Ian Levine, Motorcity, Centre City, Blackpool Mecca, And Swons

[Dave Thorley]

Hello Dave.

Long time...

Hi Ian

Hows tricks, I'm still trying to sell those records I bought from you. Just kidding, I see you appearance on here or even the mention of your name still creats a little stir.

Dave

[Guest]

what about "I can't erase the thoughts of you" - -Barbara Pennington.

One of my favourite songs I ever wrote. Here's Venicia Wilson doing it.

">

[Dave Rimmer]

Ah - I was wondering when I'd bump into you.

The man who called me "a disgrace and an embarrassment to the Soul Scene".

I have carried that one with me, Rimmer, for years now.

Well yes, we've had this conversation before. I can't ever remember writing it, and you can't ever produce the proof i did write it. Personally I think it's just a fabrication of your over active imagination. However, if I did write it, I probably had good reason to

However, perhaps it's just me being a cynic, but what a surprise it was to see you turning up on SS again. Just as it coincides with the need to promote the all new DVD set.................................

So transparent !

[Guest sarahleen]

ian how many boxes of posh cigars are they giving you to divert attention away from the souled out film thread ? lol

[Guest]

Hi Ian

Hows tricks, I'm still trying to sell those records I bought from you. Just kidding

You certainly bought them cheap enough.

[KevH]

I DJ'd at the third ever Wigan allnighter in 1973. You're three years out.

,i'm sure you were on around that time.Mecca to Wigan to see you!!.

Left CC to do the last hours,on at Wigan mid way thru the nite.

Cleared the floor with some Mecca fodder.....shame on them.

[Guest Trevski]

Yes deffo the best. Can't deny that. I also liked "Reaching for the best" - you may be surprised to hear.

I still think the best tailor-made has to be Carol Anderson "Sad girl" Fee. Not known to be tailor-made at the time, only later emerged that the guys at Fee knocked it up after the Flaming Emeralds did so well on re-issue. Proper bespoke!

[Guest]

Well yes, we've had this conversation before. I can't ever remember writing it, and you can't ever produce the proof i did write it. Personally I think it's just a fabrication of your over active imagination. However, if I did write it, I probably had good reason to

However, perhaps it's just me being a cynic, but what a surprise it was to see you turning up on SS again. Just as it coincides with the need to promote the all new DVD set.................................

So transparent !

Disgraceful post.

You should know better.

You wrote it here on Soul Source in reply to someone complaining about The Four Vandals.

I'm sure if all Soul Source is archived, it can be easily found.

I memorised it word for word, amazed that someone who writes books and magazines could be so blinkered. It saddened me forever where your name is concerned.

It frightens me that people might actually read stuff like this purely because it came from you, and actaully be influenced by it in some way.

Reminds me of Hitler Youth a bit.

[Pauldonnelly]

Ian, who in your opinion over the last 40 years has "done it" for you as DJ.

Although Alan Day had that something special and over the last decade Butch and Croasdale have discovered some awesome recirds on a limited budget Colin Curtis was at the cutting edge for half a decade. between 1971 and 1976 and always 'did it'

Any thoughts?

[Guest]

I still think the best tailor-made has to be Carol Anderson "Sad girl" Fee.

I object to the term tailor made.

Carol Anderson is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful Northern Soul records of all time.

Knocks spots off Margaret Little, Arthur Willis and The Soulful Dynamics, and just about every record Soul Sam reviews in his dreary column in Manifesto.

[Dave Thorley]

You certainly bought them cheap enough.

Ian, everyone did OK out of that deal.

[KevH]

Disgraceful post.

You should know better.

You wrote it here on Soul Source in reply to someone complaining about The Four Vandals.

I'm sure if all Soul Source is archived, it can be easily found.

I memorised it word for word, amazed that someone who writes books and magazines could be so blinkered. It saddened me forever where your name is concerned.

It frightens me that people might actually read stuff like this purely because it came from you, and actaully be influenced by it in some way.

Reminds me of Hitler Youth a bit.

Do you mean like the way you spoke about Mark Bicknell?.Its no different.

Your analogy is out of order (imho).

[Rhino]

Pathetic.

Not worth replying to such inane dross.

ZERO respect.

maybe people on this site would respect you more if you acted like adult instead of a chubby kid. after so many dacades on the scene you would of thought you would of got a custum to critasizum after all you can only please some of the people some of the time.i respect what you did 4 the scene years ago but this is childish

[Guest]

However, perhaps it's just me being a cynic, but what a surprise it was to see you turning up on SS again. Just as it coincides with the need to promote the all new DVD set.................................

So transparent !

If you remotely cared about the artists you so bleatingly purport to care about, you'd welcome a DVD with 200 of them on it, to give people a chance to see them performing their classics, especially when so many are dead now.

But no, you, as always, have your own agenda.

[macca]

This is getting nastier & nastier.

I remember a Colin Curtis

visit to Peterborough sometime in 1976 marred by fag-end throwing while he was on the decks.

Disgraceful.

He came back in 1979 to a heroes welcome, but it was a Jazz-Funk all-dayer run

by a guy who wound up a lot of people on here a while back for excessively promoting his events.

Anyway, my question is this: Cleethorpes was seen by many as very progressive venue through 1975/6.

Did you ever feel they were attempting to steal your fire with regard to music policy?

Many records are credited today as being Cleethorpes sounds, especially when you look at those 'story of' CDs

from Goldmine. I must be very difficult 35 years after the event to say who played what first, I know...

[pikeys dog]

In all seriousness, I find your likening of anyone who disagrees with you as reminiscent of the Hitler Youth, Fascists and Nazis, extremlely distasteful.

I'm suprised that someone of your personal background stoops so low as to compare what are in the scheme of things, minor barbs against your personality, with the most heinous of crimes commited against people because of their religion, ethnic grouping, disability or sexuality.

You really are a very offensive man.

[Guest]

Ian, who in your opinion over the last 40 years has "done it" for you as DJ.

Although Alan Day had that something special and over the last decade Butch and Croasdale have discovered some awesome recirds on a limited budget Colin Curtis was at the cutting edge for half a decade. between 1971 and 1976 and always 'did it'

Any thoughts?

Simon White is the most wonderful DJ I have ever had the fortune to experience.

He has no agenda, he loves the music, he will play a two thousand pound rarity followed by a new recording, he champions good music regardless of when it was made, has a heart of gold, and the most exquisite taste in music of anyone I know.

Otherwise, Les Cokell was the single biggest musical influence on my entire life and the records I make today contain a piece of his heart and soul in the structure and chord changes.

And Carl Fortnum was breathtaking when I heard him play.

[KevH]

In all seriousness, I find your likening of anyone who disagrees with you as reminiscent of the Hitler Youth, Fascists and Nazis, extremlely distasteful.

I'm suprised that someone of your personal background stoops so low as to compare what are in the scheme of things, minor barbs against your personality, with the most heinous of crimes commited against people because of their religion, ethnic grouping, disability or sexuality.

You really are a very offensive man.

[Steve G]

I still think the best tailor-made has to be Carol Anderson "Sad girl" Fee. Not known to be tailor-made at the time, only later emerged that the guys at Fee knocked it up after the Flaming Emeralds did so well on re-issue. Proper bespoke!

This was not a tailor made. This post is just wrong. Flaming Emeralds reissued? You mean UK issue on Grapevine which was pretty contemporary with it's US release - a matter of months at most. The guys at fee all had a strong Detroit pedigree and although John A had some dealings with them, both the 45 and the LP that Carol did at the same time were great. Track down the article I did in Manifesto which outlined all this stuff....pleeeez.

[Guest Salford soul boy]

sounds to me like your revisiting getting over yourself. Post 1974 ???

How sweet.

I got over myself long ago, pal.

[KevH]

Simon White is the most wonderful DJ I have ever had the fortune to experience.

He has no agenda, he loves the music, he will play a two thousand pound rarity followed by a new recording, he champions good music regardless of when it was made, has a heart of gold, and the most exquisite taste in music of anyone I know.

Otherwise, Les Cokell was the single biggest musical influence on my entire life and the records I make today contain a piece of his heart and soul in the structure and chord changes.

And Carl Fortnum was breathtaking when I heard him play.

crikey you not going to Burnley are ya? .

[Pauldonnelly]

Simon White is the most wonderful DJ I have ever had the fortune to experience.

He has no agenda, he loves the music, he will play a two thousand pound rarity followed by a new recording, he champions good music regardless of when it was made, has a heart of gold, and the most exquisite taste in music of anyone I know.

Otherwise, Les Cokell was the single biggest musical influence on my entire life and the records I make today contain a piece of his heart and soul in the structure and chord changes.

And Carl Fortnum was breathtaking when I heard him play.

[Guest Trevski]

I object to the term tailor made.

Carol Anderson is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful Northern Soul records of all time.

Knocks spots off Margaret Little, Arthur Willis and The Soulful Dynamics, and just about every record Soul Sam reviews in his dreary column in Manifesto.

It was documented on here some time ago that the writers/producers at Fee made "Sad girl" purposely to appeal to the Northern market after they had demand for a re-press of Flaming Emeralds. That makes it a tailor-made in my book, altho' I agree it is a wonderful record however it came into being!

[Mark B]

Hi ian

looks like you have been busy, the videos you have redone look a lot better than the originals, hope it sells well.

all the best

Mark

[Guest Trevski]

This was not a tailor made. This post is just wrong. Flaming Emeralds reissued? You mean UK issue on Grapevine which was pretty contemporary with it's US release - a matter of months at most. The guys at fee all had a strong Detroit pedigree and although John A had some dealings with them, both the 45 and the LP that Carol did at the same time were great. Track down the article I did in Manifesto which outlined all this stuff....pleeeez.

Story I heard was the fee guys produced it after the flaming emeralds sold well on the UK scene. I meant the second US issue of FE the blue one as opposed to orange, not the UK copies. If this story is wrong then I stand corrected.

[Steve G]

Story I heard was the fee guys produced it after the flaming emeralds sold well on the UK scene. I meant the second US issue of FE the blue one as opposed to orange, not the UK copies. If this story is wrong then I stand corrected.

It is wrong Trevski, the FE's was big early 77. Carol A was about 2 years later.

[Steve G]

I just fell off my chair.

Shouldn't that be "I just fell off my pedestal" Ian

[Guest]

Do you mean like the way you spoke about Mark Bicknell?.Its no different.

Your analogy is out of order (imho).

No I don't mean that.

I have watched for years as Mark Bicknell builds his own agenda, then walks out in a strop, waiting for people to come running after him. He is so cleverly subtle in the way he drops hints of disapproval, then refuses to comment after sowing seeds of fascist type ideas into other people's heads. And he has the most closed mind I have ever encountered within this musical genre.

Believe it or not, I don't actually dislike him as a person, but I find his insidious manipulations to be worryingly dangerous and psychologically quite scary.

I'm the opposite. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I believe in what I do and feel abject horror when bitterly criticised. But whatever they say about me, I have done my bit. As has Kev Roberts who you all seem to equally criticise.

It's very easy to lose money out of championing the music we love -all too easy, and made doubly bitter when Marxists jump on a soapbox accusing you of ripping off the soul scene.

Phillip Mitchell accused Kent Records of ripping him off. Having dealt with Phillip Mitchell, I know how terrible and unreasonable he can be, and how he makes everyone believe facts that are untrue. I really felt empathy for Kent over this, because the minute an artist cries rip-off, every Northern Soul fan seems to blindly take up their cause without ever considering there might be another side to the story.

I'll give you two examples of this.

Bobby Sanders said EMI music had ripped him off and never paid him a penny for "Countdown", by The Tempos, a song which was covered in the 1980s as a high energy record that sold 20,000 copies.

I went to EMI and accused them of this, on his behalf, only to discover that they had given him twenty thousand dollars as a buy-out and had his signed paper that he'd given up all rights. He had just forgotten he ever did this.

Mary Wells, when she was tragically dying of throat cancer, went on American TV to complain about Berry Gordy never paying her a penny since she left Motown, and how badly she had been ripped off. Motown vice president Ewart Abner came on TV with Mary's contract. She had asked to leave in 1965 to go to Twentieth century, and Herman Griffin had made Motown's life a misery, so right at her peak, coming off a number one pop record, she was allowed to go free and sign elsewhere and in return she gave up all her future royalties. She asked to go, and these were their terms, and they didn't owe her a penny. Yet Berry still gave her thousands of dollars to help her through this terrible period, even though he didn't owe her one cent.

There are always two sides.

Edited August 22, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Mark B]

It is wrong Trevski, the FE's was big early 77. Carol A was about 2 years later.

thought carol anderson was earlier than that i remember it pretty well and i stopped going to northern in 79/80

mark

[Pete S]

thought carol anderson was earlier than that i remember it pretty well and i stopped going to northern in 79/80

mark

No he's right Mark, Carol Anderson was 79

[Guest]

Hi ian

looks like you have been busy, the videos you have redone look a lot better than the originals, hope it sells well.

all the best

Mark

That's why we have spent so much time redoing them. A true labour of love. The cost is verging on prohibitive. Every penny from Wienerworld is going into the video re-editing.

[Dave Rimmer]

Disgraceful post.

You should know better.

You wrote it here on Soul Source in reply to someone complaining about The Four Vandals.

I'm sure if all Soul Source is archived, it can be easily found.

I memorised it word for word, amazed that someone who writes books and magazines could be so blinkered. It saddened me forever where your name is concerned.

It frightens me that people might actually read stuff like this purely because it came from you, and actaully be influenced by it in some way.

Reminds me of Hitler Youth a bit.

So, because I write about Soul music I'm a member of the Hitler Youth, although I fail to see any connection whatsoever between my musings on Black American music from the 1960s (Mostly), and a German military recruiting organisation from the 1940s. If you can manage to make that connection, that frightens me considerably !

However, what I don't do is perpetrate a deliberate fraud upon thousands of people just to massage my own ego, which is precicely what you did with the Four Vandals. What's more I don't think I said YOU were a disgrace, I think I said your actions were, and that I do think your actions were a disgrace and an embarassment to the Soul scene, there, I've said it again now.

Funnily enough, I personally think the Four Vandals was a smashing piece of pop music that could quite possibly have made the charts on the back of Steve Brookstein's success, if it hadn't been disguised and touted as something it wasn't.

Strangly enough I've never slagged off the Motor City stuff either, because although it wasn't really to my taste, I understood the passion and committment that had gone into making the music as a tribute to those artists.

It's a shame really, somewhere you've lost your way and have turned into the very same bigot that you claim to despise, insisting your version of NS is the only true way and insulting everybody who disagrees with you. It's pathetic really.

These are my last words on the subject because my time is more valuable to me to waste it in responding to your petty tirades.

You've conveniently ignored the comment I made about you suddenly re-apperaing on SS to promote the box set again as well.

[Guest]

You really are a very offensive man.

You in particular have been so vilely offensive about me in the past here on Soul Source (and yes I read it all), that you shouldn't dare to say this.

I am being calm and cool and reasoned and controlled here. I am offering fair comment as to certain people's activities, such activities having gone unchallenged for too long.

Just as your last three years of rants about me also went unchallenged.

But I have stored them all up, Pikey's Dog, and yet am still being civil to you, even though you have made my blood boil in the past.

[Chalky]

How does that work then Don't you mean some disco was played and accepted at Northern nights

QoFxx

if something is played at Northern Soul nights that makes it a Northern Soul record doesn't it Doesn't the term describes a scene and not a particular music style as Northern Soul is made up of many genres and styles.

[sister dawn]

Ian

Could you please enlighten me about the Take That period in your music career, was the release of the old Tavares number your decision or that of A.N Other? Myself and a couple of the other girls are sat here during our break and we would also like to know about any other gossip about those lovely boyz.

Thank you

[Guest Trevski]

You in particular have been so vilely offensive about me in the past here on Soul Source (and yes I read it all), that you shouldn't dare to say this.

I am being calm and cool and reasoned and controlled here. I am offering fair comment as to certain people's activities, such activities having gone unchallenged for too long.

Just as your last three years of rants about me also went unchallenged.

But I have stored them all up, Pikey's Dog, and yet am still being civil to you, even though you have made my blood boil in the past.

"I vill put your name in zee book! Vot is it?"

"Don't tell him Pike(y)"

Edited August 22, 2008 by Trevski

[chrissie]

I'm a member of the Hitler Youth, .

I knew I had seen you somewhere before Dave

QoFxx

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[chrissie]

if something is played at Northern Soul nights that makes it a Northern Soul record doesn't it Doesn't the term describes a scene and not a particular music style as Northern Soul is made up of many genres and styles.

So thast makes Joe 90 NS then

QoFxx

Edited August 22, 2008 by chrissie

[Dave Rimmer]

I knew I had seen you somewhere before Dave

QoFxx

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[Guest]

So, because I write about Soul music I'm a member of the Hitler Youth

And you have twisted what I said.

I offered up worry that printing falsehoods, and having impressionable readers, could lead to misinformation and prejudgement, and compared that to the concept of 1930s youth in Germany being given propaganda that was wrong, but believing it because they were indoctrinated with it.

I believe if you offer yourself up as a journalist and as an expert, you have a moral duty to be far far less biased than You, Dave Rimmer, actually are.

[chrissie]

You were better looking then, if you don't mind me saying Obviously before the ravages of the NS scene got a grip

QoFxx

PS can you tell I bored stuck at home with a broken ankle and nothing better to do....................anyway you lot isn't it time you were all out enjoying yourselves

Edited August 22, 2008 by chrissie

[Guest Salford soul boy]

Thats it game over set and match. Mr Levine looses. YOUR SIMPLY WORKING FAIR ENOUGH. BUT AT LEAST FESS UP EH

Im sure anybody on this site cant find most of the 200 tracks your whittling on about, on limewire or other information sharing website.

Some of you DJs really are inward looking nearlys.

If you remotely cared about the artists you so bleatingly purport to care about, you'd welcome a DVD with 200 of them on it, to give people a chance to see them performing their classics, especially when so many are dead now.

But no, you, as always, have your own agenda.

[pikeys dog]

Nice one Trevski, beat me to it...

[Guest Salford soul boy]

of course it does no argument no debate

So thast makes Joe 90 NS then

QoFxx

[Guest sarahleen]

And you have twisted what I said.

I offered up worry that printing falsehoods, and having impressionable readers, could lead to misinformation and prejudgement, and compared that to the concept of 1930s youth in Germany being given propaganda that was wrong, but believing it because they were indoctrinated with it.

I believe if you offer yourself up as a journalist and as an expert, you have a moral duty to be far far less biased than You, Dave Rimmer, actually are.

the third reich in comparison to northern soul journalism , wecome to the crazy world of northern soul young and "impressionable" readers. nothings changes lol

[Steve G]

So thast makes Joe 90 NS then

QoFxx

No Chrissie that was one of a number of dark moments in the scene history. But you cannot deny that 70s sounds have been part of the northern scene since....err....the early 70s even if you don't personally like them. weren't you there when things like Anderson Brothers, Life "Tell me why", First Choice etc etc Now behave on the 70s thing or I'll tread on your leg plaster cast on the 30th

[pikeys dog]

You in particular have been so vilely offensive about me in the past here on Soul Source (and yes I read it all), that you shouldn't dare to say this.

I am being calm and cool and reasoned and controlled here. I am offering fair comment as to certain people's activities, such activities having gone unchallenged for too long.

Just as your last three years of rants about me also went unchallenged.

But I have stored them all up, Pikey's Dog, and yet am still being civil to you, even though you have made my blood boil in the past.

And still no sign of Humility.

No 'fair enough - perhaps it was a bit harsh'

No 'I'm Sorry, if anyone may have been offended by my my likening posts on her to the perpetrators of the Holocaust'

Just empty threats from a bitter old Queen.

(p.s. sorry if the above comment may offended any members who are Gay.)

Edited August 22, 2008 by pikeys dog

[Guest]

Ian

Could you please enlighten me about the Take That period in your music career, was the release of the old Tavares number your decision or that of A.N Other? Myself and a couple of the other girls are sat here during our break and we would also like to know about any other gossip about those lovely boyz.

Thank you

In all fairness, discussing Take That, other than me working with Soul legend Billy Griffin on the project, is of no relevance to this forum, and I don't feel comfortable discussing it here.

Out of respect to Mike Hughes, we need to keep this discussion about Northern Soul, or at least records that have the appearance and sound of Northern Soul even if some members refuse to accept them as such.

[chrissie]

No Chrissie that was one of a number of dark moments in the scene history. But you cannot deny that 70s sounds have been part of the northern scene since....err....the early 70s even if you don't personally like them. weren't you there when things like Anderson Brothers, Life "Tell me why", First Choice etc etc Now behave on the 70s thing or I'll tread on your leg plaster cast on the 30th

Just being mischeivious, never went to wigan after 75 so I really did miss the disco "period" or maybe I just tried to blot it out like some bad childhood experience

Note to self: do not get hypnotised I may start remembering

QoFxx

Edited August 22, 2008 by chrissie

[Guest Salford soul boy]

I disagree dark moment indeed... TUT TUT it popularised the scene for many a new soulie

No Chrissie that was one of a number of dark moments in the scene history. But you cannot deny that 70s sounds have been part of the northern scene since....err....the early 70s even if you don't personally like them. weren't you there when things like Anderson Brothers, Life "Tell me why", First Choice etc etc Now behave on the 70s thing or I'll tread on your leg plaster cast on the 30th