which was the club playing soul and she answered with, it's HiFi club and the night is called Move On Up.

Quite well into it for a mere student who will go back to "normal" world afterwards...that'll be allnighters every weekend, not just the occasional one because of uni. 

[Markw]

On ‎25‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 01:55, John29 said:

Going back to the original topic.

I don't go to many events, I stop local and I find that some DJ's play what they want to here instead of playing to the dance floor. I think newcomers to the scene judge a track by the amount of people on the dance floor. If it's packed it's good and they will want the more. 

I recently asked someone about a venue and was told I wouldn't know hardly anything that was being played, so I didn't go.

Just a thought.?

You could have missed the best sets of tunes you've ever heard.

[Mattbolton]

3 hours ago, Rugby Soul Club said:

Matt, that's a really lovely Gesture.

I just asked Katie (my daughter) which was the club playing soul and she answered with, it's HiFi club and the night is called Move On Up.

Quite well into it for a mere student who will go back to "normal" world afterwards...that'll be allnighters every weekend, not just the occasional one because of uni. 

Yep. That's me! Tell her to come say Hi! 

[Michelle Johnson]

10 hours ago, Rugby Soul Club said:

Lovely to read your story about your19 year old at Uni in Leeds.

Our daughter is at Leeds Beckett. She was at a gig at the student union last week and the conversation got around to where everyone came from. She said Rugby and got the "oh, there's an allniter there".

Admitting your parents ran it would have been so uncool a few years back but not anymore. Brilliant to have the young blood taking an interest.

My son, Sam, is at Beckett too - 1st year. Might use the Charity All Dayer at Headingly as an excuse to go visit him, or as Wednesday is my day off I could persuade him to take me to the HiFi Club! The son down in London actually blew me out on Crossfire because he was "super busy"!

Meanwhile I'll see you a week on Saturday. Looking forward to it.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Michelle Johnson

[Michelle Johnson]

10 hours ago, mattbolton said:

And if either of your kids in Leeds want to pop down for free one Weds night, just let me know. 

Thanks Matt - I might pop along myself as a paying guest!

 

Edited November 1, 2016 by Michelle Johnson

[Rick Smith]

My collection will be going to my daughter who lives in Sydney. There's a healthy appetite for NS out there and quite a lot of the followers seem to be quite young with of course more than a sprinkling of old wrinkleys. It doesn't matter what age you are, you know a good tune when you hear one!

[Rugby Soul Club]

19 hours ago, Michelle Johnson said:

My son, Sam, is at Beckett too - 1st year. Might use the Charity All Dayer at Headingly as an excuse to go visit him, or as Wednesday is my day off I could persuade him to take me to the HiFi Club! The son down in London actually blew me out on Crossfire because he was "super busy"!

Meanwhile I'll see you a week on Saturday. Looking forward to it.

I was thinking of the charity alldayer too.

Any excuse to go and bother them

Yes, see you on the 12th. My daughter will be there.