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

[Guest]

What I can't square even until this day, is that a record like James Wells is a phenomenal piece of music, and it completely annihilates my search for 'authentic' rare soul. Had it been discovered by a collector in Chicago in a yard sale, on a small US label and played at Stafford as a cover up it would be an all time, stonewall classic. What does that really say about the northern scene and 'authenticity' that myself and many on the forum believe in. Maybe that in some cases we would prefer the rarity to the quality, or deliberately pass over great music becasue it has not come through the specific and obscure route we demand.

Stuart Cosgrove

The words shine like diamonds in a coal mine.

I wish I saw more of you these days.

[Soul Shrews]

White

White socks, white socks I"m sorry you've gone too far now Ian................there are limits

HEAR HEAR. Lets get some proper interesting queries about finds/tunes/record finding trips etc. You know it makes sense people.

Well said Koolkat

Ian, who played The Twanns at the Mecca please ?

Cheers Paul

[Soul-slider]

Don't know you Ian but I respect what you do. A mate at work is a 'high energy' fan and loves your early/mid 80's stuff!

Anyway, bought these two gems a few months back from my local record store:

HERMAN GRIFFIN - NOT ONE CHANCE IN A MILLION (SWORD & SHIELD) 2001?

THE SATINTONES - IT'S A ROUGH WORLD / HALF A MAN (STREET CORNER) 2001?

Have to say...brilliant productions!

Edited August 25, 2008 by Soul-Slider

[scunnyjack]

Hi Ian,

Don't know if this has been asked earlier but what was the first record to be covered up at the Mecca. During my first ever visit I can recall the Coasters and Edie Walker but suspect there were many before them.

Best regards

Steve

[Guest dundeedavie]

PS. To all the Hibs and Dundee fans that have been PMing me about Saints being shit, get a grip. We have a new player called Nick McKoy, who if my spies are right is related to one of Ian's artists. Soul and Saints I'll take a bit of that.

Dundee fans on here ? i thought i was the only one and i know only too well we might end up being shit and would never tempt fate

ps loved the post ....yer a deep man stuart

Edited August 25, 2008 by dundeedavie

[Soul-slider]

Dundee fans on here ? i thought i was the only one and i know only too well we might end up being shit and would never tempt fate

You gotta feel sorry for me....I'm a Spurs fan and I know we're gonna be shit

[Modernsoulsucks]

I think the difficulty some of us are having lies in the fact that there are actually two Ian Levines

The first is a guy who was a pioneer who knew what we wanted back in the day and anticipated that need on countless occassions by the simple act of putting a needle on a 45 that we had not heard up until that moment and yet it was instantly familiar because of his ear for the sound and the care he took in his choices. That Ian is still here to my mind in his references to the importance of "Motownesque" music and his disdain for those who try to blur the original meaning of Northern Soul by claiming the title for other forms of music which are quite seperate and distinct.

If Les was almost weeing himself at the Kama Sutra 45 I dread to think what would have happened had Colin put on "Soft Walking" or Charles Sheffield. Probably would have abandoned the night with most of us punters hospitalised with chronic mirth. This guy was there at the start and can regale us with interesting tidbits of that time till the cows come home. If the words "I" or "me" come into it too often for some people, they are used because he was there and he contributed heavily in that early development.

The second Ian is a guy who is zealous in defending his own productions against criticism but too often goes over the top where it is not needed. I really think the first Ian needs to have a jolly good talk to this Ian. Apart from expense claims and tax returns I have never been that creative but I can appreciate the ferocity of a mother defending her children but I think Ian #2 needs to step back and think before winging off hurtful PMs or whatever.

Im also not sure why this Ian appears to think that Stafford was the antithesis to everything he held sacred about what comprised Northen Soul when my memories of that place include a lot of 45s that fitted exactly the parameters than Ian and others laid down. For example Groovettes, Bobby Hutton and Larry Wright. I think in his fave 45s he has Poets on J2 which, I hope Im not wrong, was even post-Stafford, so his line of Motownesque sound continued because a lot of the people playing, discovering 45s and attending were those whom he had influenced in the first place.

I get pretty pissed off with Ian#2 but I think I've gained some understanding during this thread and there's a more human face emerging, especially in response to James T's persistent questioning. It's extremely disappointing when your heroes don't always completely live up to what you want them to be but then we ourselves don't always live up to our own ideals.

My question to Ian is: So Jack O'neill of Stargate. Would he have taken the Daleks seriously?

ROD

[Baz Atkinson]

Right that's it. No more Dr Who. It stops now.

I love the last hour of the Mecca, stompers, crossover, rare dobbers, proto-disco, street funk but most of all those unadulterated soul classics. I'm a friend of Ian and Simon and James Trouble all on Facebook. Rhod makes me laugh on SS especially when he's having sly digs at Ian Dewhirst. But unlike Ian D I have never seen Ian Levine thrown out of a car at Knutsford although I did see him sleeping inside one at Soul Bowl when I was inside doing John Anderson's dishes. And unlike Pete Smith I love the Carstairs although I do concede that the group shares their name with Scotland's biggest state mental asylum.

I danced to all Ian's sets at Wigan and seriously regretted the so-called division between Mecca and Wigan, which helped send the scene down the road of crass tribalism when it was uniquely poised for a deeper exploration of great music. Nothing else since, not even jazz-funk, or rare groove etc have a fan base as passionate and obsessed as the northern scene.

Ian you are a one-off I have defended you often in the past. But I always prefer it when you are inside, adding knowledge and passionate friction rather than outside being persecuted. Whatever northern soul is, it is has always been an academy of very serious passions.

One of the passions that I have always harboured is 'authenticity' loving rare independent music that had been unearthed in a US city and unkown to anyone beyond the scene. This has been my one abiding holy grail. When you began producing from inside the persepctive of the scene, Ian, it challenged that 'authenticity' and broke a spell for many people. Some could not forgive you, some could not understand, and others could not move on and embrace music that was changing around them. When your first batch of records were played it was with a mix of awesome power and originality but also some doubt. Both power and doubt - equal in measure. It was one of the biggest innovations to hit the scene, but like many forms of change left people confused and clinging to the familiar.

What I can't square even until this day, is that a record like James Wells is a phenomenal piece of music, and it completely annihilates my search for 'authentic' rare soul. Had it been discovered by a collector in Chicago in a yard sale, on a small US label and played at Stafford as a cover up it would be an all time, stonewall classic. What does that really say about the northern scene and 'authenticity' that myself and many on the forum believe in. Maybe that in some cases we would prefer the rarity to the quality, or deliberately pass over great music becasue it has not come through the specific and obscure route we demand.

Demanding authenticity when so many great performers were being unrecognised is hypocritical. How many times on this forum have we bemoaned the passing of a soul great, and two clicks on are salivating at the prices being paid for the music of a soon-to-be-dead legend. That makes me squirm to this day. And I am one of the forums biggest hypocrites in that respect.

The northern scene has shaped my life and I'll always love it and defend it. But it is a mass of unresolved issues and the role of the 'self-produced' record is high among them. This is ironically in contradiction to other great soul sub-cultures, like dancehall, house and hip-hop where the the DJ/Producer is king.

What must be really hard to take Ian is that you are a producer connected to a scene that has not shown the same level of respect to the DJ/Producer as reggae or house, and we can be brutally judgemental on those that try.

Welcome back Ian never lose your passion or your unique personality. I like some of your videos (if you delete them, take them off you tube, and hide them in a vault in Philadelphia I may even b encourged to like them even more....but that is my sad problem not yours)

Stuart Cosgrove

PS. To all the Hibs and Dundee fans that have been PMing me about Saints being shit, get a grip. We have a new player called Nick McKoy, who if my spies are right is related to one of Ian's artists. Soul and Saints I'll take a bit of that.

Close this thread now Stuart has hit the nail on the head!!!!!

BAZ A

[sister dawn]

Hello Ian

This may/may not have been asked before but do you still Djay on the northern circuit?

Dawn

[Guest]

Ian, who played The Twans at the Mecca please ?

Cheers Paul

Me. And that DID come in the 4000 from Goodwill. Just one copy only.

So did Jimmy Bo Horne "I Can't Speak".

Edited August 25, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Guest]

Don't know you Ian but I respect what you do. A mate at work is a 'high energy' fan and loves your early/mid 80's stuff!

Anyway, bought these two gems a few months back from my local record store:

HERMAN GRIFFIN - NOT ONE CHANCE IN A MILLION (SWORD & SHIELD) 2001?

THE SATINTONES - IT'S A ROUGH WORLD / HALF A MAN (STREET CORNER) 2001?

Have to say...brilliant productions!

Thankyou. These were pressed up in 2001 at the same time as Sidney Barnes.

[Guest]

Here's Frank.

">

[Guest]

Hi Ian,

Don't know if this has been asked earlier but what was the first record to be covered up at the Mecca. During my first ever visit I can recall the Coasters and Edie Walker but suspect there were many before them.

Best regards

Steve

Melvin Carter "Midnight Brew".

Covered up as "Shingaling At The Go-Go" by the Johnny Jackson Experience

[Guest]

If Les was almost weeing himself at the Kama Sutra 45 I dread to think what would have happened had Colin put on "Soft Walking" or Charles Sheffield.

It would never never never have happened in a million years.

We cared about what we played.

Many many years later, when Colin played "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker" however, I did feel like that.

And some of his friends also felt like that when I played Sylvester "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" I guess.

But prior to 1977, that would have never happened. I think we might have gone a bit too far between 1977 and 1979. But there were still good records (Alfie Davison, Venus Dodson, Janice McClain, David Hudson, Philly Cream) even played as late as 1979. But by 1979, Pete Haigh and Steve Naylor and crew had far too much say in what we all played, and pushed us further and further away from recognised Northern Soul.

[arnie j]

ian, can u please tell us a bit more bout the big find ? who, what, where etc ? how did u hear or come across this haul of obscure soul records ? where did all those tunes come from ? ex radio or jukebox stock ? im really interested in this stuff bud, who owned the warehouse etc

[Guest]

I think the difficulty some of us are having lies in the fact that there are actually two Ian Levines

The first is a guy who was a pioneer who knew what we wanted back in the day and anticipated that need on countless occassions by the simple act of putting a needle on a 45 that we had not heard up until that moment and yet it was instantly familiar because of his ear for the sound and the care he took in his choices.

The second Ian is a guy who is zealous in defending his own productions against criticism but too often goes over the top where it is not needed.

But the two Ians are part of the same person, the yin and the yang, they're inseparable. One could not exist without the other. You can't have one without the other. One feeds the other and makes it whole.

[KevH]

Ian,the PYE LP,in '76,lots of good tracks on it.

PATTI JO - MAKE ME BELIEVE IN YOU,who's choice was that?.Definatley left field for then.

Great b-side btw,version of Major Lance "Stay away from me",,as you probably know

Or did Patti Jo do it first?

Edited August 25, 2008 by KevH

[Guest]

My question to Ian is: So Jack O'neill of Stargate. Would he have taken the Daleks seriously?

ROD

I love Doctor Who.

I love Babylon 5.

I have no time for Stargate.

[Guest]

Hello Ian

This may/may not have been asked before but do you still Djay on the northern circuit?

Dawn

No, I sold all my records and I have no desire to.

It's far too thankless, too political, and too painful.

[Guest]

ian, can u please tell us a bit more bout the big find ? who, what, where etc ? how did u hear or come across this haul of obscure soul records ? where did all those tunes come from ? ex radio or jukebox stock ? im really interested in this stuff bud, who owned the warehouse etc

Graham Warr found the place but didn't have enough time to go through it.

Goodwill was a charity shop where people donated goods to be sold to help the poor.

Radio stations had donated all their demos stockpiled over the previous ten years. This was 1973.

They filled a huge wall from floor to ceiling, all without sleeves, all a bit scuffed, working fast from nine in the morning to six in the evening, for fourteen consecutive days, I only finally got through the last one on the 14th day. To try to work out how many were there, I measured 100 records and compared the height to a full shelf and estimated there were between 300,000 and 500,000 there. That is a lot of records. And there was no air conditioning and it was hot.

There was little duplication, mainly one of each, although there were about thirty copies of That Beatin' Rhythm, and a few others.

Colin Curtis still has the letters I posted to him when I got back to our hotel each night, and spent a couple of hours playing the most exciting looking ones, and reviewing them for him, and posting details every day back to him. There was no internet in 1973.

There were many other big finds but I wasn't a record dealer and only bought for myself and my friends. In St. Louis I found 500 copies of The Montclairs "Hey You Don't Fight It" and only bought two and left 498 there. Plus it wasn't remotely Northern at that time, just a pleasant floater.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Wiganer1]

It was Cokell, not Cockell.

I'm thinking about whether I should keep answering your questions, when I know they're designed to humiliate.

But discussing a dead friend like Les Cokell and being honest and open, can't possibly do me any harm surely, now can it ???

And then we have the probing questions about memories of guys in white gym shorts having an affect on my early days on the Northern Soul Scene....

Certainly not as innocent as they are made out to be

Well, my being openly gay means that I am not ashamed to discuss who I am. If people don't like it then it's their problem not mine. In fact it's making you almost come across like a bigot, if you're trying to use that against me, especially probing into my most deep and personal coming of age memories, and people don't like bigots.

I don't suppose you ever liked the old Mecca classic "There But For The Grace Of God Go I", but these lines say it all.

LETS FIND A PLACE THEY SAY

SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY

WITH NO BLACKS NO JEWS AND NO GAYS

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THERE GO I.

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

ian..

i cant believe you were goaded into writing this,

james..im genuinely appalled at your attitude on this thread ,,

[soulAdequateNP]

I love Doctor Who.

I love Babylon 5.

I have no time for Stargate.

What about New ?

[Guest]

Ian,the PYE LP,in '76,lots of good tracks on it.

PATTI JO - MAKE ME BELIEVE IN YOU,who's choice was that?.Definatley left field for then.

Great b-side btw,version of Major Lance "Stay away from me",,as you probably know

Or did Patti Jo do it first?

"Solid Soul Sensations".

It was 1974. I have an award to prove it.

The first ever Northern Soul compilation, and it charted at number 11 on the pop charts.

Every track was my choice. I had a free hand to choose from Scepter and Wand.

Patti Jo was a big record at Blackpool. So was "This Is The House Where Love Died".

If a new release sounded Northern we played it. Record Corner tipped me off to any new import with a Northern type feel.

There was no politics then. People were just happy to enjoy the music, whether it was the rarest record on Earth, or a brand new release, as long as it sounded Motownesque. Which Patti Jo most certainly did, with Curtis Mayfield at his most Norman Whitfield-ish.

[Modernsoulsucks]

I love Doctor Who.

I love Babylon 5.

I have no time for Stargate.

WHAT!!!!!!!

Then I hope Colin played a full 12" version of that Parliament.

ROD

[Guest sarahleen]

ian , i dont care what they play as long as i can dance northern soul to it,

am i shallow and crass or do i have northern soul credentials ?

[Wiganer1]

"Solid Soul Sensations".

It was 1974. I have an award to prove it.

The first ever Northern Soul compilation, and it charted at number 11 on the pop charts.

Every track was my choice. I had a free hand to choose from Scepter and Wand.

Patti Jo was a big record at Blackpool. So was "This Is The House Where Love Died".

If a new release sounded Northern we played it. Record Corner tipped me off to any new import with a Northern type feel.

There was no politics then. People were just happy to enjoy the music, whether it was the rarest record on Earth, or a brand new release, as long as it sounded Motownesque. Which Patti Jo most certainly did, with Curtis Mayfield at his most Norman Whitfield-ish.

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

did the other lp Great Disco Demands do as well???

[Guest]

What about New ?

No. Not for me. Too dry and humourless. Typical American sci-fi.

[Guest]

ian , i dont care what they play as long as i can dance northern soul to it,

am i shallow and crass or do i have northern soul credentials ?

You have Northern Soul credentials and a more open mind than many.

[Guest]

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

did the other lp Great Disco Demands do as well???

Better, but that was much more commercial and nothing to do with me. It may not have charted as high in one week, but sold more over a long period. I steered clear as it was full of stuff like "Under My Thumb".

[Guest JJMMWGDuPree]

The name maybe but the 4/4 beat certainly did.. You should know!

Names come and go but the music remaines the same. House music is the Northern Soul of today.

And Britany Spears is the R&B of today.

I still can't stand her.

[Guest JJMMWGDuPree]

I love Doctor Who.

I love Babylon 5.

I have no time for Stargate.

You have amazingly good taste. How do you feel about Steven Moffat taking over the hot seat?

[bri phill]

In 1974, Simon Soussan put out a record list through Brian Phillips.

Top of the list was "Reaching For The Best" by Bob Relf.

Described at the greatest Northern Soul record ever made, and much better than "Blowing My Mind To Pieces".

£35, but make sure you send a second choice alternative as there was only one copy and it was first come first served.

Loads and loads of poor innocents sent in their £35, only to get fobbed off with some second rate second choice.

So I decided to make sure there really WAS a record called "Reaching For The Best".

Ten years ago, when we filmed him and his health was good, we should have actually made it for real with Bob Relf.

Ian, I was wondering what you were on about when you mentioned this but Ive only just seen this post.

I can assure you Sousann never put a list out through me, he may have used my name because I was one of the main dealers at that time and trusted by all the major collectors where he wasn't.

It must have been one of his scams but nothing to do with me

Regards Brain

[jocko]

And Britany Spears is the R&B of today.

I still can't stand her.

I have swayed between my thoughts on this thread, swaying from thinking it as a genuine attempt to win present a human side to IL and then writing it off as a shameless self promotion. However much of it has some fascinating reading, I think Stuarts post was probably one of the best thought out and thought provoking ones on this site yet, and has probably swayed my thinking, Rods follow up I think summed up most neutrals thoughts (if there are that many neutrals).

I am glad it is here so far, but would like to hear some more in depths about the music of old. I have bought some of mr Levine's new music, don't like it all but thought I would try it. Like most the Ebony CD is by far the strongest to me, and is a very good album, and closest to a decent contemporary soul set, which is where I would prefer to hear much of these artists to be honest, particularly Noel McKoy.

However above comment is the sort that is just ruining this thread, completely uninformed and incorrect, not going to get into the House debate, been done before and too many don't know enough about it, like above poster to debate. Can understand why people do not like it, but at least get factual about it. The above is just not, but then again we have this offering from person before.

It did lead me onto one question for Mr Levine I have been thinking about, you are generally acknowledged as one of the originators of Hi-Energy, some of which I have liked on hearing but most was just too manic for me, I would have thought the natural progression to this would have been house, particularly based in America, at what point did you stop progressing in this format and get back to more retro sounding stuff, Heaven used to have a great House night, were you never involved in this?

Jock O'Connor

PS Mr H (assuming thats who SoulJihad is) I have already had the Paul "Trouble" Anderson joke on here and it sailed over!!

PPS Mr Cosgrove, stop the Scottish footie talk on here, it just gets our Colonial neighbours grumpy!!

[Guest]

You have amazingly good taste. How do you feel about Steven Moffat taking over the hot seat?

Thrilled beyond belief.

But the gap year is a major mistake.

[Guest]

Ian, I was wondering what you were on about when you mentioned this but Ive only just seen this post.

I can assure you Sousann never put a list out through me, he may have used my name because I was one of the main dealers at that time and trusted by all the major collectors where he wasn't.

It must have been one of his scams but nothing to do with me

Regards Brain

That's the one thing I was wondering.

I think he did his own lists before he went through you.

Is there anybody out there with a copy of the list that contained the Bob Relf scam ???

Knowing what collectors and hoarders that Soul fans can be, I would like to hope that somebody somewhere might have a copy. The funny thing was he then put out his own version of "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" on Black Magic which he called Bob Relf and which had nothing to do with the real Bob Relf at all.

[Guest]

It did lead me onto one question for Mr Levine I have been thinking about, you are generally acknowledged as one of the originators of Hi-Energy, some of which I have liked on hearing but most was just too manic for me, I would have thought the natural progression to this would have been house, particularly based in America, at what point did you stop progressing in this format and get back to more retro sounding stuff, Heaven used to have a great House night, were you never involved in this?

I am acknowledged as the creator of High Energy, as prior to that it was just an extension of Disco, and by fusing Northern Soul chords into it, it became something sort of new, a fusion of old school melodies by wailing black divas across a loud hard beat with pulsating synth chords.

Just as I left the Mecca when the music went one step too far towards jazz funk, so I left Heaven when the music went too far towards House.

Did you know I made the FIRST ever UK house record, in July 1987, four months before the first ever UK house chart hit ??

"On The House" by Midnight Sunrise featuring Jackie Rawe, with Nellie "Mixmaster" Rush.

Ian Dewhirst was involved and released it, on a label called Serious Records, and it sold, if I remember correctly, nine thousand copies, and then Farley "Jackmaster" Funk did a remix too.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Guest]

Just as I left the Mecca when the music went one step too far towards jazz funk, so I left Heaven when the music went too far towards House.

Did you know I made the FIRST ever UK house record, in July 1987, four months before the first ever UK house chart hit ??

"On The House" by Midnight Sunrise featuring Jackie Rawe, with Nellie "Mixmaster" Rush.

Ian Dewhirst was involved and released it, on a label called Serious Records, and it sold, if I remember correctly, nine thousand copies, and then Farley "Jackmaster" Funk did a remix too.

I'd be interested to hear Ian Dewhirst's memories of this, when he's back online here.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Ian Levine

[Guest]

One last video for tonight. A nice Candi Staton song we cut in the year 2000 for my friend Paul Savory, when we recut a lot of her old hits at the same time.

">

[Sean Hampsey]

"Solid Soul Sensations".

It was 1974. I have an award to prove it.

The first ever Northern Soul compilation, and it charted at number 11 on the pop charts.

Every track was my choice. I had a free hand to choose from Scepter and Wand.

Patti Jo was a big record at Blackpool. So was "This Is The House Where Love Died".

I bought this LP as a new release.

Remember being so proud to finally own Curtis Blandon's "In The Long Run" and Jack Montgomery's "Do You Believe It", The Masqueraders "Do You Love Me Baby" Maxine Brown etc. Really superb and Soulful tunes most of us daren't have even dreamed of owning at the time (and I'd been a collector for over 5 years by the time of release).

The album took the availability of 'quality' UK released material to a different level. (The other PYE LP was total tosh in comparison).

It was this LP that caused me to seek out Katie Love's sublime "Hurts So Good".

I still rate it as the finest 'Northern' based Various Artists compilation LP... never bettered to this day.

Even the sleeve was a masterpiece!

Class mate. Pure class!

Sean

[Guest]

Even the sleeve was a masterpiece!

Class mate. Pure class!

Sean

How fabulous to see the pic of the sleeve. And to think it was thirty four years ago.

[Dave Rimmer]

How fabulous to see the pic of the sleeve. And to think it was thirty four years ago.

It's been reissued on CD with extra tracks

[Pete S]

Sorry cos your a regular that makes you some kind of God does it. I'll remember next time, i'll doff my cap when ever i reply to you.

Your quick to slag me off but not very quick to say why House and Northern Soul are not connected..

Yeah it does.

[cloth ears]

Now that is a story and a half.

The summer of 1973 - the glory year at the Mecca.

Dave Rivers and Dave Burton covered the bottom half over and left the Kama Sutra logo showing. This was the same time we were playing "Hey Little Girl" by the Del-Capris.

They claimed it was another even better Del-Capris record on the same label.

We had no headphones at that time in the Mecca, so they nagged me to play it, nagged and nagged and nagged. I didn't trust them as far as I could throw them, so I utterly refused.

So they gave in and let me in on the joke.

With my urging, they got Colin Curtis to play it.

Everyone stood on the floor looking around saying "what the.."

Colin went to take it off and I quick wittedly yelled, "No no don't take it off, it's just got a long silly beginning, a bit like Sidra's Theme."

So it carried on.

I rolled on the floor laughing with tears in my eyes.

Even funnier was Les Cokell rolling on thr floor, crying with laughter, trying to get the words out, through the giggles, "I think I've pissed myself".

The funniest moment EVER in the history of The Mecca.

GUILTY AS CHARGED! not one of our better discoveries i will admit! But we had a laugh, allways did ....still do.

[Pete S]

I bought this LP as a new release.

Remember being so proud to finally own Curtis Blandon's "In The Long Run" and Jack Montgomery's "Do You Believe It", The Masqueraders "Do You Love Me Baby" Maxine Brown etc. Really superb and Soulful tunes most of us daren't have even dreamed of owning at the time (and I'd been a collector for over 5 years by the time of release).

The album took the availability of 'quality' UK released material to a different level. (The other PYE LP was total tosh in comparison).

It was this LP that caused me to seek out Katie Love's sublime "Hurts So Good".

I still rate it as the finest 'Northern' based Various Artists compilation LP... never bettered to this day.

Even the sleeve was a masterpiece!

Class mate. Pure class!

Sean

The sleeve was a lot better than the record

[Epic]

It would never never never have happened in a million years.

We cared about what we played.

Many many years later, when Colin played "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker" however, I did feel like that.

And some of his friends also felt like that when I played Sylvester "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" I guess.

But prior to 1977, that would have never happened. I think we might have gone a bit too far between 1977 and 1979. But there were still good records (Alfie Davison, Venus Dodson, Janice McClain, David Hudson, Philly Cream) even played as late as 1979. But by 1979, Pete Haigh and Steve Naylor and crew had far too much say in what we all played, and pushed us further and further away from recognised Northern Soul.

I was part of the "and crew" - Pete & Steve are my life long friends - you dropped Northern Soul way before 1977 - Colin was the last one out of the two of you - Ronnie McNeir, Inspirations,Herbert Hunter etc. to play NS in The Highland Room.

You said back then that NS was dropped because of the quality of new music just could not be ignored & the quality sixties soul discoveries were failing to meet the quality control standards that Colin & you had tried to maintain.

Incidentally Ian we did not encourage you to play a lot of the poor disco tunes you featured (I Love Lucy - Night & Day - Bob Crewe etc.) - can't remember being in the shop urging you to buy them.

Incidentally what was the last traditional Northern Soul record you played at The Mecca & when was it?

[paup-ine]

I bought this LP as a new release.

Remember being so proud to finally own Curtis Blandon's "In The Long Run" and Jack Montgomery's "Do You Believe It", The Masqueraders "Do You Love Me Baby" Maxine Brown etc. Really superb and Soulful tunes most of us daren't have even dreamed of owning at the time (and I'd been a collector for over 5 years by the time of release).

The album took the availability of 'quality' UK released material to a different level. (The other PYE LP was total tosh in comparison).

It was this LP that caused me to seek out Katie Love's sublime "Hurts So Good".

I still rate it as the finest 'Northern' based Various Artists compilation LP... never bettered to this day.

Even the sleeve was a masterpiece!

Class mate. Pure class!

Sean

Hello Ian,

My first LP compilation too. Still have it. Can remember just looking at the picture in amazement, and thinking that I would never see records like that, just buying UK releases at the time. Brill.

Of all the artists you have brought back into the limelight, was there anyone that just did not want to come back for some reason or another?

Thanks

P

[Guest Simon]

I bought this LP as a new release.

Remember being so proud to finally own Curtis Blandon's "In The Long Run" and Jack Montgomery's "Do You Believe It", The Masqueraders "Do You Love Me Baby" Maxine Brown etc. Really superb and Soulful tunes most of us daren't have even dreamed of owning at the time (and I'd been a collector for over 5 years by the time of release).

The album took the availability of 'quality' UK released material to a different level. (The other PYE LP was total tosh in comparison).

It was this LP that caused me to seek out Katie Love's sublime "Hurts So Good".

I still rate it as the finest 'Northern' based Various Artists compilation LP... never bettered to this day.

Even the sleeve was a masterpiece!

Class mate. Pure class!

Sean

I've got this album, it's superb, one of my all time faves on it an all 'Living the nightlife' The Charts.

Simon

[Guest James Trouble]

In my readings and study, the most intersting aspects of Ian's history are the internal struggles between Ian's split personalities.

A large part of his character is like a hungry child, in need of food, it cares little for the feelings of others. Crying when it's parents are asleep for example. It just shouts and screams untill it's needs are met. Similar to this thread, it cares little for the rules of the forum, both written and unwritten, it just cares for it's own needs.

I think most normal people realise that no matter what you want sometimes shouting and screaming is not always the 'right' thing to do when taking those around you into concideration. Sometimes what others want around you needs to be taken into account when trying to get what you want. Most people can realise the reality of a situation and take this into concideration. This is the part of Ian's personality that is 'special' and 'unique'. Some described it as "sick" this weekend, which seems a bit harsh IMO.

I find the way Ian controls the external factors in his life when the internal conflicts within himself become too great to be facinating.

Ian, can I ask some questions about the way you have controlled the external factors in your life and how they relate to your internal struggles?

Edited August 26, 2008 by James Trouble

[Mike]

In my readings and study, the most intersting aspects of Ian's history are the internal struggles between Ian's split personalities.

A large part of his character is like a hungry child, in need of food, it cares little for the feelings of others. Crying when it's parents are asleep for example. It just shouts and screams untill it's needs are met. Similar to this thread, it cares little for the rules of the forum, both written and unwritten, it just cares for it's own needs.

I think most normal people realise that no matter what you want sometimes shouting and screaming is not always the 'right' thing to do when taking those around you into concideration. Sometimes what others want around you needs to be taken into account when trying to get what you want. Most people can realise the reality of a situation and take this into concideration. This is the part of Ian's personality that is 'special' and 'unique'. Some described it as "sick" this weekend, which seems a bit harsh IMO.

I find the way Ian controls the external factors in his life when the internal conflicts within himself become too great to be facinating.

Ian, can I ask some questions about the way you have controlled the external factors in your life and how they relate to your internal struggles?

as said before

asking all to drop the wind ups, games etc

if wish to carry on do it via pm

[Guest James Trouble]

as said before

asking all to drop the wind ups, games etc

if wish to carry on do it via pm

So what are the subjects that can be discussed if I can't ask Ian questions about himself?

Is it just his music?

I'm not interested in his production, it bores me. It's dull and lifeless at best and nothing to do with anything I am involved in. His record stories from 'back in the day' bore me as well, although there are questions I eventually want to ask him about his "rejects" and how he perceives what they have become and what effect it has on his ego and a possible sense of underachievment in that area and how this compares to other areas of his life he has failed in.

The thing is, he's not giving much more detail than I have already read in the available publications.

I'd like to know why he didn't leave the Mecca with the other four, but then was drawn away a few months later. What had changed? What had drawn his attention? What appealed to his ego there that was not at The Mecca a few months previous?

Who is the mysterious man at Motown with the unreleased KW? And why had Ian promised to keep it to himself and not let anyone else have it? Can you give a bit more detail in this area please Ian?

Edited August 26, 2008 by James Trouble