Quick Poll

[Guest Richard Bergman]

Hypothetically thinking if the soul scene went overboard and became mainstream, horsewhipped to death at every opportunity via tv , media etc, -

Do you feel that you would instinctively back away or embrace the changes and pigeonhole yourself as an oracle to this new found generation ?

[jazzyjas]

I'm not over there, but for whatever it's worth-my personal opinion is that if someone like I.L. gets a hold of it or somebody with no clue gets a hold of it on that grand of a scale, it could get ruined and confuse new people into thinking that there is this shitty synth-pop genre of black music called northern soul. The serious northern soul fans are not going to stand for a serious lack of quality, so the new-found "commercial" scene will just kill itself. Northern Soul will be a laughing stock. The purists will definitely go back underground if it isn't done the right and proper way.

If it goes the right way and the media leans more toward people like Ady Croasdell, Richard Searling, Keb Darge, etc.-then it will flourish as a more progressive scene that will attract more college students and younger people that want a cool alternate subculture. And the people that have been on the scene since the 70s that are die-hards are gonna be there along with 'em, because it will be something they can remain proud of and progress with themselves.

Overexposure really takes the edge off anything cool, so I hope it never happens. That's why I dropped out of the hip hop scene years ago....because it sucks now.

KTF

Jas

[Guest garv]

The media/mainstream has tried this at various stages in the life of the soul scene, anyone who was at Wigan the nite the documentary was being shot & its after effects will know that a lot of people were saying.... thats it i`m never coming again, but they did. I know we were younger then & it was a different time & place.

I would find it very hard to carry on today because its the people on the soul scene that make it REALLY special & the fact its still underground.

There are codes of behaviour that we take for granted, manners, safety of belongings & a non violent atmosphere. But my life would be nothing if i could`t get a nite® of soul down me.

If it was mainstream or nothing, no more underground soul for any of us

then i would have to walk away, because the whole dynamics of what makes it still the best scene going have ceased to exist.

Garv.

Joe...... a brilliant topic a real head F**k

[Daved]

It's never going to happen. The music is about 40 years old. It's a very acquired taste. A small minority of people like a bit from what hear on the radio/tv but don't take it further. A smaller number buy CDs and go to the occasional do. A much smaller number collect records and go out regularly. I think that's about a far as it's going to go. Probably for the better.

[Winnie :-)]

The media/mainstream has tried this at various stages in the life of the soul scene, anyone who was at Wigan the nite the documentary was being shot & its after effects will know that a lot of people were saying.... thats it i`m never coming again, but they did. I know we were younger then & it was a different time & place.

I would find it very hard to carry on today because its the people on the soul scene that make it REALLY special & the fact its still underground.

There are codes of behaviour that we take for granted, manners, safety of belongings & a non violent atmosphere. But my life would be nothing if i could`t get a nite® of soul down me.

If it was mainstream or nothing, no more underground soul for any of us

then i would have to walk away, because the whole dynamics of what makes it still the best scene going have ceased to exist.

Garv.

Joe...... a brilliant topic a real head F**k

link

===============

Certainly agree with Gary about it being a head fukc

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't walk away cos like for most of us its in our blood. I don't particularly care about the exclusivity aspect, the more people get into it the longer it will survive. We are in danger of leaving our musical legacy to the world IMO if current trends continue. Personally I would like to see it live on, if the cost is some loss of underground kudos then so be it.

I agree with Gary re: what is expected safe enviroment, manners, etc. But in truth don't believe that these 'Unwritten Rules' are prioritised enough any more. But that is a different topic, so won't go into it now.

To dislike something purely because it's commercial is a nonsense. Whilst we're all into N/S we also like other musical genres (I assume)

Motown was aimed at a commercial market, a lot of the tracks we dance to week in week out were based on the Motown sound, should we not like them?

Let it go commercial, the same thing that happened in 75 would re-occur, there would be a lot of new entrants to the northern scene, and then when the next fad comes along they would depart again

Having said all this, the question is hypothetical, and I don't think what Joe said could or will happen

Winnie :O)

PS. Gary, I didn't mean you were talking nonsense, just meant that not liking anything commercial is a little on the impossible side. No offence meant

[Guest]

Hypothetically thinking if the soul scene went overboard and became mainstream,  horsewhipped to death at every opportunity via tv , media etc,  -

Do you feel that you would instinctively back away or embrace the changes and pigeonhole yourself as an oracle to this new found generation ?

link

I would form a vanguard against such a foul happening, i'd be holed up with my brethren in a location of untold secrecy, then we would mount guerilla like attacks until every "Faux Soul Pigeon" had been drawn into a filthy bloodletting orgy of violence, i would be armed with my trusty Australian Dog Whip, and would take immense and savage pleasure in putting these unmentionable "Wharf Rats" through unimaginable hell...........

[Guest miff]

I personly think the scene is very comercal now ,you can get CDs of most northern tracks from your local record super store. Ive seen northern CDs in Tesco fot chist sake.

Whilst on a course from work and staying in the Hilton hotel ,near east mids airport they had a northern CD playing in the toilets. Records seem to be much easier to get hold of now a days as well. They are more record dealers about now a days. Just lok on ebay at the amount of records listed as northen. How many books are there on northern soul Ive got 5 myself all birthday presents my family got me from WH Smiths All were brought by non soul fans who just walked in of the street and got them. then theres the internet look at the amount off sites they are and the adverts on them.

Yet the scene still seams to be able to cater for all tastes and in some ways is much better. Information is now there to be found if you want it sites like this seam to encourage the spread of knowledge.

I personly think that if we want to attract new people to the scene then we need to go more comercial we need more air play on the radio with some of the sounds of todays scene so we can attract new converts to the fold and not just old soulies retuning to the scene

[Guest]

I would form a vanguard against such a foul happening, i'd be holed up with my brethren in a location of untold secrecy, then we would mount guerilla like attacks until every "Faux Soul Pigeon" had been drawn into a filthy bloodletting orgy of violence, i would be armed with my trusty Australian Dog Whip, and would take immense and savage pleasure in putting these unmentionable "Wharf Rats" through unimaginable hell...........

link

I sometimes worry about you Brett

[hipshaker 05]

i agree with both daved and miff.

the dreaded influx of new people looking for the next trendy thing won't happen because i don't think it could be made trendy enough ....... the dreaded outsiders will never come along to the sort of venues that many soul nights are held in or be enticed by a lot of the marketing/publicity ..... or put up with hearing some of the stuff that is currently most popular due to its rarity.

BUT .... it wouldn't be such a bad thing, a little new blood. a bit like the scooter scene, long term survival will only be possible if there are a few newies attracted.

[John May]

The media/mainstream has tried this at various stages in the life of the soul scene, anyone who was at Wigan the nite the documentary was being shot & its after effects will know that a lot of people were saying.... thats it i`m never coming again, but they did. I know we were younger then & it was a different time & place.

I would find it very hard to carry on today because its the people on the soul scene that make it REALLY special & the fact its still underground.

There are codes of behaviour that we take for granted, manners, safety of belongings & a non violent atmosphere. But my life would be nothing if i could`t get a nite® of soul down me.

If it was mainstream or nothing, no more underground soul for any of us

then i would have to walk away, because the whole dynamics of what makes it still the best scene going have ceased to exist.

Garv.

Joe...... a brilliant topic a real head F**k

link

Here, here, Garv.......You've said it for me I'd have to walk away !

[Guest garv]

Winnie,

I have no problem with commercial soul you should see my collection , everything from motown to MAW , when i said underground it was meant as the opposite of mainstream & the fact that most good soul clubs are/have been underground. The phrase .......horsewhipped by the media set my mind into panic as i`m still trying to get over the works xmass outing, a very big club in south west london ( bad is not the word). No my real fear & the point i was trying to get across would be the chav/celebrity/corperate influence that would take over the running of the scene and kill it. Young people are vital for the scene if it is to continue & i would love to see more getting into it.

No offence was taken

Garv.