Dave, I might not agree with it but I actually can relate to the whole OVO issue and understand that original releases are part of the scene's roots, especially in collecting terms, but sometimes on here I think people take it just a tad too far when they bandy around words like 'integrity' and 'honesty' and 'respect' etc. in terms of playing music at a venue, it all just seems so overblown and out of context to me.
Soul music and the scene is a hobby, a leisure time pursuit, granted a passionate one for most of us, but does it really warrant people believing they have a better venue than others or they're a better DJ than others because they buy and play original releases of records? Fair enough, if original vinyl is your thing, fine, it actually is for me in terms of the LPs I've always collected, but why on earth make a list of OVO and "CR&P" venues in the first place, if not to do down and belittle the soul 'lower classes' or 'substandard venues' playing their music with no concern of format? At least that's the feeling I get from a lot of the posts in this thread.
And how come people who run these 'ordinary' nights never start threads like this?
Surely people would get more 'respect' if they just went about their scene business in the best way they can and consistently upheld their own views and beliefs, rather than coming on here worrying and moaning about what other people should and should be doing or playing?
Roger