Paul R

Steve, if you're in the Crown over August bank holiday, we'll try & get Mischeif to spin "The Kid" Paul

He looked better without it! Paul

Basically who gives a feck!. In MY Humble opinion, this is one of the best examples of what was generally termed "Northern Soul" that you could come across. A great dance beat, great soulful vocals with great harmonies. This has remained a solid favourite of mine for 30+ years, and I never tire of it. I also hope it is Len Jewell because also amongst my favourites are his other tracks "Bettin' On Love" & "All My Good Good Lovin'". But as I said, this is MY opinion. Paul

Reminds me of '70s James & Bobby Purify for some reason. Paul

David & The Giants(both tracks) Mecca The Present Many's The Slip(According to levine the vocal to bak To Back) Mecca Country Store Caught with My Heart down-Mecca MVPs Turning My heartbeat Up-Mecca The Black Abbots(Russ Abbot) The Painter(covered up as Eddie Foster I am The Painter)-Mecca Wombat gettin'On Life borrowed off a mate of mine & played by Levine And many others I can't remember at this time. Wigan did fall by the POP wayside at times, but during 74-76 when I attended both venues on a regular basis, Mecca with it's forward thinking policy, was playing the same records in the highland room as was played downstairs in the Bali Hi. Ester Phillips What a difference, George Benson Supership, Hubert Laws Etc. I attended venues to hear predominantly Soul records with a 60's uptmpo style that were not the tracks played at your normal run of the mill disco. Also don't forget that the Wheel type era, although the sound were mainly soul acts many big sounds by white artist were also played.Charlie Rich, Ronnie Milsap, Round Robin, Mitch Ryder etc. I may be wrong in my thinking, but essenially "Northern Soul" is a scene, not an actual musical Genre. There are many typical Northern soul records, but the music played on the scene through the years, covers many styles, and the only thing that links them is the fact that they were played on the scene, and to a greater or lesser extent accepted by the people that matter, not the DJs, but the paying public. I would rather dance to Tommy Sands "The Statue" than than kenny Lynch "Movin' Away", or for that matter Dr Buzzard. but that is My opinion. Paul I have my faith & I will keep it in the same way I have kept it for about 38 years. But I will not tell other people how thiers should be kept

Wasn't too keen on Rosemary at first, as mentioned, the inst was first played. I remember comments about the guitar lead "Feckin' led Zeplin music" etc. I also remember a well loved guy on the scene who is no longer with us, flogging copies of "Rosemarys Baby Original Soundtrack" LP at Wigan . A bit naughty there Pete! Paul

Totally agree Brian, it may be totally played out, but compared to many records past & present played under the mantle of Northern or Rare soul, it must be amongst the best. IMHO of course. Paul

My work takes me round the world fixing mechanical bits on yachts. Most of the time we end up in scabby dock areas, but I ended up going to Zante(Zakinthos) for about 3 hours work and a two day trip. It was full of young brits getting p*ss*d. On the night before I was leaving I passed a bar that advertised "Tuesday Is Soul Night With Andy". Starts 9 oclock. I went in and coming through the speakers was Hit & Run, I've Got something Good, and other more commercial chart stuff. I was really looking forward to 9, when the DJ came on. Sure enough at 5 to 9 this fatish brit came on & sorted his CDs out, and the first track started: "Stand By Me" then this bloke started singing in a club singer stylee . I made my excuses & left. Oh well! Things are not all bad though, I was in Barcelona working over a weekend when Little Stevie aand a couple of other UK DJs were guesting at a weekender. I didn't get much work done Paul

I don't know if they did it in that colour, but if they did it would have been a late one. The original one was in red background, which I always thought was because it was a stylised Lancashire Rose. I always worried about the first almnighter badge which was similar in yellow. Paul

Got loads of plays during the backing track phase at the Casino in 74. Somehow, Soussan got hold of loads of good backing tracks like this & all the mirwood stuff. Unfortunately he was not content with this and created loads of really naff synthesizer versions of old Torch type classics. Johnny Sayles, Ovations, Sam & Kitty Etc. The Chiffons backing does bring back those great memories though, along with the Belles and Leon Young, Glad All Over.....Well perhaps not the last one. Paul

Ia that Fleet as in a large group of ships Hi Steve! Paul

The problems with articles like this, which are mostly heavily edited before publication, is that it would appear that "Northern Soul" is basically the B sides of pop records. I did hear a description once that NS was soul records sung by white people! Paul

Never heard that one before. Has anyone got an MP3 of the "original" soussan doctored version, with the Little Bit hurt intro?. It is still a great mindless instrumental! Paul

I think that is a bit unfair. Radio 2 will play great Northern, or just great soul if you want it that way. In fact Ray Pollard was played about 3 weeks ago on Stuart Maconie on Saturday afternoon "Keeping the faith" Slot. Today he played the fantastic Superlatives "I Still Love You". Paul

I may be wrong as i'm dredging this up from 30 odd years ago, but I think "Superdance" is the instrumental of "Hully Gully" and not an official release. But sorry I haven't got one. Paul

And a great oldie from me B side, "Just because Of You" Paul

Used to play this locally about 25 years ago covered up as Lou Johnson. Great Track. Bad sound quality though if I remember correctly Paul

The thing is, Ten Miles High(as was Superlove) were never really big at Wigan, they were Mecca Sounds in 73/74. Hey Sah Lo Ney, was a Wheel Sound from late 60s, as was Nobody but me. Lonely man was massive at Wigan as a Cover up in Summer 74 as the Detroit Shakers. so the fact they were all youth club sounds was OK. They were all not cutting edge Wigan! Paul Why doesn't everyone realise that there was crap played then, and there is crap played now, but to someone it is magic!

£6 for Shane martin on US Epic, at Wigan in 1974. The same night a british copy went for £12., I swapped the Shane Martin for A US Capitol End Of Our Love, Nancy Wilson. I did get an April Stevens UK Demo around the same time for £3, Sold it to My mate Sean Bimpson(RIP) for £8. Lot of meney then as an £11 a week 1st year aprentice. Paul

I always think it was such a pity that Ray Merrell did the vocal on this. Fantastic backing track let down by a very lacklustre vocal.(in a "Northern Soul" context, I'm not saying he can't sing in his own way) And no, I'm not a "must be a black artist" purist. I just hate the vocal on it. Apart from that. I absolutely love Jayboy, because it was by far the greatest label in my youth when first getting into the music. In particular, I think that the Mirwood setup are the real epitome of the northern sound, in my opinion more so than anything from Detroit or Chicago. I think the treason I believe this is because most of the big tracks were Dance records, as opposed to Soul. Hope I'm not being Controversial Paul

In my rapidly deteriorating memory I remember the above track. was it Cliff Nobles On Atlantic? If so anyone got an MP3. Cheers Paul

Get Ready, The Temptations. Round about 1970ish. Paul

It's crap, but "Why Am I loving You" just reminds me of the first alnighter I went to(Vava) and then subsequently Wigan...................... The soul club, not the cafe! Paul

I also remember people sitting around piles of holdalls, looking like bonfires about to be lit. It was a long night. Paul