macca

Old Soul boy, as in old boy, a particularly British expression at that.

You've just floored me Godz. Was he well known? The guy I remember had a distinct Geordie accent and was accompanied by three large modettes with equally large beehives who were christened the hairbear bunch on the spot. They were all looking for barbies & ampheties. The words flea and ear spring to mind.

I remember being approached at Scarborough in 1980 by a parka wearing dwarf who asked me if I had any 'ampheties'. I had a Wigan badge on my levi jacket so he evidently thought I was a Soulie, even though I wasn't carrying a record boxie at the time. He was given short shrift. This story is true, I have witnesses.

I'd say were were/are aficionados of a predominantly black american art form spanning two decades whose exponents, on the whole, but not always, failed miserably in their attempts to compete on a level playing field with the more significant players in the industry. Probably a bit long-winded though.

Killer post Dean!

you should have been awarded a medal of distinction then steve, bet it was barry benson, barry st. john, helen shapiro, peggy march etc, right?

It's never been one for me either. I've 'put records on' a few times, but DJ in the true sense of the word no. I've always felt for those DJs you see furiously rooting through their boxes only to be badgered every 45 seconds by serial requesters. But then again I'm awful at multi-tasking anyway.

No, of course not. T'was in jest. I do think that the stream of punters can get out of hand though.

Perhaps it's something like certain artists not taking requests from the audience, that if they played said request, it might throw the concert off-kilter, a bit like an Elvis fan hearing 'are you lonesome tonight' instead of 'baby let's play house' or 'good rockin' tonite' before the acoustic set of killer dillers like 'I can't help falling in love with you' and 'old shep' in the second half. I personally don't think a DJ should be 'obliged' to play requests, as they can and do get out of hand with an endless stream of well-intentioned folk approaching the decks, especially when the beer/gear kicks in.

I don't have kids, but the idea of sharing your parents/grandparents' taste in music was unthinkable for most of us in our youth, right? For me, one thing is appreciating the music, for example I've borrowed my dad's Lena Horne albums, but another thing perhaps is attending events where the majority of folk are close to or have passed their half century (yikes). At the end of the day, if these youngsters feel comfortable in this environment, then fine. You should tell 'em to travel to continental Europe if they want to see a younger crowd, then they'll be well and truly hooked. :-) Mac

He's going to be bringing it all back home Rod. how does it feel? Incidentally, wasn't The Tomangoes a 'local hit? M

In other words, we came, we saw, we conquered and we carried off as much booty as possible. Most foreign tourists place the British Museum at the top of their list of attractions, if only to marvel at all the stuff we've half inched in the last two centuries.

Don't get 'em started Herman or we'll be here until the cows come home.

well nick the greek might not have been that capable of looking after his stuff 150 years ago, or whenever it was that Lord Elgin 'acquired' them, but that excuse is wearing a bit thin in 2009. Some might call it paternalistic claptrap. I too am ashamed for the offtopicness of the post.

And this from a country that refuses to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Hypocrites!

Don't we get our knickers in a twist at times chaps? I think it's great that the scene has burst its banks/borders. I stress the use of the word scene here because the US is inarguably the source of the music, largely ignored by consumers over there. So I for one will continue to take records out of the UK, with your permission of course.

Sister Marie, gone to join Sister Rosetta in the sky. She was much more than just YLSW & TNWTTAG in my opinion. RIP.

And how did Pete dance? I remember when Colin Curtis came to Peterborough late 76 he brought people with him a crowd, guys and gals, that wore drainpipes, plastic sandals, mohair jumpers etc. They just walked backwards and forwards with their hands behind their ears as if to say, 'speak up, I can't hear you'. It certainly had the manifesto crowd confused. Curtis had cigarrette ends flicked at him that night. It'd be interesting to find out what he had played to warrant that reaction. I think Brian Rae 'restored order' with the dreadful Waterfall. The Peterborough effect.

Bob Brady & The Con Chords - Everybody's Going To The Love In/More, More, More Of Your Love. Now there's a man who wanted to be Smokey. The problem is Paul, is that he'll never probably admit to liking the stuff and will likely say 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it's a pale imitation mate'. Isn't that what mainstream Black music journos have been telling us for 40+ years. On the other hand you might be lucky and win another convert.

I wouldn't exactly call it Funk either. It's very Jazzy with that flute. Great record in its day.

I think that bit about Otis being championed by the white media is a bit unfair. Just because the hippies reacted positively (they were tripping their tits off) at Monterrey Pop? Otis was much more than what the white rock media made of him. He would have blown minds in spite of them. Tony Rounce needs to get his gloves on! :-)

I think these terms, king, queen, empress, godfather etc are rather pointless. Of all the artists mentioned, I think JB was the one that did the most for his people. In the aftermath of the MLK assassination, Watts, Chicago, Detroit etc, it was JB's voice that people listened to and held the most sway in the community. In creative terms, the man was unique, an total innovator. If the JB groove and what became Funk isn't one's cup of tea, it hardly matters, the man was a pathfinder. As a performer, the man was also in a class of his own. If we go back further in time, ask yourself these questions: if Bessie Smith was the empress of the blues, wtf were Ma Rainey and Victoria Spivey? Was Robert Johnson really the king of the Delta Blues?

Tsch, tsch. Boy will be boys, what.

A lot people that ventured onto the stage to request records years ago were shirtless types, invariably 'smashed' that often became a pain in the arse for the jocks. Sometimes it could be amusing to watch. Then there was the security question. If I'd been a DJ back then, I don't think I'd have been happy with so many pilled up and shirtless youths lurking around my hot box. I guess it's different today. Maturity brings responsibility... sometimes. :-)

rites of passage, like big joe getting in the light & bitters for the sprogs at the cow.