What Song First Gotcha?

[Guest]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

many different reasons, but one thing is for sure everyone stayed. well everyone here did.

just a quick question, how did you first get into NS, was it a tune a chance night out an accident? whatever way it happened bet your glad now it did.

mine was in the palace in rhyl with my mates from school, listening to patti swallow. all the lads went to wigan and places on a coach, stopping to pick up others from deeside. i wanted to go out with my mates and tagged along at first but it was brill, i was hooked. one of the earliest tracks i remember was at the discoteque c checker i loved it.

fozza had a collection we didnt know at all he kept it a big secret and would'nt let us see the labels lol. so i still dont know what i was listening too from him.

dave

[Mark B]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

many different reasons, but one thing is for sure everyone stayed. well everyone here did.

just a quick question, how did you first get into NS, was it a tune a chance night out an accident? whatever way it happened bet your glad now it did.

mine was in the palace in rhyl with my mates from school, listening to patti swallow. all the lads went to wigan and places on a coach, stopping to pick up others from deeside. i wanted to go out with my mates and tagged along at first but it was brill, i was hooked. one of the earliest tracks i remember was at the discoteque c checker i loved it.

fozza had a collection we didnt know at all he kept it a big secret and would'nt let us see the labels lol. so i still dont know what i was listening too from him.

dave

link

mine was at school disco and the records were my all time favourite 6 X 6, along with things like jimmy james a man like me and all the stax atlantic motown invictus, then when slightly older 15/16 my brother had been to wigan and the rest is history as they say.

mark

[Guest]

mine was at school disco and the records were my all time favourite 6 X 6,  along with things like jimmy james  a man like me and all the stax atlantic motown invictus, then when slightly older 15/16 my brother had been to wigan and the rest is history as they say.

mark

link

yeah invictus slipped my mind, as did rufus thomas and stuff. wow i thought they were all great. wasnt invictus formed by disenchanted artists holland dozier freda payne and the like. general johnson has a great voice.

i also like who's making love - johnny taylor

dave

[TheBigO]

My first big vinyl love was Frankie Valli's 'You Ready Now'. Just wonderful and I remember how all of in Letchworth made a bee line to taffy's place over the chippy in the town centre to secure a copy whilst going green with envy at his Brit Soul collection. Some things never change and the man still manages to pull an endless stream of top toons that immediately go on my wants list!

[Guest Soultown andy]

My uncle was into motown in a big way in the late 60s early 70s so was used to hearing his stuff all the time,plus my gran lived in leigh just down the road from wigan used to stay there at weekends all the local youth clubs played all the early wigan sounds.Get ready by the temps was is an always will be a favourite of mine.

[Guest hammy]

I can remember it quite vividly - must have been Mark Wilson or Lenny Harkins playing Rita & The Tiaras - Gone With The Wind down at the Claremont Hotel in the mid 90s ... and jesus - I knew nothing about northern at the time (nowt's changed) but that record blew my nuts off and they've never grown back.....

Hammy

[Chalky]

I can remember it quite vividly - must have been Mark Wilson or Lenny Harkins playing Rita & The Tiaras - Gone With The Wind down at the Claremont Hotel in the mid 90s ... and jesus - I knew nothing about northern at the time (nowt's changed) but that record blew my nuts off and they've never grown back.....   

Hammy

link

Anyone got an MP3 of Betty Willis version of Gone With The Wind????

As for what got me...haven't a clue. Usual route...Motown, youth Clubs stuff, older lads at school with tape decks. left school and started work, borrowed a guy's collection and haven't looked back

[chrissie]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

many different reasons, but one thing is for sure everyone stayed. well everyone here did.

just a quick question, how did you first get into NS, was it a tune a chance night out an accident? whatever way it happened bet your glad now it did.

mine was in the palace in rhyl with my mates from school, listening to patti swallow. all the lads went to wigan and places on a coach, stopping to pick up others from deeside. i wanted to go out with my mates and tagged along at first but it was brill, i was hooked. one of the earliest tracks i remember was at the discoteque c checker i loved it.

fozza had a collection we didnt know at all he kept it a big secret and would'nt let us see the labels lol. so i still dont know what i was listening too from him.

dave

link

Originally when very young had an aunt who was into Dusty etc then my older sisters were into motown. Then used to go to Prestatyn and St Asaph youthclub in about 72 which was all motown etc then a guy who has stayed one of my greatest mates of all time came to wrk for my mum he was into northern and that was that hooked and like dave, palace, dixieland, etc in rhyl and wigan with some other mates from rhyl (proably on the same coach). Can't really think of the actual first track that realy got me hooked just think it was the wholef feeling of the scene. Probably somehting rearly naff like At the Top of The Stairs and then my signature tune QOF

lol

QOF

XX

[Guest NASHEE]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

many different reasons, but one thing is for sure everyone stayed. well everyone here did.

just a quick question, how did you first get into NS, was it a tune a chance night out an accident? whatever way it happened bet your glad now it did.

mine was in the palace in rhyl with my mates from school, listening to patti swallow. all the lads went to wigan and places on a coach, stopping to pick up others from deeside. i wanted to go out with my mates and tagged along at first but it was brill, i was hooked. one of the earliest tracks i remember was at the discoteque c checker i loved it.

fozza had a collection we didnt know at all he kept it a big secret and would'nt let us see the labels lol. so i still dont know what i was listening too from him.

dave

link

Way back in 1971 when i was a mere slip of a girl, we had a school disco on Friday nights, run by a guy called Rob Stirland.

He used to play northern/ club classics. eg Purple haze, A man like me, One wonderful moment. In no time at all I was truly hooked.

Saturday mornings were spent either at the Torch in Tunstall or the Top Rank in Hanley...Queen of Fools, In Orbit & Sliced Tomatoes were my favorite tunes

As soon as I could afford enough make up...and think up enough excuses to dissapear all night...without causing the folks to go into ORBIT, it was off the the Torch Allnighter. The first time I heard 'You Just Dont Know' I thought I'd died and gone to heaven....and the rest as they say...Is History !!!!

[Simon T]

Soul Twins - Quick change artist

My youth club's record collection consisted of the Grapevine album and a Bad Company album - probably took the wrong path!!

[soul45s]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

many different reasons, but one thing is for sure everyone stayed. well everyone here did.

just a quick question, how did you first get into NS, was it a tune a chance night out an accident? whatever way it happened bet your glad now it did.

First Job at a Factory in Haworth, met some lads who were into Northern, they knew I like the Motown oldies etc, they encouraged me to go to the RAOB (Buffs) club in Keighley. I hated it at first! I could not see the attraction..this would be around 77 / 78

Then I started going to the Victoria Hall in Keighley every Monday night, Julius K Scragg was the main DJ, he was a local radio DJ and played all the current Northern / Wigan popular tracks, Flirtations, Casino Classics etc. The first track I really liked was Bunny Sigler 'Girl, Dont Make me Wait' it used to haunt me, I couldnt get it out of my head till I had a copy...then I was hooked...every payday would be spent in the local record shop on my way home from work 'Discount Discs' in Keighley, they had an old Fidelity UA4 stereo to play anything you didnt know. Very nice people, they eventually sold up to buy a record store in the USA!!

They had a huge section of second hand vinyl all at 25p! 1000's of old 45s, the bargains were plentiful, I still have many of them today. Mobile disco type DJs would sell their unpopular and old stock records every week and I dropped lucky many times, I wish the shop was still there!

UK Barbara McNair, played it, bit too slow but nice track, might go one day! Bought it just in case! also (bit too fast!) Sammy Ambrose 'Dreamsville' Sandy Wynns on Fontana....

Great memories are flooding back just thinking about it, Statesides, Sue, HMV etc, I didnt know them all but thought they looked interesting......lol

The Kent and Inferno LPs were just starting to come onto the scene when it closed...the new owners were not as welcoming to the soul crowd (they didn't last long)

I would love to meet up with the the old soulies from Keighley again, Rich T, Paul (Pabs), Dave R, Revis, Pam J, Looby Lou, Phil T, Mandy (Rich's ex) where are you all now?

If you read this please get in touch

cheers and thanks for the memories

Paul

[Guest]

Anyone got an MP3 of Betty Willis version of Gone With The Wind????

As for what got me...haven't a clue. Usual route...Motown, youth Clubs stuff, older lads at school with tape decks. left school and started work, borrowed a guy's collection and haven't looked back 

link

Hope he got em`back,Chalkster old boy.

[Guest]

Soul Twins - Quick change artist

My youth club's record collection consisted of the Grapevine album and a Bad Company album - probably took the wrong path!!

link

In 1968,I was knee high to a jack warbler..(I was an eight year old in fact) on holiday in Ingoldmells near Skeggy.There was a certain amusement arcade in Ingoldmells that I kept going in..Not because the arcade machines were better in this arcade than any other...It was because this arcade was playing TAMLA MOTOWN 12 hours a day..booming out on an 8 track cartridge system..The Chartbusters albums..The Greatest Hits albums..plus many more..I was hooked instantly..I never spent a cent in the arcade! I just went to listen...My first favourite then would be DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES-YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON..Even if I hear that classic guitar riff now,the hairs still stand up on the back of my neck...And the rest,as they say, is history......

[Guest]

Way back in 1971 when i was a mere slip of a girl, we had a school disco on Friday nights, run by a guy called Rob Stirland.

He used to play northern/ club classics. eg Purple haze, A man like me, One wonderful moment. In no time at all I was truly hooked.

Saturday mornings were spent either at the Torch in Tunstall or the Top Rank in Hanley...Queen of Fools, In Orbit & Sliced Tomatoes were my favorite tunes

As soon as I could afford enough make up...and think up enough excuses to dissapear all night...without causing the folks to go into ORBIT, it was off the the Torch Allnighter. The first time I heard 'You Just Dont Know' I thought I'd died and gone to heaven....and the rest as they say...Is History !!!!

link

in orbit is a track i copped off to. i love it for ever

[Guest]

brilliant memories for you . cherish them xx

[Guest]

In 1968,I was knee high to a jack warbler..(I was an eight year old in fact) on holiday in Ingoldmells near Skeggy.There was a certain amusement arcade in Ingoldmells that I kept going in..Not because the arcade machines were better in this arcade than any other...It was because this arcade was playing TAMLA MOTOWN 12 hours a day..booming out on an 8 track cartridge system..The Chartbusters albums..The Greatest Hits albums..plus many more..I was hooked instantly..I never spent a cent in the arcade! I just went to listen...My first favourite then would be DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES-YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON..Even if I hear that classic guitar riff now,the hairs still stand up on the back of my neck...And the rest,as they say, is history......  

link

Is that for real,J day;Naughty boy,giz it!you know it make sense,something nice to maybe get back home from Cleggy,never will i ever be able to find one of these,for the kinda money i got,i had 10"acitate off Keb when first played,lent it to mad mick somers,he had cleaned the thing,ruined! be warned?.

[Guest]

Is that for real,J day;Naughty boy,giz it!you know it make sense,something nice to maybe get back home from Cleggy,never will i ever be able to find one of these,for the kinda money i got,i had 10"acitate off Keb when first played,lent it to mad mick somers,he had cleaned the thing,ruined! be warned?.

link

YEP, Mr Aitchison!...Those are MY fingers pokin` thru the centre of this blue monster....Jackie Day-Naughty Boy-PHELECTRON

[Guest]

YEP, Mr Aitchison!...Those are MY fingers pokin` thru the centre of this blue monster....Jackie Day-Naughty Boy-PHELECTRON 

link

Great i will fetch its own little box too take her home with me,let ya keep ya fingers though!!!!keep copy of this threid,just incase you forget!

[chrissie]

in orbit is a track i copped off to. i love it for ever

link

I think In Orbit will always be a bit special to all of us from Rhyl and the Surrounding area as the Palace Disco was called the "Orbit" and we all had such good times there and was IMO the Orbit and Patti were crucial to why many of us love NS. Patti always had the greaatest records, old faves and the newest discoveries.

memories eh

lol

QOF

XX

[chrissie]

in orbit is a track i copped off to. i love it for ever

link

Bragging again Dave.

Everyone in the palace at some time copped off to In Orbit it was the theme tune and was played every Friday and Saturday at the end of the night, could it be she was just p*ss*d.

Only joking

lol

QOF

XX

[Guest]

when i was 14 family moved house one of our new neighbours (cammy) used to go to wigan, he brought his record collection round to let let me hear think 1st track he played was lynne randell stranger in my arms and that was me hooked ,

i even went on to buying his collection off him

[Paul R]

Although I had a preference for Motown and soul at the time I hadn't had the hair standing up on the back of the neck moment until I heard "Two Can Have A Party" Marvin & Tammi, off the Motown Disco Classics Vol 2(it was 1971 or 72 and I was about 14). Not the most soulful of tracks, but just the whole feeling of the sound did it for me and just stunned me.

Paul

[okehgaz]

Donnie Elbert - little piece of leather

Used to go to a Youth Club, i think it was a Tuesday night, and some older lads used to play this sort of stuff and do the old back drops, etc.

Mansfield Folkhouse @ 1970/71.

I was very very very young!

Honest, i was!!!

[shute]

Picture the scene, loads of scooters and soulies/mods hanging around what was once called Joiner Square, pub on one corner, bus stop on another, Corona Pop bank on another, Maggies Picture House in the other, music blarring out, Green Onions, Landslide, etc........seeing shady things being passed around, the banter, the laughter.....never looked back since '68.....just had to find out what this cool music was that filled the air.............heaven

[Cheapsiderecords]

There was a family at the end of our road called The Blakes - scary lot they were - all skinheads - and I used to knock about with one of them.

Everybody used to hang out there and they had all the Motown, Atlantic, Trojan stuff going all the time - and one that always stuck in my mind was Donnie Elbert - Little Piece Of Leather - had a look at the label - Sue - and that was it - hooked.

I wasnt allowed to have a number one though - my dad said he'd kick the crap out of me if I did!! - 35 years later and I have no choice!!

[Ernie Andrews]

I was an extremely lucky child who sat in Night clubs with Djs until 2 oclock in the morning.(Reason- My Father was a proffessional singer in the club scene) Saw some artists singing various songs that had the classic soul beat. I was hooked so when I bought my first record which was he who picks arose- Edwin Starr it just grew from there!

[Guest]

There was a family at the end of our road called The Blakes - scary lot they were - all skinheads - and I used to knock about with one of them.

Everybody used to hang out there and they had all the Motown, Atlantic, Trojan stuff going all the time - and one that always stuck in my mind was Donnie Elbert - Little Piece Of Leather - had a look at the label - Sue - and that was it  - hooked.

I wasnt allowed to have a number one though - my dad said he'd kick the crap out of me if I did!! - 35 years later and I have no choice!!

link

wow!!! little piece of leather. does it for me every time

dave

[vnicepce]

mine was at school disco and the records were my all time favourite 6 X 6, .......and the rest is history as they say.

Great to hear from someone else who's A.T.Fav. is 6 by 6......there is supposed to be a vocal to this???

[Guest]

Crap like the instrumental,proberly one motowns worst,unless you count "Pushing up daisys";VIP suprising thing is i got £100 for brilliantly funny tune.

[Guest ScooterNik]

Soul Twins - Quick Change Artist

Williams and Waton - Two For The Price Of One

I still can't hear QCA without beiong transported back to Wrexham where I first heard it in a night club of all places, and 2 for the price of 1 still makes me laugh!

[Bigsoulman]

I can remember it quite vividly - must have been Mark Wilson or Lenny Harkins playing Rita & The Tiaras - Gone With The Wind down at the Claremont Hotel in the mid 90s ... and jesus - I knew nothing about northern at the time (nowt's changed) but that record blew my nuts off and they've never grown back.....   

Hammy

link

So Julie's been telling me!

[Mandy]

Jay Traynor - Up and Over. Can't even remember where it was - I think it may have been Stafford but that's an awful lot of sleeps ago Don't hear it really nowadays which is a shame cos it's a great tune but when I do hear it I go all cold and giggly (that's what being a girlie is all about )

[Guest Rowly]

A couple... Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself, and Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances.

The first two Soul records that seem to stick in my mind from when I was kid of about 15 and the mod revival was really getting going.

Then a bout a year later the first Northern would be stuff like Footsee, Tainted Love, Skiing In The Snow, The Snake, Javells, Judy Street and the Casino Classics 1 & 2 LP's!

This was after a few of the older lads with scooters had gone up to Scarborouh to the Rally. They came back raving about this "Northern Soul" they'd heard up there...

Edited May 8, 2005 by Rowly

[Guest Andy BB]

Got it every Sunday as a little kid when my uncle and all my other so-called babysitters came in from the Casino and started playing records (and bribing me with sweets to say they hadn't left me an hour after my mum dropped me off).

The one that really struck me was The Drifters - Got to pay your dues. Still does.

[Ian Williams]

........the record(s) that got me (can't really remember which one/s) were on a tape that I got from a guy who put James Taylor Quartet live stuff onto cassette before they went mainstream.

I do remember listening to them whilst spraying my Lambretta in my bedroom - with the windows open of course! and it was stuff like "Shoes" Bobby Bland and "You Oughta Be In Heaven" The Impressions from the Kent Shoes LP. The first 'rare' 45's I bought were Googie Rene Combo "Smokey Joes La La" on Class for £9 when 45's were about £1. God for that price I could have had ANY import by The Jam - even the Japenese Pic Sleeve of "Going Underground"

Then I saw a copy of "Cigarette Ashes" on Jayboy and that was it.......I was hooked...I couldn't believe that guitar bass drums and other stuff could sound just SO good.........and best of all no one had heard or knew this stuff!

Most of my early 45's came from record fairs in Bristol when they were decent and even Mick Smith would sell stuff there. I rememeber him telling someone with glee that he'd got a copy of Determination" on Demo.........well chuffed he was.....

So 20 years on and there must be tens of thousands of records I've never heard - heres to the next 20 years!!

Regards to you all

Ian

[Guest]

i ve gor pabs no i will give a bell he is on line so expect mess i see him now and again he djs in kieghley

[Guest nubes]

Man without a woman- Michael and Raymond,....You've got a good thing boy-Jeanie King,Got to be a great song-Tiffanies......Once a upon a time-The Orlons was amongst the first records which did it for me and are still all time faves.Del x

[Guest]

Evellyn Thomas "Weak Spot"

Rex Garvin "Sock It To Em' JB"

Edited June 4, 2005 by dodgydaz

[Guest Awake 502]

The first track I ever really remember was J.J. Barnes "Please let me in"But after that tunes like

Don Thomas "Come on train"

Eddie Foster "I never knew"

Jeanette Williams "All of a sudden"

Williams and Watson "Too late"

Mickie Champion "What good am I"

got me hooked....

Edited June 3, 2005 by Awake 502

[sister dawn]

For me it has to be Holly St James and thats not love, the Early morning call at Lincoln Drill Hall

This was my first encounter with northern, the first event I had attended. An alnighter.

From that nite on I have been hooked and have travelled a few miles over the years, regular haunts for me was, apart from the drill hall alnighters, was the pier and winter gardens at cleethorpes and the beloved palais at nottingham. Other places traveled to included va va's, Queens hall, the assembly rooms, stoke, remember having a brilliant all dayer once in romeo and juliets at, I think it was Derby...

Remember being at an all nighter somewhere then travelling down to blackpool for a dayer... think that would kill me now...

Happy memories, great friends, and a wonderful life.

[Guest mattmale]

I suppose my route is the same as most, school youth club and local working men's club discos. Every DJ in Nuneaton has the same 5 NS records and they do a short spot in the night. You go to a wedding or anniversary round our way and you'll still get the same ones even to this day...

Invariably:

The Snake - Al Wilson

Out on the Floor - Doby Gray

Nine times out of ten - Muriel Day

Tainted Love - Gloria Jones

Third finger left hand - Martha Reeves (popular at weddings)

plus assorted motown.

The sound that grabbed me first time and was massive round our way was Peggy March - If you loved me

The way i found out there was actually a scene beyond Nuneaton was seeing older lads and girls coming to the Labour Club discos with bags covered with patches and then all leaving together about 9 o'clock. Very mysterious. Turned out they were all off to Wigan...

M.

Edited July 21, 2005 by mattmale

[Guest Gogse]

over the years we have all heard people say this is the track that got me into northern or that one is, or even this how i got into soul.

When I was 14 my big sister used to go to the Americana in Edinburgh. At home she would play records and practice here dance steps.

Miracles - I’m just a love machine

Tavares - Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel

Stuff like that, but the one that got me was..

Tommy Hunt - Loving on the losing side

Hook line and sinker.

The wee church in Market Street.

Clouds.

Valentino’s alldayers

Spankeys

The Triangle Club

Leith Town Hall Alldayer

First night at Wigan I went up to mr M’s. Just sat in the balcony and listened. First time I heard Ramsey Lewis - Wade in the Water. I asked someone what it was and he obliged to tell me the name and that it was an oldie. Oldie! This was the first time I heard it, so to me it was a newie. Even to this day I hear oldie’s that are new to me. Just ads to the joy of N.S.

[Geordiejohnson]

The first track I ever really remember was J.J. Barnes "Please let me in"But after that tunes like

Don Thomas "Come on train"

Eddie Foster "I never knew"

Jeanette Williams "All of a sudden"

Williams and  Watson "Too late"

Mickie Champion "What good am I"

got me hooked....

link

Bingo "please let me in" was mine My big sis was a soul nut and when she played this about 1969 i went nuts...The first soul track I purchased for myself though was everythings wrong Chubby Checker.1971

Oh my eyes ave gone all misty

Geeooooordie

[Simsy]

If the definition is "what really got you", would have to be the Pyramid.

First heard at St Ives, 1985. Sent off for a sales tape with it on from Manship. Drove to work in Palmers Green the morning it arrived with that playing over and over and over again.

Still #1 fave tune of all time

[Guest martyn]

Man without a woman- Michael and Raymond,....You've got a good thing boy-Jeanie King,Got to be a great song-Tiffanies......Once a upon a time-The Orlons was amongst the first records which did it for me and are still all time faves.Del x

link

Named my daughter Tiffany after 'Got to be a Great Song'.

Unfortunatly she's convinced I named her after the famous jewlers & has developed expensive tastes

[Crumb]

I suppose it was seeing lads who went to Wigan dancing to Footsee at a local disco, I thought the record was crap but I was intrigued enough to find out a bit more about northern soul. I discovered "higher & higher", "out on the floor" and "ain't no soul" among my mate's brother's records and that was it, I was hooked.

Crumb

[MarkWhiteley]

I suppose it was seeing lads who went to Wigan dancing to Footsee at a local disco, I thought the record was crap but I was intrigued enough to find out a bit more about northern soul. I discovered "higher & higher", "out on the floor" and "ain't no soul" among my mate's brother's records and that was it, I was hooked.

Crumb

Guy Darrell's Ive Been Hurt did it for me! looking back I cant imagine why

Mark

[Gary]

Guy Darrell's Ive Been Hurt did it for me! looking back I cant imagine why

Mark

Yeah, even i dont like that one

[Guest]

Watching Lads in Baileys Hull dancing to Footsie 1974 I was 14 and though Fcuk me this is better than slade and gary glitter, the lads that got me into it were:

Steve Louther (Goole)

Andy Newbold (Hull)

Zak (Hull)

Jonno (Hull)

and been going to nighters ever since coz im now an old Tw@t

Edited January 6, 2006 by OoooRICKoooO

[Guest]

Well it would appear that I am a second generation soulie. Dad was an original London Mod and used to go to The Scene, Flamingo etc. He started buying imports - his first being Rythem - Major Lance on Okeh. He fell in love with Chicago soul (especially anything to do with Curtis Mayfield).

When I was growing up the only music played in the house was black american music. I wasn't even allowed to watch top of the pops! As a kid I loved all the girl group stuff - and could doolang doolang doolang along with the best of em! When I was a round 10 a dj called Peter Young used to do a spot on Capitol Radio called Soul Cellar ( it had nbeen Cruisin before which we loved too) Me and Dad would listen avidly. Then we'd have our own music session (his records are all shagged due due to a 10 year old girl playing them)

Around this time a record shop in Leytonstone High Street (where we lived) was closing down. Dad used to disappear there on a Saturday and bring home loads of singles each week. Then the Casino Classics LPs, and the First Kent LP's... I knew all the words to all the tracks!

When I was 14 we moved to Benfleet in Essex. Everyone was a casual and were really quite posh! I got freindly with the only two "weirdos" at school - they were goths. We used to go to a club in Rayliegh called the Pink Toothbrush. Thats where I met Sam Messer. Through that club I was introduced to lots of different musical styles - especially on a Friday Night - a bit of soul, a bit of rock-a-billy, ska etc etc. By the age of 16 (1986) I along with Sam were out and out Mods. We spent our weekends going to Mod clubs, going on Rallies and going through charity shops looking for original clothes!

Then at 17 I went to the 100 club - in a turtle neck jumper and a long tweed skirt. And I LOVED IT! At the time Ian Clark used to play a bit of modern/70's which at the time I thought was rubbish!! (love it now though).

I can't say there is a particular record that got me hooked, though I do get all nostalgic if I hear an Impressions track played out!

And that they say is history!