Youth Club Soul

[soulfulsaint]

I recently had a conversation with Guy Hennigan and we discussed at length the youth clubs that once fed the rare soul scene, they were often highly local, mid-week and ignited peoples' passion long before they were old enough to travel to the big all-nighters. Some youth clubs are periodically mentioned in other threads but I'm trying to gauge how many there were, and how important they were to the evolution of the scene. 

 

So - what was the youth club that you attended before all-nighters and what is the record you most associate with those times. 

 

For me it was Letham Community Centre in Perth in Scotland and the track I still love is Jackie Wilson's 'Since You Showed Me How to Be happy' (Brunswick). Many of the records will not be hugely rare but that's partly the point.

 

So place, era and record please?

[Guest]

Royton youth club 70-71.  Royton is an area in Oldham, next to Chadderton, where I mainly did most of my growing up. The sounds played at the youth club were almost all sixties soul, with an emphasis on what we later realised were typical Wheel sounds, plus many of the days Motown favourites.

The one tune that springs to mind? Christ, too bloody many to just pick one! The Tams, Hey girl don't bother me & Be young be foolish be happy. EVD 6x6. Mitch Ryder, Devil with a blue dress. Dean Parrish, Tell her. Sam &Dave, Soul sister brown sugar. Taj Mahal, A lot of love. Spencer Davis, Trampoline. Wynder K Frog, Green door. Wayne Fontana, Something keeps calling me back. Willie Tee, Walking up a one way street.

The list is endless. As little kids, we didn't quite realise just how blessed we were. It began a journey that still hasn't ended.

Edited August 21, 2018 by Guest

[Roburt]

Youth club soul in my day was Ikettes - I'm Blue, Drifters - When My Little Girl Is Smiling, Chuck Jackson - Any Day Now, Ben E King - Don't Play That Song, Tams - Untie Me, Dionne Warwick - Don't Make Me Over & the like ... but then .. I moved on from my youth club era in 63 ...

[grantdyche]

Radcliffe youth club,Just outside Bury,74ish

Quite a few of us went,And quite a few of us then went on to the nighters,And still on the scene today,Although I'm just a now and again bloke,Who goes out when I feel like it not a regular at any function at all to be true,

The one record as soon as I hear it takes me straight back to the youth club is The Casualeers "Dance Dance Dance",

Others include Al Wilson "Help Me",Checkerboard Squares "Double Cookin" ( I still call it "Strings A Go Go")

[Petesi]

Pendragon Youth club Alsager 1970/71 a couple of the lads who DJd were Torch goers so the records that stick in my mind are Felice Taylor " I feel love coming on" and of course the one we all learned to dance to "Sliced tomatoes" The  Just brothers

[Twoshoes]

1 hour ago, grantdyche said:

Radcliffe youth club,Just outside Bury,74ish

My mate was a leader at Radcliffe Youth Club, not sure of the dates but it must have been close to those dates, I'm currently tasked with selling some of his records, could well be some of his you heard being played.

 

 

[grantdyche]

8 minutes ago, Twoshoes said:

My mate was a leader at Radcliffe Youth Club, not sure of the dates but it must have been close to those dates, I'm currently tasked with selling some of his records, could well be some of his you heard being played.

 

 

Who is he please,I may well know him.

 

[Twoshoes]

10 minutes ago, grantdyche said:

Who is he please,I may well know him.

pm'd you

[Twoshoes]

Squirrel Club/Moses Youth Club in Bury, any amount of Motown, Mitch Ryder, Brooks and Jerry, one of the leders Dave Brown had a fabulous soul collection.

[Mark S]

Stockport late sixties early seventies you were spoilt for choice Cellars youth club heaton moor , Dialstone Offerton , Brinnington and Tiviot Dale . Being close to Manchester was definately a factor .

Soundwise Funky street , I Feel love coming on ,Penguin breakdown , Sweet soul music ,STOP , the Tams Donnie Elbert ,Chairmen of the board ,Jackie Lee , Jackie Wilson and a shitload of Motown . 

Just great music no daft names to confuse the issue just Soul 

[Guest]

Actually, you could take absolutely any Soulie on the scene today, transport him or her back through time to 1971, plonk him/her into the middle of any youth club in the Greater Manchester area, and they'd think they were attending the oldies night to end all oldies nights. Thinking back, the sheer scope and quality of what we were force fed at such an early age is truly phenomenal. We were spoilt, truly spoilt. 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Guest

[Baz1]

15 minutes ago, Joey said:

Actually, you could take absolutely any Soulie on the scene today, transport him or her back through time to 1971, plonk him/her into the middle of any youth club in the Greater Manchester area, and they'd think they were attending the oldies night to end all oldies nights. Thinking back, the sheer scope and quality of what we were force fed at such an early age is truly phenomenal. We were spoilt, truly spoilt. 

I feel the same now though joey ♥ its just mind blowin was out saturday at soul liberation weaverham and came home with loads o new tunes two from steve(winsford)on ere ♥ two minters for £15 I thank you sir x.I'm sure its same for us as it was for you in the 70's ? No . Atb baz.   Only 16yrs on the scene btw

[Jaco]

Chambers youth club, Rochdale. In a cellar in the Town Hall. About 1968/9 heard a lot of Motown and the early imports some of which would have been playing at the Wheel. Motown Club in Royton (maybe Shaw) similar set up and sounds. Great introduction to the music and the scene

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Jaco said:

Chambers youth club, Rochdale. In a cellar in the Town Hall. About 1968/9 heard a lot of Motown and the early imports some of which would have been playing at the Wheel. Motown Club in Royton (maybe Shaw) similar set up and sounds. Great introduction to the music and the scene

 

It was Shaw!!!!  Great place. Places such as that were where we all got our first introduction to the music and the scene. Happy times indeed. 

[Guest Gogs]

The Mansion, Gracemount, Edinburgh. I will always remember my pal wee Rammy dancing to "Shake a tail feather"

[Drew3]

4 hours ago, Mark S said:

Stockport late sixties early seventies you were spoilt for choice Cellars youth club heaton moor , Dialstone Offerton , Brinnington and Tiviot Dale . Being close to Manchester was definately a factor .

Soundwise Funky street , I Feel love coming on ,Penguin breakdown , Sweet soul music ,STOP , the Tams Donnie Elbert ,Chairmen of the board ,Jackie Lee , Jackie Wilson and a shitload of Motown . 

Just great music no daft names to confuse the issue just Soul 

 

Mark is absolutely right.  In my home town of Stockport we were spoilt for choice in terms of 'youth club soul'

I remember the latter end of Blazers before the place shut and the building was destroyed by fire; a place somewhere up Cheadle Heath way called The Den, which was just some sort of scout hut but was packed each time I went and where I loved hitting the floor to Dance, Dance, Dance.

 

Brinington, or Brinny, Youth Club was a magnet for young soul inductees and being from that council estate I attended regularly.  On most 'ordinary' nights we danced to the likes of There's A Ghost In My House, I Got Something Good, Baby Hit And Run and many of the records mentioned above.  However, Thursday nights were massive in terms of 'the soul disco'.  I'm not great with dates but probably sometime in 73/74 there was at least one, possibly more, Thursday nights were DJs who had played at established nighters played.  I remember there must have been around two hundred people in or trying to get in, massive for a youth club!!!!  The thing that always struck me about those Thursday nights at Brinny Youth Club was that there was not just us kids in attendance but men of nineteen into their early to mid twenties who attended and who were clearly aficionados of the music and who had attended places we had only heard and dreamt of.  

 

So, for me and I guess for most of my age (58) who are into this music, youth clubs were massive and so, so important!!!!!!

 

Regards.

 

Drew.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Drew3

[Mick Holdsworth]

15 hours ago, grantdyche said:

Radcliffe youth club,Just outside Bury,74ish

Quite a few of us went,And quite a few of us then went on to the nighters,And still on the scene today,Although I'm just a now and again bloke,Who goes out when I feel like it not a regular at any function at all to be true,

The one record as soon as I hear it takes me straight back to the youth club is The Casualeers "Dance Dance Dance",

Others include Al Wilson "Help Me",Checkerboard Squares "Double Cookin" ( I still call it "Strings A Go Go")

 

Almost exactly the same for me - If it's Ok with you, I'll just change a few words and let you say the rest . . .

 

" . . .

WMCA - Warstones , Wolverhampton 73/4 ish

Quite a few of us went, and quite a few of us then went on to the nighters, Not really on the scene today, more interested in the music than the scene.

The one record, as soon as I hear it takes me straight back to the youth club is Paul Anka "Can't Help Loving You".

Others include The Casualeers "Dance Dance Dance", Al Wilson "Help Me", Checkerboard Squares "Double Cookin" ( I still call it "Strings A Go Go").

. . ."

[Mark S]

16 hours ago, Drew3 said:

 

Mark is absolutely right.  In my home town of Stockport we were spoilt for choice in terms of 'youth club soul'

I remember the latter end of Blazers before the place shut and the building was destroyed by fire; a place somewhere up Cheadle Heath way called The Den, which was just some sort of scout hut but was packed each time I went and where I loved hitting the floor to Dance, Dance, Dance.

 

Brinington, or Brinny, Youth Club was a magnet for young soul inductees and being from that council estate I attended regularly.  On most 'ordinary' nights we danced to the likes of There's A Ghost In My House, I Got Something Good, Baby Hit And Run and many of the records mentioned above.  However, Thursday nights were massive in terms of 'the soul disco'.  I'm not great with dates but probably sometime in 73/74 there was at least one, possibly more, Thursday nights were DJs who had played at established nighters played.  I remember there must have been around two hundred people in or trying to get in, massive for a youth club!!!!  The thing that always struck me about those Thursday nights at Brinny Youth Club was that there was not just us kids in attendance but men of nineteen into their early to mid twenties who attended and who were clearly aficionados of the music and who had attended places we had only heard and dreamt of.  

 

So, for me and I guess for most of my age (58) who are into this music, youth clubs were massive and so, so important!!!!!!

 

Regards.

 

Drew.

There you go Blazes , dodgy as you like non of my mates would go . 

Stockport was in the early 70s very territorial  but if you were into the music and were known you could go anywhere in relative safety . 

You're right about the older lads at the clubs in 74 I was 18 and still attending one or two for a midweek fix . 

I lived in Heaton Chapel but knew a lot of the Brinny lads and have married 2 Brinny girls one of which I am still married to 

[Paul R]

1971 at the age of 13 I was taken to St Maries youth club in Southport.  Many memories of little piece of leather, Back street, cool jerk, Breakout, etc. But my two favourites at the time were Scratchy, and The Snake! They still being back happy memories no matter how many times I hear them, or how fashionable people think they are.

[Rick Cooper]

My local Youth Club was The Parrish , Cheadle Hulme Stockport around 68/69 so some records I remember were new releases such as Brooks and Jerry I Got What it Takes Part 1 (but not part 2 as we didn't have time) and anything by UK groups such as  The Foundations and  Equals. Certain records were probably still popular from original release, a few that spring to mind are Headline News, S.O.S, Jimmy Mack,Third Finger Left Hand, Wherever I Lay My Hat, Funky Street, Knock On Wood.

On Third Finger Left Hand the girls would sing "You Dirty Pig" after "He did something" and on Funky Street would dip down on "Down on Funky street", weird eh.

Some Reggae got played and US bubblegum but no Northern as it hadn't been invented yet. 

 

Mark S and Drew

Can't remember the ones you mention around Stockport but definitely  didn't go anywhere  near Blazes, very dodgy. A few Sports and Scout Clubs held one off discos .Manchester Rugby Club had one, where I first heard At The Discotheque  amongst all the Top 30 dross, amazing.

 

Probably like most on here when you looked old enough to get served in a bar the Youth Club got left behind but I remember a guy at the The Parrish that was quite a bit older, draw your own conclusions.

Rick

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Rick Cooper

[Mark S]

2 hours ago, Rick Cooper said:

My local Youth Club was The Parrish , Cheadle Hulme Stockport around 68/69 so some records I remember were new releases such as Brooks and Jerry I Got What it Takes Part 1 (but not part 2 as we didn't have time) and anything by UK groups such as  The Foundations and  Equals. Certain records were probably still popular from original release, a few that spring to mind are Headline News, S.O.S, Jimmy Mack, Wherever I Lay My Hat, Funky Street, Knock On Wood.

On Jimmy Mack the girls would sing "You Dirty Pig" after "He did something" and on Funky Street would dip down on "Down on Funky street", weird eh.

Some Reggae got played and US bubblegum but no Northern as it hadn't been invented yet. 

 

Mark S and Drew

Can't remember the ones you mention around Stockport but definitely  didn't go anywhere  near Blazes, very dodgy. A few Sports and Scout Clubs held one off discos .Manchester Rugby Club had one, where I first heard At The Discotheque  amongst all the Top 30 dross, amazing.

 

Probably like most on here when you looked old enough to get served in a bar the Youth Club got left behind but I remember a guy at the The Parrish that was quite a bit older, draw your own conclusions.

Rick

 

 

 

Could never understand Blazes a nightclub in the town on a Saturday night no booze and full of youths dancing to soul music . Never knew who ran it or who the djs were 

I used to leave early to avoid a kicking but as time passed got to know people and it got easier . Never got to the Parish but Remember Manchester rugby club .

Soul music was everywhere we just went to places and expected it great days and a brilliant appenticeship before stepping into the murky world of allnighters 

[Drew3]

9 hours ago, Mark S said:

Could never understand Blazes a nightclub in the town on a Saturday night no booze and full of youths dancing to soul music . Never knew who ran it or who the djs were 

I used to leave early to avoid a kicking but as time passed got to know people and it got easier . Never got to the Parish but Remember Manchester rugby club .

Soul music was everywhere we just went to places and expected it great days and a brilliant appenticeship before stepping into the murky world of allnighters 

From memory Mark, Blazers had three incarnations in that it's first and longest period open is when my older sister and her mates were regulars and no alcohol and I'm guessing that's when you went.  It then closed for a while with a reopen and still no booze, that's when me and a few mates went a couple of times just before it closed again. It's third opening didn't last long and I believe the owners tried it with a booze licence.  Soon shut again and then went up flames.  The photo you posted; the shop front was a car showroom or something like and the club was further back from the front of that building with its entrance down the side street if I remember correctly.

 

Kind regards.

 

Drew.

[Mark Soul]

Our lady's youth club lancaster with Ron great times happy days cheers mark

[grant]

On ‎22‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 17:13, Mark S said:

There you go Blazes , dodgy as you like non of my mates would go . 

Stockport was in the early 70s very territorial  but if you were into the music and were known you could go anywhere in relative safety . 

You're right about the older lads at the clubs in 74 I was 18 and still attending one or two for a midweek fix . 

I lived in Heaton Chapel but knew a lot of the Brinny lads and have married 2 Brinny girls one of which I am still married to 

 

Was Cheadle Hulme Parish Youth Club for me - Greg Lang used to roll up there on occasion and take us in his van to the likes of Edgeley Alex Youth Club.

Records for me back then were Just Bros, George Blackwell, Jimmy Mack, Jimmy Raye etc (all boots of course !!)  - and of course the dj's choice of Your Ready Now and Dobie Gray lol.

[Mark S]

1 hour ago, grant said:

 

Was Cheadle Hulme Parish Youth Club for me - Greg Lang used to roll up there on occasion and take us in his van to the likes of Edgeley Alex Youth Club.

Records for me back then were Just Bros, George Blackwell, Jimmy Mack, Jimmy Raye etc (all boots of course !!)  - and of course the dj's choice of Your Ready Now and Dobie Gray lol.

Remember the Alex park the lad that djayed at Cellars played there .some good nights . Greg Lang still see him knocking about never looks any older .

Think he is related to the lad that runs what was the three shires lots of northern played in there .

[Koolkat]

Pleckgate school youth disco on a Friday night, St Gabriels on a Saturday night and West End on a Sunday night. All in Blackburn. There were a couple during the week as well at The Courts. Patchwork and star jumpers, two tone parallels form Blackburn Market, Como shoes from a local shop named Sokos and check shirts from Watson and Wrigleys. Crombie for winter. Braided Barathea blazer made an appearance a few months on. Music was Boogaloo Party, Breakout, The Next In Line, Cum-a-la-be-stay, all the Motown biggies etc. This would be 1972. A. little kid wet behind the ears. Amazing to think 18 months further on in life I would be hitting Wigan, Blackpool etc a fully fledged soul boy.

[Steve Foran]

For me a bit electic. I lived near Bedford but went to school in St Neots. Local rivalry and all that. 

St Neots we had Little Paxton Village Hall and the Paper Mill. Sounds I recall from around 72-74 would be Isleys, Apple peaches pumpkin pie, I cant help myself, Tell me it is just a rumour, Tony Clarke.

Then went to work in Bedford so went to Kempston Rovers, Club 71 in Queens Park and the Pilgrims. Tunes like Please operator, Right Track, Out on the floor plus some funk. Me and Baby Brother etc.

Then went to Wigan in June 74 WOW!! 

Moved to Stockport in 79 after 3 years of seeing my girlfriend, We went to Druffies, Hazel Grove High School and Dialstone Lane. more stuff mostly british like PP Arnold, Darrell Banks etc. 

When I moved here now admitting that I was over Youth Club days we had The Magnet (Paul Boshir), Southlands (Steve Hennesey and Alan Pollard), Heaton Moor Rugby Club and The big pub on Commercial Road in Hazel Grove. 

I was shopping with a girlfriend in Bedford around 75, Landslide was blaring out over the shop system.    

[Mark S]

1 hour ago, Steve Foran said:

For me a bit electic. I lived near Bedford but went to school in St Neots. Local rivalry and all that. 

St Neots we had Little Paxton Village Hall and the Paper Mill. Sounds I recall from around 72-74 would be Isleys, Apple peaches pumpkin pie, I cant help myself, Tell me it is just a rumour, Tony Clarke.

Then went to work in Bedford so went to Kempston Rovers, Club 71 in Queens Park and the Pilgrims. Tunes like Please operator, Right Track, Out on the floor plus some funk. Me and Baby Brother etc.

Then went to Wigan in June 74 WOW!! 

Moved to Stockport in 79 after 3 years of seeing my girlfriend, We went to Druffies, Hazel Grove High School and Dialstone Lane. more stuff mostly british like PP Arnold, Darrell Banks etc. 

When I moved here now admitting that I was over Youth Club days we had The Magnet (Paul Boshir), Southlands (Steve Hennesey and Alan Pollard), Heaton Moor Rugby Club and The big pub on Commercial Road in Hazel Grove. 

I was shopping with a girlfriend in Bedford around 75, Landslide was blaring out over the shop system.    

That was the Royal Oak on commercial road , very slippy dance floor fell over a couple of times . Loved Southlands great room .

          Mark 

[Steve Foran]

Thats right Mark the Royal Oak. Could not remember the name. 

Cheers

Steve