How Modern Is Modern

[Sharon Cooper]

Love N/S have donre since the early 7ts but like some up to date artists especially Akon and have bought his latest album. Does this stuff get played at so called modern venues or is it to modern?

Just wondered.

Chris

Edited March 7, 2009 by bridget

[Tomangoes]

I know what you mean, maybe Modern should be replaced with Newer Oldies!!

Northern Soul by definition embraces any record that can fill a dancefloor etc and aside from personal choice it could be a record from the early 60s to now.

Robbie Vincent used to do a soul show on the BBC about 25 years ago with 'new soul' being played and I was lucky enough to tape some of the shows. When I listen to them now, they are still too modern to be played at most venues, so what chance would AKON have except as a one off.

The late 70s and early 80s produced thousands of great 'modern' tracks and we tend to live on the back of them far too much.

Ed

[NEV]

Love N/S have donre since the early 7ts but like some up to date artists especially Akon and have bought his latest album. Does this stuff get played at so called modern venues or is it to modern?

Just wondered.

Chris

Modern by definition is "the newer stuff" but AKON at a soul night ,i'm not so sure

He sounds like he's singing thru a comb with tracing paper round it

I;E a poor person's jazz band casoo ,if thats spelt right??

Modern soul for me is a good 70's ,maybe even 80's ,even a touch of 90's 2k

Example of a good modern record- THOMPSON BROTHERS -YOU BROUGHT LOVE INTO MY LIFE

Example of a bad modern record- DJ GENESIS -TRIBUTE TO BETTY

[Sharon Cooper]

I know what you mean, maybe Modern should be replaced with Newer Oldies!!

Northern Soul by definition embraces any record that can fill a dancefloor etc and aside from personal choice it could be a record from the early 60s to now.

Robbie Vincent used to do a soul show on the BBC about 25 years ago with 'new soul' being played and I was lucky enough to tape some of the shows. When I listen to them now, they are still too modern to be played at most venues, so what chance would AKON have except as a one off.

The late 70s and early 80s produced thousands of great 'modern' tracks and we tend to live on the back of them far too much.

Ed

why not just call Modern 70ts-80ts and leave it at that cause there is one thing for sure, apart from a few tunes being played, Kenny Thomas, Dj Genesis etc most of it is 70-80tss stuff. and leave the term Modern to mean exactly that Modern.

[Sharon Cooper]

Modern by definition is "the newer stuff" but AKON at a soul night ,i'm not so sure

He sounds like he's singing thru a comb with tracing paper round it

I;E a poor person's jazz band casoo ,if thats spelt right??

Modern soul for me is a good 70's ,maybe even 80's ,even a touch of 90's 2k

Example of a good modern record- THOMPSON BROTHERS -YOU BROUGHT LOVE INTO MY LIFE

Example of a bad modern record- DJ GENESIS -TRIBUTE TO BETTY

One mans meat is another mans poison, it's about choice aint it and what we all like or don't like, perhaps you should .buy his alum an listen to some of his other stuff rather than just go on what is heard on the radio.

[Dave Thorley]

'Timeless Legend', Not very

'Funk Factor', Very

[NEV]

One mans meat is another mans poison, it's about choice aint it and what we all like or don't like, perhaps you should .buy his alum an listen to some of his other stuff rather than just go on what is heard on the radio.

OOOH GET YOU

I was dj'n last night and played Donel Jones ,usher,montel jordan ,kenny Thomas ,R kelly etc etc

But it wasnt a soul venue ,more a busy wine bar where people have no politics regarding music

Truth is they like to have soul music played ,it keeps the punters mellow and all lovey dovey

Cuts down on the glass throwing,bar brawling

[Sharon Cooper]

OOOH GET YOU

I was dj'n last night and played Donel Jones ,usher,montel jordan ,kenny Thomas ,R kelly etc etc

But it wasnt a soul venue ,more a busy wine bar where people have no politics regarding music

Truth is they like to have soul music played ,it keeps the punters mellow and all lovey dovey

Cuts down on the glass throwing,bar brawling

My Missus said I sounded a bit harsh, sorry didn't mean to, but isn't that the same at soul nights, keeping the punters all lovey dovey etc, by playing what they want. and does it mean then that only 'soul nights/nighters have politics. And if you can play Usher/R kelly etc why not Akon and the like?

[NEV]

My Missus said I sounded a bit harsh, sorry didn't mean to, but isn't that the same at soul nights, keeping the punters all lovey dovey etc, by playing what they want. and does it mean then that only 'soul nights/nighters have politics. And if you can play Usher/R kelly etc why not Akon and the like?

Sorry but i guess i just don't rate Akon or anyone who synthesises there voice .

Soul singers either have it or they don't.

My son who is 21 loves his Rnb(not the 60's type )and has a ipod full of albums ,he has a lot of Akon and just for you i gave some of em a listen ,but can't find one i would wanna play out

Best thing would be to name one or even better post it up for everyone to judge

Donel Joens/usher and R kelly can all sing ,infact i know R kelly has a few that have crossed over to the soul scene and unless im mistaken were non chart hits

Doesnt mean you can't enjoy em at home or in the car though

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

Modern to me is 70's and 80's and 90's and some 00's. Kenny Thomas is great and to be perfectly honest it's interesting to find that Mary J Blige, Brian McKnight, John Legend and R Kelly (all modern R & get played out. R Kelly's song Step in the Name of Love is by far my fav of the modern tunes played.

[Geoff]

I think a lot of the current soul records aren't really suitable for the style of dancing at a predominantly Northern night. Friends have given me CDs of current or recent sounds, I like listening to them, but couldn't dance to them. I suppose you can do the two step thing to them but that's not for me.

That is probably why Let It Go by Joi Cardwell has been popular in some events, you can dance Northern style to it.

[Guest souldancer]

I think a lot of the current soul records aren't really suitable for the style of dancing at a predominantly Northern night. Friends have given me CDs of current or recent sounds, I like listening to them, but couldn't dance to them. I suppose you can do the two step thing to them but that's not for me.

That is probably why Let It Go by Joi Cardwell has been popular in some events, you can dance Northern style to it.

Agreed...that's exactly how it is... it really is that simple....and there are plenty more tunes as good as Joi Cardwell about too..and the beauty of it is...you don't have to stop enjoying Northern either...you can have it all.....I do..

Julia

[Rick Scott]

Modern is Modern, Brand New, Recent, Not Old, you wouldn't buy a Ford Cortina and say it's a modern car, what makes music any different, or i've got a Modern house me, it was built in the 70's aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh this bloody subject drags on and on and on "IT'S ALL SOUL MUSIC YOU CAN DANCE TO ANY YEAR ANY STYLE" if it moves the heart, and the soul, and the feet, That is what matters, that is what does it for me, when i was booked at "Northern soul venues" (Hate that term grrrr,) i played and broke the likes of Down to the Bone, Frankie Knuckles etc, etc,etc, at various venues as New Releases, it was just good music you could dance to, and was called a tosser by a lot of people for "Selling Out" And "Spoiling Their Scene", i had those terms and worse spit at me full in the face at a recent Winter Gardens event shortly befor it was closed down and demolished, Funny how these records are played in Northern Soul Rooms up and down the country and readily accepted as such....but to put the cat amoungst the pigeons, are these records NOW Modern or Northern? BE AN INOVATER, NOT A You know it makes sense or am i Where's Me Zimmer Frame

[Guest sarahleen]

i always thought 70s was just northern . id have said 80s was modern

[Epic]

i always thought 70s was just northern . id have said 80s was modern

In 1975 for example records were played as new releases - I would call it modern then - but oldies now.

[Guest sarahleen]

In 1975 for example records were played as new releases - I would call it modern then - but oldies now.

so what are newies then ? . lol

[Mister Fish]

so what are newies then ? . lol

Made today..

Personally I'm into future retro. That way you can't go wrong!

[Cunnie]

I think a lot of the current soul records aren't really suitable for the style of dancing at a predominantly Northern night. Friends have given me CDs of current or recent sounds, I like listening to them, but couldn't dance to them. I suppose you can do the two step thing to them but that's not for me.

That is probably why Let It Go by Joi Cardwell has been popular in some events, you can dance Northern style to it.

That's because J C is a DANCE record & the majority of 60'S Northern tracks are DANCE records.

Compare it to a classic Northern stormer like the Velvet Satins. Both simple lyrics, both about 120 bpm - about the same speed your heart beats when you dance to e'm.

Not going to go down the usual road of saying Soulful House is the new Northern that some go down as I see it the other way. Prefer to think of the 70's Northern scene as the House scene of the day.

Before the usual folks get the gallows out to lynch me from think about it for a minute, Young kids who don't go down the mainstream music road as they need that extra buzz from the music.

[Cunnie]

so what are newies then ? . lol

Oldies

[Mattfox]

hi,

modern soul was the actual sound of groups/artists that Ian Levine and loads of other guys used to spin in the early/mid 70s on soul allnighters in the UK - like the Carstairs ...

I would say modern soul was the sound of the mid 70s to the mid 80s - IMO - for some fellas the classic 70s grooves are "modern" northern soul choons btw. the scooter boy scene used to spin these kinda records in the 80s as well ...

Akon for example is for me the so called Nu Soul - whatcha think?

I would grade it like this: northern (early 60s-late 60s) | crossover (end 60s - early 70s) | modern (mid 70s - mid 80s) | disco (mid 70s - early 80s) | boogie/2step (early 80s - end 80s) | nu soul & soulful house grooves (early 90s - nowadays) - and the whole obscure shite in-between ... not sure if I'm right, am I?

I don't want to forget to mention the other important genres of the golden era like southern soul, deep funk, disco-funk, european & us rare grooves, jazz funk a.s.o.

cheers, M.

Edited March 9, 2009 by mattfox

[ockers]

modern soul

check out i think its issue 13 voices from the shadows

20 years ago the whole debate issued

i think the more accurate term "modern" northern soul seems to spring to mind a description from Tim Brown to describe some of the records epic was buying as new in 1975 or 70ss records being broken at the time by top djs at the time eg curtis/levine

I think we should be talking more about contemporary soul covering all tempos stylesif were talking modern if we need to at all

as Rick says its all music so why categorise

ill get my manship prayer book now and leave

Edited March 9, 2009 by ockers

[Guest Matt Male]

Made today..

Personally I'm into future retro. That way you can't go wrong!

No, newies are just new discoveries and can be 60s, 70s, 80s whatever. You can have 60s newies and Y2K newies etc... for example Stafford was all about 60s newies. Just the opposite of oldies really.

I've noticed confusion on here recently when people think you're talking about modern when you start talking about newies. Time for a glossary?

As for modern i'd be quite happy dancing to The Sunburst Band and Black Sun when out and have, love it

[Guest mel brat]

Modern is Modern, Brand New, Recent, Not Old, you wouldn't buy a Ford Cortina and say it's a modern car...

"Modern" in this context is an aesthetic and cultural description. It does not necessarily have to mean "brand new".

In the arts the term "modern" "...is associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation..."

...so that equally applies to the UK "Modern Soul" scene. Simple.

Edited March 9, 2009 by mel brat

[Guest]

That's because J C is a DANCE record & the majority of 60'S Northern tracks are DANCE records.

Compare it to a classic Northern stormer like the Velvet Satins. Both simple lyrics, both about 120 bpm - about the same speed your heart beats when you dance to e'm.

Not going to go down the usual road of saying Soulful House is the new Northern that some go down as I see it the other way. Prefer to think of the 70's Northern scene as the House scene of the day.

Before the usual folks get the gallows out to lynch me from think about it for a minute, Young kids who don't go down the mainstream music road as they need that extra buzz from the music.

I agree , the scene is there for the love of the music - Joi Cardwell is deffo in there and being classed as modern ,you only have to remember when Phylis Hyman - you know how to love me ,Jackie Moore -This time baby and all those other great sounds ,Keep the Fires burning etc were classed as modern are they classed as new oldies after all this time..?

[dthedrug]

Love N/S have donre since the early 7ts but like some up to date artists especially Akon and have bought his latest album. Does this stuff get played at so called modern venues or is it to modern?

Just wondered.

Chris

In the days of the torch and early days of the Casino most records were less than 5 or 6 years old and of course Blackpool was famouse for playing sounds that were current or just a couple of years old so you had a situation that the new sounds were almost parralel with the classic oldie hence the sucess of the Friday night AllNighter at the Casino which at many times was more popular than the official Saturday Night. Moving on in the early 8ts newies was a term used for records not played in the 7ts except by collectors and modern to me meant HI Energy type sounds so modern was basically soulfull Disco if we look back today at what is moder there has been a slight change in that the music has its roots in 2 forms of soul that were not really recognised in the early days of stomp. by that i mean mid tempo and funk in the purest form and modern capulates the groove of a vast array of soul music that origanal allnighter goers would not dismis but found it not in keeping with the stomp. so in the main modern means a 7ts 8ts sound that has been accepted by rare soul collectors away from the stomp sound i think we all no off 6ts sounds that fall in the modern sound guide line is Wide Awake in a Dream a good example of what i mean, so basically is 73 to 83 with exceptions?, and no Duffy is not modern SOUl so dont even think about it there 1000s of great SOUL sounds out there Duffy is just a very tallanted singer who sings in a old stye way DAVE KIL

[Russ Vickers]

No, newies are just new discoveries and can be 60s, 70s, 80s whatever. You can have 60s newies and Y2K newies etc... for example Stafford was all about 60s newies. Just the opposite of oldies really.

I've noticed confusion on here recently when people think you're talking about modern when you start talking about newies. Time for a glossary?

As for modern i'd be quite happy dancing to The Sunburst Band and Black Sun when out and have, love it

I agree.

Russ

[Russ Vickers]

Northern Soul is any soulful dance record that becomes popular at a Northern Soul Nighter/Night, it can be from any genre or decade, but has to have the X factor that the DJ & dancers almost subconsciously recognise mainly from the 6ts & 7ts but not exclusively. Modern Soul IMO is any soulful dance record played at a NS venue (although not exclusively, but Modern Soul was after all the bastard child of NS), but utilises Modern recording techniques & productions not available in the 6ts, the classic sound back in the day would be the Carstairs............but over the decades this can encompass, crossover, soulful disco, some funk, some boogie & Rare Groove, Soulful House & contemporary new releases, as well as many other genres. My personal ideal Modern Soul Night would include all the above & relevent new releases aswell. My ideal NS night would incorporate the best of everything including appropriate new releases in one room.

See...........as clear as mud ...........back in the day, whilst the debate rumbled on, the dance floor rarely missed a beat between genres......a good soulful dance record is a good soulful dance record & together with the X factor has the potential to become a NS monster & still does to this day.

Ok Pete, I've got mi tin hat on, let me ave it............

Russ

[Guest mel brat]

(Modern Soul) utilises Modern recording techniques & productions not available in the 6ts.... but over the decades this can encompass, crossover, soulful disco, some funk, some boogie & Rare Groove, Soulful House & contemporary new releases, as well as many other genres..

Russ

I agree.

Edited March 9, 2009 by mel brat