viphitman

Absolutely fab article. The perception of the post wigan ‘’dark years of northern soul’’ also seem to ignore the spreading of Northern Soul all over Europe and beyond. Not by expats like in Australia but by people from the local mod scooter skin and 60’s scene in Germany. Italy. Spain, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, USA…..since the early 80’s

The foundations were laid by the mods around 1979-82 in Hamburg, Düsseldorf and other major cities in West Germany. But while the mods moved away from rnb, motown and a sprinkle of rare soul towards 60's garage, beat, psychedelic, power pop, punk only events the scooter scene started to get bigger and bigger. It's peak was early 90's were quite often an all-nighter was packed out with many hundreds of scooterists + some mods & skinheads. The numbers went down by the end of the decade but the music played at soul events became more and more diverse and dj's started to dig a little deeper. More people started to collect records and playing original vinyl became more and more important as well. The good thing is that most established all-nighters have nowadays an ovo policy but rather then playing the same old same old, many dj's try to find & play something different of each other. It wouldn't make sense if everyone would be chasing the same big ticket (upfront or oldie) as most people on the scene are not very wealthy and I guess you may have to think twice before you spent your hard earned cash. DJ’s try to distinguish themselves from each other a little through their individual playlist. It is more fun anyway when someone comes up hmmm nice what’s that one called ;) There are not that many opportunities to play them out anyway. Most dj's rather try to find an underplayed oldie, a newie or maybe an overplayed oldie in Britain but rarely heard in Germany which other dj's may not play within their set over here. Well, of cause there are also many many records soooo in vogue they will be chased be everyone ;) Also, the music policy at many all-nighters and the open minded approach by the dj's, promoters and punters towards a diverse playlist which often includes rnb, crossover, funky northern, modern, underplayed northern, classic northern or upfront sounds, do make all-nighters quite often that little more interesting & exciting to go to. After all if ya don't like a certain tune you can always have a chat, drink, fag or whatever until the next one drags ya on the floor. As an old avid UK soul collector you may know most tunes played over here but there will always be a handful of tunes you may not know. We do play quite a few oldies but also a lot of other stuff. Probably similar to the Stafford days. Dave, ya old chippie your numbers are a little low in my opinion ;) In Hamburg I guess we have around 45 hard-core collectors, dj’s and nutty soulheads but also around another 100+ young & old northern soul ‘’fans’’ (normals, skins, mods, scooterists) who do like to go now and then and shuffle a little. The same goes more or less for Berlin, Munich, and Bremen. Other cities have less punters who quite often live miles away from each other. People in Stuttgart, Aachen, Dresden, Leipzig, Augsburg, and Düsseldorf do also a splendid job in organising nighters/weekenders. Nonetheless you are right the scene is very small but very dedicated and we do like to travel as well ;) Most nighters in Germany have around 80- 180 people in with some hard-core soulies some mods, skins, soulbillies ;) and soul infected newish normal punters strutting their stuff. ....and yes it always feels like a big reunion going to an allnighter ;) Btw..... soul nighters were also continiously run by some early mods in Hamburg I think Olaf & Leif started off in 1983. Late 80's up to the late 90's northern soul was often played at mixed nighters/ mini nighters next to some ska, rocksteady & reggae...and as mentioned above very popular within the scooter scene in the 80's/90's... Soul was also played in the sixties & seventies at soul discotheques ;) .......just come along to the Hamburg Soul Weekender in October ;)

A friend of mine is gonna hit new york in sep for a few days (14th-24th) Is there anything going on ???? Cheers

Well I guess at the Tate or the Louvre they are a little mad as well for displaying the original artworks. It might have been a tradition to do so for many years for various inexplicable reasons to display original artworks at most galleries but surely all people involved must suffer from arthritis. I am sure most punters don’t care if they see the real deal or just a copy. I am currently running a free art gallery in Hamburg where you can admire copies of some fab paintings and nobody ever complained. People just enjoy being there, socialising and looking at the artworks. Anyway, they must be mad to display all those expensive paintings as I am sure that’s not going to help to keep them in pristine condition. I have been once to the Louvre and it was full of art critics and collectors. Most galleries are just full of really expensive stuff. It’s just about the money not the artistic value. I am sick and tired of looking at the Mona Lisa but I got a great response when I displayed a copy of Impression Sunrise at my gallery. Down the road, they display original art works by many different artists. Some of them I’ve never heard off and are pretty cheap to get hold off but I just stick with the classics.

Nice little video with some kids from the scene dancing to some classic stuff + a CD full of oldies !!! Nothing wrong with that !! Just go to a soul night which does offer a little more underplayed or obscure stuff and dance ya nuts off !!!!

I friggin love Brand New faces !!! Great gritty street level sound I love to swing my legs to !!! Hmm, just type in Jimmy Burns, Al Williams and you get more sales on ebay/popsike then BNF !!! Add to that manship and private sales/offers .... It doesn't mean much but you just never know how many copies are around for sure !! There are many silent big ticket armchair collectors in the UK as well as dj's and collectors who like to show off a little !!! Anyway, I love it even if it would cost me a tenner But a save guess would be it's not as rare as Don Gardner ;)

The box set & digital download came first then the lp ;) Quite a few good tracks on it !!! I gave some of them a spin over the last 6 years to a fab reception ....I must dig it out again... bloody hell time goes quick !!!

I know they, are tooo old now !!! But at the casino they were easy to spot as plain clothes coppers !!! Shame, once ya got to know them a little better they actually were good lads !!!

It would have been more fun to have someone on who has been on the scene without a break looking casual….His son is a lazy fat, spotty, unfit twat playing his play station all night long almost every day !!! Right here is a story line !!!! Dad goes out since donkey years enjoying the music !!! You see him dancing, travelling and talking about his love of the music, people and so on !!!! He comes back at 9 in the morning, looking good and fit after an allnighter. You see an alarm clock just going past 9 o’clock in the morning !!! Knock Knock on the door !! Cut His son plays computer games all night long eating tons of junk looking real tired in the morning. He opens the door, Dad is having his healthy fix in the morning in the Kitchen sitting in front of his tired looking son. They do not getting on tooo well !!! He asks him you want some wheat ??? The son says nooooo, thanks !!! The dad say’s `` You should try it !!!!! The son thinks about it ….. Cut 6 months later…. Son and dad having a really good time together both looking fit, dancing away doing acrobatics!! They are coming back together from an allnighter, they sit down and having some shredded wheat together in the kitchen !!!! They laugh together….love each other and having a good time….. BIG ADVERTISING VOICE OVER Shredded Wheat Is good for the heart (being fit) & good for the Soul (relation ship dad & son) Cut… in black and white a very short clip of… Son & Dad having a line of speed together at the allnighter :lol:

Ronnie Baker Big Wide World Dawn & Sunset What it is Ascots She is indifferent to me now Soul Superiors Your Love is Super Good Emulations Move A little Slower Girl The Vontastics Why Must We Part

The Up Tights - Look A Little Higher please pm price & condition !!

lonette mind intruder dearborn please pm price & condition thanks

Hi, I am looking for JESSE BOONE AND THE ASTROS, I GOT TO LOVE YOU BABY, SOUL-PO-TION PLease pm price & condition Cheers Frank

TOMMY PAYTON - Mountain Of Soul wanted !! Please pm price and condition !!!! Cheers

Does the box set include the over three decades of northern soul in europe and other parts of the world ???

uk only doesn't work on the mainland ;)

Can someone please upload it as I can't see it in Europe