The "heydays" Of Northern Soul

[Bazza]

Seen this phrase a lot just lately....some say the 80's But to me 69 to 74 were my "heydays",

I suppose its cos that was when it was new and exciting,and I was in my prime or youth ,todays scene is very different to the old days..for many reasons...some good some not so good..

Many complain about the number of venues,I think that will eventually turn out to be a good thing ...the good ones will survive....some others may not..but the choice is there at the moment...modern,oldies,100mph ,R&B..its all there for the taking...better that than just a few tired out old do's. todays scene is very healthy I recone

Bazza

Edited May 22, 2007 by bazza

[jocko]

84 to 90, music and people unbeatable, an undisputable fact because I say so!

[Jumpinjoan]

84 to 90, music and people unbeatable, an undisputable fact because I say so!

Same for me Jock... although i'd stretch it out anouther couple of years to '92... ish

[Guest barnsey]

Same for me Jock... although i'd stretch it out anouther couple of years to '92... ish

bout the same for me

[Baz Atkinson]

84 to 90, music and people unbeatable, an undisputable fact because I say so!

OH YES IT WAS MORE LIKE A CRUSADE THEN,AND EVERYONE KNEW EACH OTHER,IT WAS UNDERGROUND STUFF TO THE MAX ,I BLOODY LOVED THEM DAYS AND TO ME THERE WILL NEVER BE SURPASSED.SHOTTS,MANSFIELD,DERBY ALL DAYERS,CHESTERFIELD,MEXBORO ETC.

TO ME THE MID TEMPO DAYS ,THE REAL IRONY OF THE SCENE NOW IS THAT AS WE GET OLDER THE MUSIC GETS FASTER,HARD KEEPING THE TWO IN CHECK.

GOOD THREAD WHICH WILL GIVE SO MANY DIFFERENT VIEWS.

BAZ A.

[Guest kevnewry]

Suppose the heydays for me was 77/81... Still young the whole thing was unbelivable at the time.

Having said that,coming back after a long break from it all,I think there's much more choice some of the tunes i've heard lately are really brilliant Soul tunes which wouldnt have been played on the scene back then.

I think i'm probably enjoyin it far more this time around,more appreciative of the different tunes and a lot of good people.

[Guest rasfoz]

Same for me Jock... although i'd stretch it out anouther couple of years to '92... ish

id say 92 aswell but i facked off around 93ish & made my thriumphant return proper about 3 years ago

[Simsy]

bout the same for me

And me. Though would say went to the 100 Club pretty much all the way through the 90's and they were all top!

[Simon M]

1982 to 1991 for me , loads of newies and only Keb made it onto Top of the Pops .... or was that a bit later ?

[Guest]

1982 to 1991 for me , loads of newies and only Keb made it onto Top of the Pops .... or was that a bit later ?

1971 to 1982 ......

Malc Burton

[good angel]

I suppose when you first got into the music,for me 75/76.

Kev

[Guest]

I suppose when you first got into the music,for me 75/76.

Kev

I got into the music in 1964 , and started going to places in 1965 .....

It was called a club scene then .......

Malc Burton

[Bazza]

I got into the music in 1964 , and started going to places in 1965 .....

It was called a club scene then .......

Malc Burton

I expected folks in there mid 40's to say the 80's,and those ..erm more mature types to say early 70's

you've buggered that idea up Malc

Bazza

[Guest Byrney]

Same for me Jock... although i'd stretch it out anouther couple of years to '92... ish

Same here Joan.

[Simon T]

I wonder if there’s a correlation between your ‘heyday’ and your age at that time?

[Tabs]

I wonder if there's a correlation between your 'heyday' and your age at that time?

Spot on.

1970 - 1980 - halcyon days. for me.

[Guest Bearsy]

2004 -

[Dave]

Seen this phrase a lot just lately....some say the 80's But to me 68 to 74 were my "heydays",

I suppose its cos that was when it was new and exciting,and I was in my prime or youth ,todays scene is very different to the old days..for many reasons...some good some not so good..

Many complain about the number of venues,I think that will eventually turn out to be a good thing ...the good ones will survive....some others may not..but the choice is there at the moment...modern,oldies,100mph ,R&B..its all there for the taking...better that than just a few tired out old do's. todays scene is very healthy I recone

Bazza

About 2-2 1/2 years ago!!!!

An allnighter of some kind at Sheridans a couple of times a month, Chris W's CIS monthly nighter and still a few soul nights with real atmosphere!

It's all very well saying the "the good ones will survive", but by then many will be pissed off with half-full venues run by Johnny-cum-lately's with nothing new to offer, who just want to get behind some decks no matter what the effect.

Edited May 15, 2007 by Dave

[Guest kevnewry]

I wonder if there's a correlation between your 'heyday' and your age at that time?

Think this is right,first heard "Northern" when i was about 14,just loved it straight away but couldnt go anywhere to dance. Older fellas at school got us interested. First Whitchurch alldayer soon followed then Wigan,Blackpool etc it was all fresh to me around 77/78,in hindsight now there was a lot crap played but at 16 i wasnt gonna say anything.

Looking back now they were great times,but think with age we mellow and learn to appreciate what the scenes like today.

This music is a hardy old dog, it's still got us old farts lovin it.

[Guest nubes]

Suppose the heydays for me was 77/81... Still young the whole thing was unbelivable at the time.

Having said that,coming back after a long break from it all,I think there's much more choice some of the tunes i've heard lately are really brilliant Soul tunes which wouldnt have been played on the scene back then.

I think i'm probably enjoyin it far more this time around,more appreciative of the different tunes and a lot of good people.

I totally agree.....Young...Foolish but very happy....and yes i think the music spectrum has really widen since those days which too me is a positive...in them times...you couldnt say to people oh i luv Northern as well as Jazz/Funk...you wouldve been swung from the nearest post!!!!...Delxx

[Guest Jim.]

81 - 89...In fairness though I'm enjoying the scene today as much as i ever did.

[Guest]

I expected folks in there mid 40's to say the 80's,and those ..erm more mature types to say early 70's

you've buggered that idea up Malc

Bazza

Oh yes .....

It is definately a case of " During The War " for me now ......

The 60s , the 70s , the 80s , the 90s and the 2000s .......

Five decades .....

God , I feel old .....

Malc Burton

[Guest moggy]

76/77 onwards till mid 80ts

Maybe because I was a youth, but i loved the meeting up and travelling, sometimes 100s of miles, as back then, we never had anywhere near as much chioce as there is today,

also because back then i got the vinyl buying bug straight away, records were in abundance and affordable, near enough every venue had great records for sale, hearing loads of new stuff, the quest to know whats the title and who it was sung by whats it released on, and then the thrill of finding it and parting with your hard earned sheckles, watching great dancers, meeting new friends & a few ass holes, in the words of Gladys

I Wanna go back there again.

[Guest in town Mikey]

My mates all began to get driving licences about 1980, so depsite having some incredible times before, the country opening up to us. Exotic places like Hinckley, Leicester Morecombe and Stafford, even Glenrothes one freezing weekend.

After Stafford closed Nottingham and Blackburn didnt seem to have that same oomph.

But just as good was rediscovering Northern Soul again in 96 in London. The 100 club seemed to me much better than it had in the mid 80s. Ady's RCA discoveries were brilliant to orgasmic. Capital, Scenesville, These Old Shoes, Boogaloo, Soul in the City, George Jackson, Coast to Coast, Seriously Soulful, A New Chapter, Da Doo Ron Ron, Upbeat, Monumental, Grapevine, Get it Baby, Terry's Chocolate, Shotgun, Crossfire etc etc. Soul for most tastes. The late 90s early noughties in London was as good as I have ever known the Soul scene. OK having 5 of the above all on on the same night wasnt the greatest idea in the world. but the choice was second to none.

Edited May 16, 2007 by in town Mikey

[Guest Simon]

But just as good was rediscovering Northern Soul again in 96 in London. The 100 club seemed to me much better than it had in the mid 80s. Ady's RCA discoveries were brilliant to orgasmic. Capital, Scenesville, These Old Shoes, Boogaloo, Soul in the City, George Jackson, Coast to Coast, Seriously Soulful, A New Chapter, Da Doo Ron Ron, Upbeat, Monumental, Grapevine, Get it Baby, Terry's Chocolate, Shotgun, Crossfire etc etc. Soul for most tastes. The late 90s early noughties in London was as good as I have ever known the Soul scene. OK having 5 of the above all on on the same night wasnt the greatest idea in the world. but the choice was second to none.

[Guest johnm]

2004 -

2005 -

[Winnie :-)]

Interesting question, and I'm sure the dates mentioned have lots to do with peoples ages as mentioned by somebody else. Heyday for me, was 73/74 till about 79. Had a little dabble again in 81, but my son had just been born, so had to curtail it. Came back 97/98 and have pretty much enjoyed it since. Nowadays the urge to travel great distances has all but gone, stick to things mainly within a 100 mile radius, or a 2 hour journey. With more on locally, I don't really have to travel as much, as most places have reasonable guests.

Winnie:-)

[Ernie Andrews]

74 -79 - but when you are young you look through rose tinted specs

Enjoying the scene today as well - although Im losing my eysight

[Guest Matt Male]

I reckon everyone's heyday will be when they were young and free to do as they liked and take in two nighters and a dayer every weekend without worrying about work and kids for the rest of the week.

Mine would be '79 - '85.

Because it was a massive time of change in tastes, fashions and music on the scene. The end of Wigan to the start (and end) of Stafford etc...

By 1985 the scene was unrecognisable as the one i joined in 1978/9. Completely different.

Bit deep but it was like the end of innocence in 1981, it all became a bit more serious after Wigan closed or maybe it was just me growing up

Having said all that though, i'm really enjoying the way things are today. Plenty of choice, lots of great people, Soul Source...

[Sharon Cooper]

Me: 73 - 78

Chris: Circa 71-78

Probably to do with me being 15 in 73 and Chris being 18 in 71

The perspective of youth from middle aged `uns like us gives a completely different viewpoint of `Halcyon days` though!!

S

[Barry]

I think I would call the halcyon days the days that involved a little pain and hardship for me to follow the scene (motorways, thumbs, buses, trains or a good [4 hour] walk with a fiver and a wrap in me pocket - I may throw in a good legging too) - so, on the back of that I'm going with '79 to '88.

Edited May 16, 2007 by Barry

[Peter99]

1978 - 1992 was my hey day - I loved it and lived it! Dayers and Nighters - nighters were my preference.

Derby Assembly Rooms, Birmingham, Yate, Wigan, Clifton Hall, Cleethorpes Winter Gardens, Leicester Odd Fellows, Notts Palais, Notts Rock City et al.

Best days of me life.

[Mark B]

for me it was 1972 to about 1979 started to fall off in 80 then back again in 1995 till tomorrow

for me it will always be blackpool wigan cleethorpes derby tiffany's newcastle under lynne (sunday night) blue rooms carolines pendulum greatstone druffies belle vue, and lots of other places ,

now i tend to stick within a 40 mile radius and no longer do all nighters.

mark

[Mark Bicknell]

As far as the music goes the best time has to be now the present as we can select from all the best bits over the past four decades and enjoy the lesser knowns, unknowns, semi knowns, all of it in fact, scene wise i have no comment.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

[Guest gordon russell]

from 1970 onwards best music by far played from YATE ONWARDS UP TO THE PRESENT belita woods c/up ,masquaders c/up robert tanner

to name but a few of the great sounds from just recently. can,t understand why so many who stopped going in the 80 is and 90 is

who have now returned don,t want to know these and hundreds of newer 60 is sounds

STRANGE WORLD OF SOUL

[Mak]

As far as the music goes the best time has to be now the present as we can select from all the best bits over the past four decades and enjoy the lesser knowns, unknowns, semi knowns, all of it in fact, scene wise i have no comment.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Here here Mark , musically it has to be now .Excitement wise it was 71/74.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Seen this phrase a lot just lately....some say the 80's But to me 68 to 74 were my "heydays",

...all over by January 1972 , as far as I'm concerned

[Guest mel brat]

...all over by January 1972 , as far as I'm concerned

Tch Tch, I wouldn't say THAT Tony.... but Sunday July 14th 1973 perhaps...

[Guest martyn]

76 untill 82 was my personal heyday,musicly though I would say that 1978 was possibly the worst & 76/77 & 81 the best during that time.

I do think it is an age thing though

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Tch Tch, I wouldn't say THAT Tony.... but Sunday July 14th 1973 perhaps...

...close enough

[Pete S]

I suppose when you first got into the music,for me 75/76.

Kev

Same here peaking in early 77 for me...Wigan at the time of Herbert Hunter, lee Roye, Embers, Inspirations, Yum Yums, Adams Apples, Shane Martin, Jewels, Willie Mitchell...

[tone5446]

Top times for me was when I first "discovered" the Northern scene at Terry Davis's soul nights at the Fountain in the Mile End road in 72 (or was it 73, I dunno) . This led on to trips to the Torch and the Mecca during the most important period of the scene. It was all fairly new then and also mostly free from all the bollocks that goes on these days, (and the gear was better).

Tone

[22ndsoul]

77 - 82 for me.

[Guest markmtfc]

82-88

[Guest]

Top times for me was when I first "discovered" the Northern scene at Terry Davis's soul nights at the Fountain in the Mile End road in 72 (or was it 73, I dunno) . This led on to trips to the Torch and the Mecca during the most important period of the scene. It was all fairly new then and also mostly free from all the bollocks that goes on these days, (and the gear was better).

Tone

Definately ....

The clothes these days just don't have the style in my opinion ....

Malc Burton

[Sanquine]

1978 - 89 for me - though can't complain - as certain venue's in present day, giving me just as much pleasure as the old day's

Karen

[Guest hurryup]

I reckon everyone's heyday will be when they were young and free to do as they liked and take in two nighters and a dayer every weekend without worrying about work and kids for the rest of the week.

Mine would be '79 - '85.

Because it was a massive time of change in tastes, fashions and music on the scene. The end of Wigan to the start (and end) of Stafford etc...

By 1985 the scene was unrecognisable as the one i joined in 1978/9. Completely different.

Bit deep but it was like the end of innocence in 1981, it all became a bit more serious after Wigan closed or maybe it was just me growing up

Having said all that though, i'm really enjoying the way things are today. Plenty of choice, lots of great people, Soul Source...

I wonder how much people would pay to have a trip in a time machine - to re-live two or three nights from the past???

Because it was quite rare and under-ground (to a certain extent - 1972-77)) - made it more exciting and life is just beginning when you're only a wee lassie!!!

My only regret is that real life got in the way - work, boyfriend, family

If there's one thing I've learnt - live life, you never know what's round the corner!!!

God bless all those we remember who aren't with us now (sorry, this has got a bit morbid, think I'd better cut down on the wine), sob, sob

[Bazza]

I wonder how much people would pay to have a trip in a time machine - to re-live two or three nights from the past???

Because it was quite rare and under-ground (to a certain extent - 1972-77)) - made it more exciting and life is just beginning when you're only a wee lassie!!!

My only regret is that real life got in the way - work, boyfriend, family

If there's one thing I've learnt - live life, you never know what's round the corner!!!

God bless all those we remember who aren't with us now (sorry, this has got a bit morbid, think I'd better cut down on the wine), sob, sob

Ayup ,Hurryup....nice to see you and Daz at the Empress other week,you going this week end ?

Bazza

Edited May 21, 2007 by bazza

[Guest mel brat]

Because it was quite rare and under-ground (to a certain extent - 1972-77...

I'm afraid the scene had ceased to be "underground" as early as 1975. Seeing the likes of Wigan's Ovation and crew cavorting on 'Top of The Pops', and gushing articles on Wayne Gibson or the Javells. in the tabloid press didn't sit easily with some of my generation's view of Northern Soul music one little bit!

Edited May 21, 2007 by mel brat

[Guest]

(and the gear was better).

Tone

Your havin`a laugh arnt you.