Geoff

Reading this has made me feel very guilty as I didn't go last Saturday, going up to the Preston Soul People night with Steve Guarnori. And I won't be at the May one as I'm up at Boomerang. Prior to Saturday I'd been to each 100 Club allnighter this year, and had noticed with dismay the drop in the number of regulars. In my comments on the March all nighter I had a moan (gently I hope) about the non soul people there. I fully appreciate Ady's need to let them in, he needs their cash to keep the whole thing going. But it's a two edged sword, it does stop some people going. I don't think drinking on the dance floor is such an issue, generally if they're asked not to, they stop. But as someone who does enjoy dancing, the antics of some of them are extremely irritating. I don't appreciate people literally dancing into me; I'm an extremely good natured person at a soul night but on more than one occasion have felt like thumping the individual. Probably not a good idea as they are younger than me and would problably end up putting me in hospital, lol. The dropping out of regulars is probably the most worrying thing. There are so many events on these days, I wonder how they fill them up as, let's face it, we are a tiny music scene, proved that you rarely go to a soul night where you don't know anyone. Carms has made a good point: fuel prices are affecting people, travelling is not cheap. If you don't book rail tickets well in advance they too are very expensive. If regulars have dropped out for specific reasons it might be good if people were honest, I know on Soul Source that if you criticise an event you are immediately slagged off. But honest criticism has to be accepted. What I have noticed in the time I've been back on the soul scene is the number of people who have disappeared. When I started goiong out again there was the Capitol Soul Club at the Dome, These Old Shoes, Scenesville, Soul In The City and probably others that have slipped my mind. All of these have gone, and many of the people who went there don't seem to go to the places I attend. Obviously many may have moved out of the London area, or they may have travelled in, not so sure about attendees of TOS and Soul In The City, they were midweek events, not so easy if you have to travel in and then go home out to the sticks. Sorry I've digressed. The music policy at the 100 Club is probably about right. There are classic oldies played, and you need some of them for dancers, you know where you are with them, no sudden changes in tempo, etc. Butch is always worth listening to, he seems to have so many different records to the norm; and leads the way on the rare soul scene. Often I have to hear his tunes a few times to appreciate them but he's got so many good tunes, and most importantly, he knows how to put them together. His funky stuff may not be to everyone's taste, but surely we can put with a few records that don't do it for us while waiting for something more to our taste. His Martha Jean Love cover up, That's The Way The Story Goes, is the best NS track I've heard for ages. I've only heard Joel play a few times but have enjoyed his sets, and a lot of his records are unfamiliar to me. I like to hear stuff I know to dance to, but also want to hear new tunes as well. Is Keith coming back? His sets were always good, and I'm sure he is missed by many. I've particularly enjoyed Mick Smith's early sets, some nice medium tempo and beat ballads. And Ady always plays interesting sets, some tunes I know and some I don't. The guests seem okay to me, I would personally like to see Arthur Fenn and Soul Sam among others guesting there. Perhaps Andy Dyson and Cliff Steele too (you can tell I like Lifeline and it's type of soul music). I'm sure there are plenty of other DJs that would be popular, mind has gone blank as I type this. The music policy generally is mainly sixties with some seventies being played (mainly by Butch). Does it need to be expanded to include more of the latter and maybe more early eighties records? I'd like that, but no doubt others would vehemently disagree. One problem of the soul scene generally is that everything is pigeonholed, classic oldies, Crossover, Modern, R&B, rare, etc. You know what I mean. Many of us are extremely intolerant of anything we don't personally like. Not sure how you please everyone, perhaps less negativity. If Ken is right and parking regulations are to be changed, this too will hit all night life in the West End. I'm lucky and can come up on public transport, but I wonder why councils make life so difficult for motorists on a Saturday night, but of course it's all about money isn't it? To me the club has a sixties ambience, but the dance floor could do with sorting out, but that is down to the owners, not Ady. Sometimes the sound isn't that great either, but again it's the same at many soul nights. I sincerely hope that the all nighters can continue, there isn't really that much going on in London, certainly not for the slightly rarer sounds. If you have to make it quarterly so be it, I'll be sorry but I'm only one individual. And I'm in a slightly different position to many as I'm on my own, don't have anyone else to consider if I want to go out. It must be difficult if you have family, and especially a partner not into the music. Hard to tell a non soul person that you're going out at 9 pm and you'll be back in the morning sometime after 7.30, not likely to go down that well. I apologise for rambling on, I do get verbal diarrhoea when I'm at the keyboard, but I hope my comments are helpful. Sorry if I've offended anyone.

Marion Stewart - I Must Be Losing You

Steve Plumb played the Hesitations at Soul Essence last Friday in the spot where he featues LP only tracks. Had me and Dave Swift out there giving our all.

Thanks to those who replied. I've now ordered a copy.

Heard a track by Tortured Soul called Home To You. Is it available on 45? Preferably 7 inch.

Like the Northern Soul top 30 this changes every day but currently it's a tie between these 3 records: La'Dellics - Never Gonna Change Ella Woods - I Need Your Love Four Dynamics - Things A Lady Ain't Supposed To Do

My favourite single by Marvin is I Want You. The lyrics are about yearning for someone who doesn't want you.

I have one wristband for the Prestatyn weekender available, this is due to being let down by people who said they would make up the chalet number. Price is £25, please PM if interested.

It was through Elvis that I came to black music when I was just in secondary school. I heard his versions of songs like Money Honey and I Got A Sweetie (Woman) and found out that they were originally recorded by black singers (Drifters and Ray Charles) and were classed as Rhythm and Blues. This sparked an interest in original versions of songs that he and other rock'n'roll singers recorded. It wasn't easy in those days to hear the original black versions, many were never issued in the UK at the time. That interest led me onto the R&B sounds from the states in the very early 60s and onto soul music. Did he have soul? Yes, but he's not a soul singer, there is a difference imo. I think he was the best all round pop singer ever, could tackle most styles of music with conviction. Forget about those awful film soundtracks, listen to his pre-Army RCA records, and many good ones after the army. Molly played Elvis's version of Any Day Now at Bedford last year. To me not as good as Chuck Jackson, but that is one of my favourite records anyway. Generally not for a soul night, but great to just listen to him otherwise.

That's another good reason to buy it then Ady. Will check out Amazon.

I am looking forward to this CD as I'm a fan of the Big City Sound and Lou is one of its best proponents. The CD isn't anywhere on the Ace Records site, so I googled it and it is scheduled for issue towards the end of March. I wonder if Kent will release The Panic Is On on a 45?

2 March Prestatyn wristbands for sale. £25 each. If interested please PM me.

I've only heard a few tracks by her, not the whole LP, but I love I'll Come Running Back, one of those records that gets inside you emotionally. Sad that such a good singer never really achieved commercial success. RIP.

So sorry to read that he has died. He was a great singer, personal favourites are Come Go With Me and You Must Live On. RIP Teddy.

Back in the day they'd often be played back to back.

Mick Smith played this at the 100 Club sometime early Sunday morning and many danced to it, including myself. One of the classics that still get folk on their feet.

As Everything's Gonna Be Alright was the A side over here I assume it was in the USA. Not sure if it was a hit over there, but it has that Junior Walker feel to it, e.g. Shotgun type of feel to the sound.

That Driving Beat was the B side of Everything's Gonna Be Alright, issued in 1965 in the UK on London. I heard it in the clubs I went to at the time, both sides were played but it was always That Driving Beat that grabbed me and got me out there. It had the same feel as the Junior Walker records of the time, e.g. Shake And Fingerpop. Wonderful stuff indeed!

I'm going off on holiday to sunnier climes for Christmas with Soulperson, so I'd like to wish all on Soul Source, especially those who know me, a very Happy Christmas and a great New Year.

I was told that Ernestine Eady who recorded Let's Talk It Over is really Yvonne Baker, is that right?

This is a lovely record imo, don't hear it out often but when I do it always makes me feel happy. The lyrics are beautiful, what a great writer Smokey was. He had a real insinct for great love songs.

I've got You Baby on a CD, has it ever been issued on a 45?

Pre Northern Soul they were played, as were other slow records. You danced with a girl to them.

Whose Shrine fund, yours or mine?

That's handy, now I know what to put on your next birthday CD.