Paul R

Can we get Jeremy Kyle to do some sort of DNA test to establish the facts so that once and for all we can find out if, as a soul fan, it is acceptable to dance to the MPVs. We need to know. Paul

It ain't me. Not allowed out to play anymore Paul

I was originally from Southport, but Lived in Burscough during this time. My sister, Chris also used to attend, and we were normally there on the Wednesday & Friday nights as well. At one time I went out with Gill from Shevington, who used to go around with a girl called Janet, & Anne Rodgers of Footsee fame. Great days, but too great at times. I bottled out & joined the Navy in '76, although I still went to Wigan occassionally. Paul

I was not putting those tracks in the same league as Linda Jones or Garnett Mimms. I was merely saying that on the Northern soul scene both danceable pop records, were played along side real soul records because they the beat & the feel of the authentic stuff. Oh and Pete I also did not say that I liked the david & the giants tracks, I just said because they were pop they are immediatly regarded as Wigan tunes as well as the MPVs & others. To me Northern Soul is not actually a music genre, but a music scene. The rumour I heard back in the day was that David & The Giants were in fact the Osmonds. A fact proved because they were on the Crazy Horse Label . That probably makes Sam Ambrose Merrell! . Paul

It may be a pop record, but I think you'll find that it was actually a Levine spin at the mecca in 75. I really love the "it is by a white artist therefore it's Wigan crap" attitude. Other tracks from around the same era that were mecca were David & the Giants "Superlove" & "Ten Miles High", The present "Many's The Slip"(Levines Vocal To Bok To Bach), and others often regarded as Wigan tunes. They are "Northern Soul" along with Linda Jones & Garnett Mimms etc. and they were part of the "Northern Soul Scene". OK they may not be soul. Sorry to highjack the thread, but this site is for Rare & Northern Soul. Some people may not like particular tracks, but that's life. Don't forget that white "pop" records have been played since the scene evolved and are still being discovered & played in the scene today. Can't blame Wigan for that. Paul

I used to know many of them. When I was in the Navy, in the late 80s I was based in Hove near Brighton(it was a reservists base). I was in a local pub one day talking to the landlady, who had a lancashire accent. She said I'm from Wigan, and so is Eamon over there. Eamon Ashall was stood there, looking as he did last time i saw him in about 76. To say we had a few beers and a good old reminissing session would be an understatement. Paul Rimmer(no relation to Simon)

This was all part of a Radio 2 series and they asked people to vote on it. Unfortunately they had certain fixed tracks to vote for. As Ian Levine was one of the in house experts(and arguably correctly). His favourite northern sound just happens to be the Charades, according to one of my books(possibly the In Cowd). And that is why it is on the list. Paul

I used to love this when it got a few plays around 1973. Both sides (voc & Inst) are brilliant. paul

There were several Beach Music films around in the 80s. They were all quite dire apart from the sound tracks. "Shag" was one of the best ones. Track listing 39-21-40-Shape The Showmen Alley Oop-Hollywood Argyles Another Saturday Night-Sam Cooke Baby Work Out-Jackie Wilson Easier Said Than Done-Essex Harlem Shuffle-Bob & Earl He's So Fine-Chiffons It Will Stand-The Showmen Let Me In-The Sensations Mama Said-The Shirelles Monkey Time-Major Lance Since I Don't Have You-The Skyliners Stagger Lee-Lloyd Price Stay-Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs Under the Boardwalk-The Drifters Up on the Roof-The Drifters What Kind of Fool-The Tams You Belong To MeThe Duprees Paul

I suppose I was asking for that one, but personally I love the late Torch types stuff, although I never went. I probably wouldn't count The Younghearts in my top 10, but for me, that is a great example of what Northern Soul is about. And if people thought the same as me, then this thread would probably be irrelevant. Paul

Would be difficult. I am a nostalgia person, & yesterday I played for the first time in ages the Younghearts "A Little Togetherness" anything better than that in the last 30 years? Discuss Paul

Back in the day, I remember being told about the instrumental that was called "Choc Ice" by one person and "Cold Cheese" by another. Of course they were both by Paul Humphrey . I do remember at my first time at the Mecca, asking Colin Curtis to Play "You broke My Heart In Two". Well th's what I thought Frankie beverly "If That's What You Wanted" was Called. Paul

Wasn't the Fuller brothers a southern discovery I always thought Dave Rivers brought it up to the Torch. On a personal note, my earliest big purchase(although small in comparison) was a Shane Martin on US Epic at Wigan when it was just going big. I Paid £6. The same night a UK Demo went for £12. Paul

I don't normally add to threads like this because I am not a regular attendee of soul nights anymore. The whole scene appears to be split between the oldies & the newies brigade, i.e. the nostalgia people(like me) and the forward thinkers at the cutting edge of the scene. going back 20, 30, and even 40 years ago, generally, there was one or maybe 2 main allnighters, the lifeblood of the scene. we didn't have the money, means to travel, but travel we did. During the week we attended soulnights. These generally were not the cutting edge nights, although some did play the top sounds either by emidiscs or by having the top DJs being in residence. BY reading the threads on here, apart from the oldies nights, most promoters & wannabe DJs want to be at the forefront, playing whatever they deem to be the next big sound, or their own personal veiw of what everyone else should love. There are literally hundreds of nights throughout the year clashing dates and having 2 in close proximety on the same night. No wonder these newies(for want of a better term) nights are playing to 30 people on occasion. Potentially there are millions of people of all ages available to suddenly get into the rare soul scene, but realistically very few will. Some co-ordination of the promoters is needed to ensure that the top couple of nights in the country, playing the latests discoveries are packed to the rafters, rather than 200 soul nights and each playing to 20 people. To some people, it may be a sad fact, but oldies nights are packed and newies nights aren't. The comments about the scene not being underground anymore are crap. make the cutting edge nights the best kept secret in the world. The best part of the scene in the 60's, 70's & 80's was that we knew that we were part of something special. So newies people Breakaway(sorry that is at least 3 oldies) and form your own scene, but you are not allowed to play anything that has been played before 'cause that's an oldie! OH, and keep the faith! Paul

Definately 4 Seasons "I'm Gonna Change". It just keeps creeping into my head. Paul

Talk about condescending remarks Mel!. I started going to the casino in Oct 73 at the grand old abge of 15, and was imediately accepted into the group of 20+ year old wheel & Torch ites. THis was because I was a soul fanatic who started off on Motown went onto Atlantic stax etc. At the same time, the local youth club was playing All the usual Wheel type sounds. Don't make the generalisation that all kids like me who went to the Casino at 15, who found out about it via crap articles in newspapers. Prior to Wigan I did a couple of Whitchurch Dayers & Va Vas(when they let me in). Keep the faith. Paul

Although I have met a load of fellow soulies in various places, both good & bad experiences.(don't like lying bullsh*tters). My job takes me worldwide as a marine engineer, and in one flight to the states, after inwardly sn*****ing at the group of american schoolgirls on the flight with matching sweatshirts declaring "Beaver College" as their place of education, I sat next to their teacher. After a few drinks I started chatting and she told me she was from Philly and at her high school prom in 1967 ish they had a group I wouldn't have heard of called "Lee Andrews and the Hearts", playing. I then bored her to tears for the rest of the flight finding various tracks on my MP3 player for her "I've Had It", "Nevertheless" etc. I bet it was the longest flight she had ever been on. Paul

Got agree Ian. First time I came across this was while flicking through Russ's stall at The casino(A sort of ritual, I never bought anything!). And there was this Eddie Parker & The Sunlovers, WTF was that all about. I listened to the boot, and did not know it. Probably a bit fast even by 1974 Wigan Standards. Paul

4 Seasons I'm Gonna Change is one of my all time favourites, and I don't feel guilty at all as it is good Northern Soul(IMHO). One I certainly don't get, but love to hear is Round Robin "Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann". It just sounds like an acoustic kids song. Paul

As Ian said above, Herbie Goins & The Night timers "Number 1 In Your Heart" UK Parlaphone? Paul

Just picked up an album I've never seen before. Gladys Knight & The Pips "Tastiest Hits" on UK Bell It has all the Maxx recordings. Is it particularly rare? Is is mint and was only £3. Also picked up a "Little Bit Of Soul" RCA Comp for £3. And James Brown Raw Soul on UK Pye (contain "Money won't change you") also for £3 The bloke also had quite a few Mint UK Atlantic & Stax things as well, but I'd run out of money. Not bad for the price though. Paul

OOps, forgot all about that one. I did get it at the time of release as well. Obviously the long term memory is on it's way out as well now Paul

Cheers for the scans. I had all 3 of the Keep the Faith albums, but sold them. Great albums. I had another great Minit album called Soul Food also with the Themes, Players JImmy Holiday etc. Paul

Following on from the rare UK albums thread. In my early days there were albums around that contained big northern sounds of the day. I don't mean albums released because of the scene, I mean stuff Like the RCA albums, "A Little bit Of Soul" containing The Exciters & Willie Kendrick. Or "Funky Bottom Congregation" with Herb Ward. It was a way of getting the top sounds without breaking the bank. Also in those days it was acceptable to play them out because they were still "Original". What others are there.? Someone mentioned a Columbia Okeh one. What were the tracks? Paul

Don't think it ever got a UK issue on a 45. The Contempo issue is a re-recording. Therefore, the "A Little Bit Of Soul" album remains the UK original, along with Willie Kendrick. Paul