There seems to be a lot of interest on these largely Northern Soul forums recently for more Modern Soul tracks i.e.tracks from the last 35 years.

Does this represent a move forward in Northern Soul terms or a move backwards?

Given that Northern Soul is largely about dance music and Rare Soul might include more on the collecting/obscurity side, where does this apparent interest leave us?

Will we get to a point where, in twenty years time when the current good stuff has risen above the tide of mediocrity, will someone be chasing todays better Soul tracks in a feverish manner and the 70's sides will have become like the Northern soul sides of today - or is the quality not there?

  Simon White said:

There seems to be a lot of interest on these largely Northern Soul forums recently for more Modern Soul tracks i.e.tracks from the last 35 years.

Does this represent a move forward in Northern Soul terms or a move backwards?

Given that Northern Soul is largely about dance music and Rare Soul might include more on the collecting/obscurity side, where does this apparent interest leave us?

Will we get to a point where, in twenty years time when the current good stuff has risen above the tide of mediocrity, will someone be chasing todays better Soul tracks in a feverish manner and the 70's sides will have become like the Northern soul sides of today - or is the quality not there?

Any movement is positive

Agreed 100% Dave.

  Dave Thorley said:

Any movement is positive

Ditto .

Russ

Most traditonal northern soul records were less than ten years old when played in the halcyon days of 1972 - 1975. I base this upon the most popular records played on the scene - they fall into this time category.

They are now 40 years old & the age gap is forever widening IMHO there are a few ways to go - carry on with the tunes that have been the staple diet of the last 30 years - or look elsewhere for tunes ie recordings from the seventies or play tunes that you see in boxes described as "semi known" "could go big " etc etc. Rarity - or lack of it should not be a measure of quality.

On the seventies tip - the sound would have to be accepted by the traditional sixties loving soulies or you are banging your head against a brick wall.

Would love it if somebody uncovered another 500 quality sixties sides - realistically that ain't gonna happen. Agreed the odd Al Williams/ Gigi & The Charmaines unreleased thing crops up - but even when they get a legal issue via Kent or Grapevine nobody is willing to play them - "because it's not rare".

How many clubs actually played the unreleased Sharon Scott & Lorraine Chandler RCA sides off the Kent CDs - figure is probably close to zero I think.

Lots of good tunes - lots of bad politics.

Edited October 29, 200618 yr by epic

  epic said:

Would love it if somebody uncovered another 500 quality sixties sides - realistically that ain't gonna happen. Agreed the odd Al Williams/ Gigi & The Charmaines unreleased thing crops up - but even when they get a legal issue via Kent or Grapevine nobody is willing to play them - "because it's not rare".

How many clubs actually played the unreleased Sharon Scott & Lorraine Chandler RCA sides off the Kent CDs - figure is probably close to zero I think.

Lots of good tunes - lots of bad politics.

Very valid point imho.

Hi guys

My little word just to add & complete this subject ,I believe there are different perception of what Modern soul is? It has probably been a subject many times on this Forum but it should be cleared,what Modern soul really is ?? Well in my opinion a modern soul record should be a record usually release after 1984 up to the mid 90's ,but I know that for many & it may be also true it englobes soul records from the 70's

My opinion concerning today's Modern soul interest (modern soul as I hear it) is due to the fact that it an esay to get sound for many ears,as it is close from many music style, A R&b lover or a Disco freak will find his interest somewhere on the track ,soulful vocal for some or just drum programing for Boogie ones ,I believe this is a music that can please anyone

  modernsoulfox said:

Well in my opinion a modern soul record should be a record usually release after 1984 up to the mid 90's

Just out of interest, where do the late 90s to current releases fit in then as regards being 'modern soul'?

When I started to collect "Northern" soul records, the records were about 4 or 5 years old, or even current releases! Now that I'm leaning towards "Modern" soul records I find that they are up to 30+ years old!

Not sure what my point is.... but just thought I'd say that!

steve

anything with an issue date that starts with a 19 is positively an oldie, if 20 then its Modern Soul!!!!!!

  Simon White said:

There seems to be a lot of interest on these largely Northern Soul forums recently for more Modern Soul tracks i.e.tracks from the last 35 years.

Does this represent a move forward in Northern Soul terms or a move backwards?

Given that Northern Soul is largely about dance music and Rare Soul might include more on the collecting/obscurity side, where does this apparent interest leave us?

Will we get to a point where, in twenty years time when the current good stuff has risen above the tide of mediocrity, will someone be chasing todays better Soul tracks in a feverish manner and the 70's sides will have become like the Northern soul sides of today - or is the quality not there?

Simon

Where would this leave the Northern Soul scene? It wouldn't exist. The "Modern" records are not and never will be "Northern Soul".

Discussed many times before. As I said yesterday on another thread, the modern fans wouldn't like pure 60ts Northern soul played at their venues. Keep modern away from ours.

  BrianB said:

Simon

Where would this leave the Northern Soul scene? It wouldn't exist. The "Modern" records are not and never will be "Northern Soul".

Discussed many times before. As I said yesterday on another thread, the modern fans wouldn't like pure 60ts Northern soul played at their venues. Keep modern away from ours.

  BrianB said:

Simon

Where would this leave the Northern Soul scene? It wouldn't exist. The "Modern" records are not and never will be "Northern Soul".

Discussed many times before. As I said yesterday on another thread, the modern fans wouldn't like pure 60ts Northern soul played at their venues. Keep modern away from ours.

WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF YOU SAID THAT IN 1980

  BrianB said:

Simon

Where would this leave the Northern Soul scene? It wouldn't exist. The "Modern" records are not and never will be "Northern Soul".

Discussed many times before. As I said yesterday on another thread, the modern fans wouldn't like pure 60ts Northern soul played at their venues. Keep modern away from ours.

WHAT IS PURE 60TS NORTHERN SOUL????

  Simon White said:

Agreed 100% Dave.

Ahhh forgot your last PM, never got time to give it the answer it desrved but this is what i was getting at on my last rant at you.

The above completely contradicts what you say in the soulful house thread, again, which is also as usual contradictory and utter tosh!!

You really are very funny, unfortunately dont have time to debate both threads together, hopefully later so you will see I am not just picking on you!

Jock

  denmac said:

WHAT IS PURE 60TS NORTHERN SOUL????

Northern Soul records from the 60's?

  jocko said:

Ahhh forgot your last PM, never got time to give it the answer it desrved but this is what i was getting at on my last rant at you.

The above completely contradicts what you say in the soulful house thread, again, which is also as usual contradictory and utter tosh!!

You really are very funny, unfortunately dont have time to debate both threads together, hopefully later so you will see I am not just picking on you!

Jock

Look forward to the debate, Jock ! It's the lifeblood of a discussion forum after all. I'm interested to see what the contradiction is in the Soulful House thread.

  Dodger said:

Just out of interest, where do the late 90s to current releases fit in then as regards being 'modern soul'?

Hi Dodge ... gud point ... how about ...

1) Northern Soul / Crossover Soul / Modern Soul / Nu Soul (as above) ... ???

or ...

2) Northern Soul / Crossover Soul / Modern Soul right thro' 'till the present day ...

Hmmm ... ...

  epic said:

Most traditonal northern soul records were less than ten years old when played in the halcyon days of 1972 - 1975. I base this upon the most popular records played on the scene - they fall into this time category.

They are now 40 years old & the age gap is forever widening IMHO there are a few ways to go - carry on with the tunes that have been the staple diet of the last 30 years - or look elsewhere for tunes ie recordings from the seventies or play tunes that you see in boxes described as "semi known" "could go big " etc etc. Rarity - or lack of it should not be a measure of quality.

On the seventies tip - the sound would have to be accepted by the traditional sixties loving soulies or you are banging your head against a brick wall.

Would love it if somebody uncovered another 500 quality sixties sides - realistically that ain't gonna happen. Agreed the odd Al Williams/ Gigi & The Charmaines unreleased thing crops up - but even when they get a legal issue via Kent or Grapevine nobody is willing to play them - "because it's not rare".

How many clubs actually played the unreleased Sharon Scott & Lorraine Chandler RCA sides off the Kent CDs - figure is probably close to zero I think.

Lots of good tunes - lots of bad politics.

What a superb point spot on infact and not just the examples given, Kent/Ady have been a constant supply of quality tracks for many years and perhaps outside of The 100 Club so many of these wonderful tunes are not given any attention, this perhaps has nothing to do with this thread reference Modern Soul but does have some importance from the keeping the music and the scene fresh, i would suggest that if these tracks were for want of a better word 'authentic' original one off studio acetates or exclusives then they would for some strange reason be accepted in certain circles?

This 'it has to be on vinyl' ethic is mind blowing and i think the proof in the pudding is how indemand Ady's 100 Club Anniversary 45's become in terms of people wishing to collect them, why? well basically it's down to quality of tracks, mass appeal on the scene and they become almost instant collectables, god knows what would happen if Ady desided to release possibly one of the best tracks i've heard in ages is the outstanding Bobby Angelle - I'll Be A Soildier Boy taken from The Soul Of Money Records - Volume Two - CDKEND 267 which has it all in terms of a quality Dance track 60's or otherwise.

Regarding the Modern Soul question i feel myself crossing over more and more...lol

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

  Mark Bicknell said:

god knows what would happen if Ady desided to release possibly one of the best tracks i've heard in ages is the outstanding Bobby Angelle - I'll Be A Soildier Boy taken from The Soul Of Money Records - Volume Two - CDKEND 267 which has it all in terms of a quality Dance track 60's or otherwise.

This utilises the same backing track as Bobby Angelle's "Too Much For You" which actually was released on a Money 45. I personally prefer the released take, even though I'd imagine that Bobby's voice is a bit of an acquired taste.

Have a listen:

https://www.soulclub.org/stream/Bobby_Angel...uch_For_You.ram

Edited November 29, 200618 yr by Sebastian

  Sebastian said:

This utilises the same backing track as Bobby Angelle's "Too Much For You" which actually was released on a Money 45. I personally prefer the released take, even though I'd imagine that Bobby's voice is a bit of an acquired taste.

Have a listen:

https://www.soulclub.org/stream/Bobby_Angel...uch_For_You.ram

Fantastic, thanks for sharing.

Mark Bicknell.

Who cares if its sixties or released earlier today, its about that certain x factor that makes the soul record appeal to the NS dancefloor, while ever soul records are being made & records discovered from across the decades, whether released or not there will be a scene.

Also IMHO seventies records have been played on the scene since the 70's, like wise with eighties, nineties & noughties, the main percentage has always been sixties, but records from all decades have always been played, so not so sure that the topic is that relevant really.

Long live open minds & full dancefloors .

Russ

  Sebastian said:

This utilises the same backing track as Bobby Angelle's "Too Much For You" which actually was released on a Money 45. I personally prefer the released take, even though I'd imagine that Bobby's voice is a bit of an acquired taste.

Have a listen:

https://www.soulclub.org/stream/Bobby_Angel...uch_For_You.ram

Sure i`ve got this somewhere,what is the label?,even a scan!!

  ken said:

Sure i`ve got this somewhere,what is the label?,even a scan!!

It's on MONEY.

Goes for about £100-£150 these days it seems.

  Sebastian said:

It's on MONEY.

Goes for about £100-£150 these days it seems.

Cheers Sebastian..............

  denmac said:

WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF YOU SAID THAT IN 1980

What difference does that make???

Incidentally a pure 60ts Northern Soul record may be a record picked up on the NS scene that was made in the 60ts and doesn't sound anything like Carstairs in 74 and any other records of that ilk that were subsequently played at Blackpool Mecca, Cllethorpes and the Casino.

And no I am not an "oldies" fan, but an appreciator of Pure Northern Soul from the 60ts, which is the scene I choose to follow, not 70s, 80,s 90,s disco pap.

ATB,

Brian

  BrianB said:

Simon

Where would this leave the Northern Soul scene? It wouldn't exist. The "Modern" records are not and never will be "Northern Soul".

Discussed many times before. As I said yesterday on another thread, the modern fans wouldn't like pure 60ts Northern soul played at their venues. Keep modern away from ours.

well said

  Simon White said:

There seems to be a lot of interest on these largely Northern Soul forums recently for more Modern Soul tracks i.e.tracks from the last 35 years.

Does this represent a move forward in Northern Soul terms or a move backwards?

Given that Northern Soul is largely about dance music and Rare Soul might include more on the collecting/obscurity side, where does this apparent interest leave us?

Will we get to a point where, in twenty years time when the current good stuff has risen above the tide of mediocrity, will someone be chasing todays better Soul tracks in a feverish manner and the 70's sides will have become like the Northern soul sides of today - or is the quality not there?

Back to the start of the thread.

excellent post BrianB couldnt have put it better myself!.

  BrianB said:

What difference does that make???

Incidentally a pure 60ts Northern Soul record may be a record picked up on the NS scene that was made in the 60ts and doesn't sound anything like Carstairs in 74 and any other records of that ilk that were subsequently played at Blackpool Mecca, Cllethorpes and the Casino.

And no I am not an "oldies" fan, but an appreciator of Pure Northern Soul from the 60ts, which is the scene I choose to follow, not 70s, 80,s 90,s disco pap.

ATB,

Brian