Northern Soul In the Mainstream

[Mike]

looks like northern soul exposure in the mainstream media in 2017 ain't going away

anyone see....

recent c4 'first date' 'show with some 60+ mod/scooter type geezer demonstrating to the waiter how to dance northern style

the recent daily mirror take on the recent strictly northern bit claiming 'Strictly Come Dancing viewers shocked to see Ann Widdecombe make surprise return during Northern Soul group dance in Blackpool'

 

no letup it seems 

could it be argued that 'northern soul' in whatever form or shape is actually mainstream now?

Edited November 28, 2017 by mike

[Guest Spain pete]

Let them dress up , and dance.  Thing is very few will understand the music , and the ones that do will appreciate  it has never has , and never will, be a mainstream  thang. 🎶🎶🎶👌

[Mickey Finn]

In the same way that Max Bygraves and Ethel Merman made disco "mainstream" ... i.e., missed the point completely, got justifiably rubbished and sank without a trace, but not before helping to drive it all back underground, while the real artists and scene carried on anyway.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Anyone who watches "Strictly" and "First Date" gets exactly what they deserve ... 

[Mark S]

The Northern soul scene has allways been about so much more than the music to me . Its culture ,ettiquette politics ,bikering ,lifestyle , an obsession with the obscure and rejected and dare I say fashions over the years have created a unique and enduring subculture .

This is ours we have created this in spite of the mainstream media . It baffles them they have no  control so are allways destined to get it wrong .

It saddens me and amuses me in equal measures . 

The feckless evangelical soulies need to give their heads a good wobble despite their cosying up to the media it has never done us any favours and never will .

 

[Len]

13 hours ago, WoodButcher said:

Anyone who watches "Strictly" and "First Date" gets exactly what they deserve ... 

"My name is Len, and I watch First Dates" 

 

 

[Eddie Matusiak]

Northern soul was originally called Soul Music with a up-Tempo Beat and the name Northern Soul caught on in 1973 because of the amount of people from up North going to London to buy records . The Music was more mainstream in around 1972-1974 just look at the UK Charts it was full off it

[Eddie Matusiak]

Just now, Eddie Matusiak said:

Northern soul was originally called Soul Music with a up-Tempo Beat and the name Northern Soul caught on in 1973 because of the amount of people from up North going to London to buy records . The Music was more mainstream in around 1972-1974 just look at the UK Charts it was full off it

This was me

[Winsford Soul]

2 hours ago, LEN said:

"My name is Len, and I watch First Dates" 

 

 

My name is Steve and I've seen Len on First Dates 

Steve 

[Steve S 60]

9 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

My name is Steve and I've seen Len on First Dates 

Steve 

My name is also Steve, and I've watched people on Gogglebox watching Len on First Dates.

On a more topical note, I don't know what is more embarrassing, appearing on Strictly's Northern Soul group dance, or being mistaken for Ann Widdicombe.

[Roburt]

1 hour ago, Eddie Matusiak said:

Northern soul was originally called Soul Music with a up-Tempo Beat and the name Northern Soul caught on in 1973 because of the amount of people from up North going to London to buy records . The Music was more mainstream in around 1972-1974 just look at the UK Charts it was full off it

 

Dave Godin 1st started defining records as NS in Soul City Record Shop in 1968. He had a box of soul dancers on 45 that he would tell the shop staff to pull out whenever he heard a northern accent among the customers. It was ... pull out that soul singles box that will appeal to these northerners ... the box usually contained UK & US copies of stuff such as issue copies of Tobi Legend -- he must have had around 100 copies of that 45 over those times.

Soul City closed down  (went bust) in 1970 ... so NS was recognised (at least in the Soul City Shop) way before 73. I also used to travel down to F L Moore's house / store in Leighton Buzzard from 1969, and by then he knew to point northerners straight to the Motown / Detroit / Bell shelves in his place. So 1973 is way out as  the correct date ... many attendees of places like the Wheel were turning to such establishment's to find import copies of good soul dancers (as the stock of UK released copies had all gone to like minded collectors within weeks of a sound becoming a Wheel fave).   

Edited November 29, 2017 by Roburt

[Steve L]

Ive seen many people comment about this situation over the years saying words to the effect - "when all the tourists have lost interest and disappeared then the scene can go back to being underground"

Wishful thinking I'm afraid, they aint going nowhere........ 

Edited November 29, 2017 by Steve L

[Paul R]

Didn't this all happen in 1975!

 

Paul

[Guest Spain pete]

That's about it in a nutshell as they say , but don't forget about places like hanway street just off oxford street in the west end , upstairs was john abbey and contempo records,  Lot's of so called northern stuff came out of there , strange really because the first thing l brought out of there was a kool and the gang album called music is the message , THE STRANGE WORLD OF NORTHERN SOUL 🎶🎶🎶😱

24 minutes ago, Roburt said:

Dave Godin 1st started defining records as NS in Soul City Record Shop in 1968. He had a box of soul dancers on 45 that he would tell the shop staff to pull out whenever he heard a northern accent among the customers. It was ... pull out that soul singles box that will appeal to these northerners ... the box usually contained UK & US copies of stuff such as issue copies of Tobi Legend -- he must have had around 100 copies of that 45 over those times.

Soul City closed down  (went bust) in 1970 ... so NS was recognised (at least in the Soul City Shop) way before 73. I also used to travel down to F L Moore's house / store in Leighton Buzzard from 1969, and by then he knew to point northerners straight to the Motown / Detroit / Bell shelves in his place. So 1973 is way out as  the correct date ... many attendees of places like the Wheel were turning to such establishment's to find import copies of good soul dancers (as the stock of UK released copies had all gone to like minded collectors within weeks of a sound becoming a Wheel fave).   

 

[Roburt]

Yes, Contempo (thru it's big buys from US record companies of old stock 45's) certainly helped massively in increasing the number of US import soul 45's over here around 1970/71/72 ... but they had no real idea what they'd got (hence them including numerous records that they could have sold for 30/- each in '10 for £1' soul packs). 

 

[Hooker1951]

It's a fact through the history of any music that as it becomes mainstream it becomes or should I say feels watered down it happened to Rock n Roll , Punk, and R nB it happens to please the many people who just want to dip their toes in rather than be full on because of all the advantages money wise of exploiting those music phenonemones, it's something that can't be avoided because there are certain people in certain positions who always make it happen we know what good music is we know who the genuine people are.  That matters you will not change the rest they just don't get it and if they are making and milking money or fame out of it they won't care anyway , Look after the people that matter don't waste your time and energy on lost causes just bless  yourself that you understand it and take solace that they don't Proper Northern soul and real northern SOULIES will last forever

God Bless

ML

[Guest Spain pete]

Honestly can say  l brought a few but never really rocked my boat back in them days ,in the words of the great Tyrone Davis , If l could turn back the hands of time 🎶🎶🎶

1 hour ago, Roburt said:

Yes, Contempo (thru it's big buys from US record companies of old stock 45's) certainly helped massively in increasing the number of US import soul 45's over here around 1970/71/72 ... but they had no real idea what they'd got (hence them including numerous records that they could have sold for 30/- each in '10 for £1' soul packs). 

 

 

[Guest Spain pete]

Not much time though may 16. /   2016?   World of n/s just got stranger ?🎭

6 minutes ago, Spain pete said:

Honestly can say  l brought a few but never really rocked my boat back in them days ,in the words of the great Tyrone Davis , If l could turn back the hands of time 🎶🎶🎶

 

 

[Winsford Soul]

Manchester Camerata Orchestra play Northern soul at Manchester's Bridgewater hall.  Does it brings a new meaning to classic oldies. ? 

Steve 

[Modernsoulsucks]

42 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Manchester Camerata Orchestra play Northern soul at Manchester's Bridgewater hall.  Does it brings a new meaning to classic oldies. ? 

Steve 

March 29 2018 !

Thought you were joking

[Winsford Soul]

17 minutes ago, modernsoulsucks said:

March 29 2018 !

Thought you were joking

I thought I was seeing things at first. But yes it's really happening. They could have had the Salsoul Orchestra or somebody relevant . fill in orchestra that you would prefer ? 

Steve

[Grayman45]

Nothing can actually be underground in this age we live in. When you think about it, it was a lack of various things that made the scene great. Limited access to records, limited access to hearing records, limited amount of venues, even a lack of transport. The internet has put paid to that, and to a certain extent the scene has embraced it - you tube, facebook, soul source(!). Just my thoughts. 

[Steve S 60]

46 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I thought I was seeing things at first. But yes it's really happening. They could have had the Salsoul Orchestra or somebody relevant . fill in orchestra that you would prefer ? 

Steve

Contempo's already been mentioned in an earlier post, so what about the Armada Orchestra?

[Frankie Crocker]

No, definitely not mainstream, well not yet anyway. A little bit of media coverage does not automatically mean popular culture, particularly as the dim-witted journalists/presenters just don’t geddit. Yes, we all get sick of pathetic puns on ‘Northern Soul’ headlining articles on weekend breaks in the Yorkshire Dales etc, but virtually all references in the press are mistaken, stereotypical and so far wide of the truth, they are not worth printing. Most of the time, it’s some saddo with a Media Studies degree trying to be hip but actually coming across as a total ignoramus.

The time to be really concerned will be when there’s a ‘Top Of The Pops’ type show featuring Northern re-releases, free Northern patches in the Kelloggs box, Prince Harry carrying an adidas holdall, Theresa May on Desert Island Discs telling us why she picked the Professionals... No, fortunately the scene is light years from becoming truly mainstream but it remains surrounded by mystique that prompts some with a few brain cells to take a closer look.

[Guest MBarrett]

3 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Manchester Camerata Orchestra play Northern soul at Manchester's Bridgewater hall.  Does it brings a new meaning to classic oldies. ? 

Steve 

You're behind the curve Steve.

Earlier in 2017

 

[Guest MBarrett]

The only snippet I could find on You Tube

Lots of people enjoying themselves.

I know - it shouldn't be allowed.