Geoff

As others have said, it may well change by tonight, but at present my 2 favourites are Gene Chandler's Without You Here and Black & Blue's Of All The Hearts To Break.

You cheeky young whippersnapper. No more R&B CDs for you!!

I'd have been down the Scene when your Dad was there Kirsty, the lady DJ played loads of Major Lance in late 64, I think some may have been off an LP. Monkey Time, Hey Little Girl, Um Um Um Um Um Um, Rhythm, still great tracks imo, and would be nice to hear them out now, they are still great dancers. Others played at that time included: Gene Chandler's A Song Called Soul; Tommy Duncan's Dance Dance Dance; William Bell's Monkeyin' Around; It's All Right and Talking About My Baby by the Impressions; You're So Fine And Sweet by the Miracles (flip to That's What Love Is Made Of, also played); James Brown's Night Train (people formed a train and wound around the dance area); just so many great records, mostly new releases or re-issues on Sue. If anyone is interested I will try and find a post I did on Keeping The Faith a few years ago, that had my impressions of the Scene (it was my favourite club) and a list of some of the records played that I remembered. On a slightly different note, I loved These Old Shoes, it always reminded me of the Scene and similar clubs, the nearest I've ever been to the clubs of those days. I've not been to the Hideaway so can't comment on what that is like.

I think both you and I had similar musical backgrounds Bob. First music I really liked was rock'n'roll, but soon realised that so much was copied from black artistes doing rhythm and blues. As the 60s got going groups of musicians started R&B groups and this helped the scene to get going. Parallel of course was the fashion scene, I think Mods were originally Modernists, who liked modern jazz, as opposed to the popularity of trad jazz, whose devotees, with due respect, I remember as slightly scruffy, duffle coats, etc. I remember guys when I was at school with really nice coats and raincoats, pale blue trenchcoat, like a Burberry. Short Italian box jackets, and trousers with a sort of step cut in the bottom, not sure how else to describe it. (This was before the fitted jackets, with one or two vents came in.) Shoes were winklepickers believe it or not, at that time, replaced by square toes, then round toes. They were all at least one or two years above me, I didn't have the money for much fashion, and my parents were rather unco-operative, lol. I agree with Bob, suits were much more in evidence in that time, unlike nowadays (last year there was only one occasion when I wore a suit and tie, at a christening, and I looked overdressed). For allnighters I didn't ever wear a suit, just too hot. I used to like the woollen casual shirts, Italian or French, long sleeves, bigger collar than the average polo shirt now, and a button at the back. Mind you, looking back they were pretty hot too, when the place was packed and you danced. I remember lots of guys kept their leather or suede full length coats on all evening. They must have been really hot, but appearance was everything. Do you remember the light grey crewneck pullovers? Nice to be reminded of the pocket hankies, they were really nice, matched your tie sometimes. If I was taking a girl out on a date (not to a club), I would usually wear a suit (or co-ordinated jacket and trousers, still my preference today over suits), and a tie. Sorry to digress to a fashion note. I like this thread, gets my memory working, and it helps to put it down (if only on the screen as opposed to paper). Please tell me if I get boring and I'll stop.

I've enjoyed reading the emails in this thread, some interesting opinions. Obviously I can only speak from my own experience. On the subject of groups, black and white. For several months in 1964 my mates and I used to go to the Marquee in Wardour Street to see the Yardbirds with Eric Clapton. At the time they seemed brilliant, he was fantastic, did quite a bit of improvisation. I attended some of the sessions used for Five Live Yardbirds, but when I heard the LP years later it didn't have the same feeling. So I suppose it is something that is of that time, if you can see what I am trying to say. A good live performance is a unique thing and can't always be captured on vinyl. I also used to go to the Marquee when the Who started a residency there, they did quite a few R&B numbers, I'm A Man, as well as Leaving Here, Heatwave, etc. I can't remember what night they were on, probably Monday, as we used to go to the Marquee, and go down the Scene in the bit where the supporting group were on. I think it was Monday as Tuesday was the best night at the Scene during the week, so wouldn't want to have missed it. I saw the Stones a few times, but while they were good live, I preferred them when they did original material. Lesley used to be a regular at Eel Pie Island before we started going out, but I never went there. I saw the Animals when they first came to London (Club Noreik, Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham), they were really good. Personally wasn't a big fan of the Small Faces, Lesley was, but just a personal opinion, seemed slightly manufactured to me, but of course the Who were as well. I saw Georgie Fame on a few occasions, always good, also Herbie Goins at the Flamingo I think. I wasn't quite so keen on Jimmy James and Geno Washington, preferred to hear records (as I still do). I (and my mates) preferred to hear soul (R& when we went out, but ska was played (we called it Bluebeat after the record label), but generally only a few records intermingled with soul. Some pop records would be played, but generally fitted in with the soul stuff. I suppose the DJ could also play the ones they liked. There was a short period in the summer of 1964 when old rock'n'roll records were played, e.g. Bill Haley's Shake Rattle and Roll, Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes, etc. They seemed to go with the American style fashions of that period and the dances (Block and the Bang). I know I am getting old because I can see it all in my mind's eye, yet can't remember what I did at work yesterday. Once more apologies for the ramblings of an old git.

I just wanted to say thanks for bringing the Sought After Soul CD set to my attention. I bought it on Amazon, it arrived Friday and it is great. I knew a lot of the tracks, but I didn't know the titles or artistes, you know what it's like when you are out, can't remember everything played. A great addition to my collection.

Shocked to read that the powers that be would not allow the family not to have their favourite music. When my father was cremated we had three pieces of classical music that my sister said he particularly liked. For my wife I had three I knew she wanted (McArthur Park, Pearl Fishers Duet, Bridge Over Troubled Water), and This Old Heart Of Mine (her first present to me) and for the coffin going behind the curtain Jimmy Radcliffe's Long After Tonight Is All Over, one she loved and had danced to at Whitby only a short time earlier. For myself I want These Memories (Almeta Lattimore) and It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom (Walter Jackson) definitely. Can't make up my mind about the others, something dancey I think. On a serious note it would probably be a good idea to have something in your will about your choice of music, would help grieving relatives.

I would think the Northern Soul scene is a descendant of the Mod era of the early mid 60s. When I went to clubs in the period most of them played mainly rhythm and blues records, this covered the Muddy Waters/Jimmy Reed/John Lee Hooker bluesy style, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, early Motown, Barrett Strong, Marvelettes and Atlantic records, Solomon Burke, etc, the Chicago styles of the Impressions, Major Lance, etc. By late 1964 there were less bluesy records played, and more of what is recognisably soul. New releases were played, sometimes before release in this country. Of course there were great records out almost every week. Quite a few Northern classics were played: Invitations' What's Wrong With Me Baby, Gene Chandler's Nothing Can Stop Me and Good Times, Poets' She Blew A Good Thing, Willie Mitchell's That Driving Beat (it was the b side of Everything's Gonna Be All Right, but both were played). There must have been others, but can't think at the moment, I do remember in the NS top 500 book there are various top 10s for clubs in later years and many were played in the mid 60s. I can only give a London perspective, but probably the same in other towns. One big difference between the Mod scene records and the NS scene, is the way that you don't hear many Atlantic or Stax records in the latter. This may be a generalisation on my part but there are very few Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett records played. I presume they are just too well known, or are they difficult to dance to? Personally while I still love the records I grew up with, I don't really want to hear them when I go out, with a few exceptions. In The Midnight Hour, Respect, I Can't Help Myself, etc are for the front room only these days. Yet I'd love to hear Monkey Time, I Like It Like That, Jerry Butler and Betty Everett's Ain't That Loving You and various others in a club now. Apologies for the trip down memory lane.

Thanks for the information about the CD, I've ordered it from Amazon, got a few tracks, but most aren't in my collection, such as it is.

Out of curiosity, is this a legit set of CDs, and if so, where can they be obtained? I remember Dave Flynn at the Dome (oh happy days) and also at These Old Shoes once. A man of good taste and a fine collection.

Thanks Pete, downloading now.

I think it is impossible to generalise why people go out to soul nights. The oldies crowd have been discussed many times, each to their own, but always think you're missing some great music if all you want to hear is what was played at whatever club you spent your youth in. But that is only my opinion. I have made many great friends on the scene since I started going to clubs again, I've found people generally very friendly, after all we share an interest that sets us slightly apart from the mass. My ideal is a nice club, good wooden dance floor with plenty of space, DJs playing a mix of music in the styles advertised, perhaps a few of my favourite oldies (we've all got them), some new discoveries, and a crowd of my friends. We can chat, drink (whatever our tipple) and dance when something we fancy comes on. All in an atmosphere of no aggro, and general good fellowship. I must be lucky because I generally enjoy my evenings out.

This was the ender at Walls Of Heartache last month, quite a few of us were gliding aroung to it, nice record. I love the Buddy Smith When You Lose The One You Love, played at Luton and TOS. Also Bobby Bennett's Alone With My Tears, great track. Personally like the Gil Bernal version of Poor Boy. However none of these are dead slow, you can still shuffle around to them. In my dim and distant youth slow soul records were played in clubs, almost deep soul, but you would get into a clinch with your girlfriend, maybe rock back and forth. Two that spring to mind are You'll Want Me Back by the Impressions and Such Is Love Such Is Life by the Miracles. It seems that dancing with a girl is rather frowned on nowadays.

I prefer Bobby Bland's version. I would think either version could be played, probably at the start of an evening when filling the dance floor isn't essential.

Thanks for all the replies. It seems the Marine Lodge is full, certainly no single rooms left, couldn't get through to the Clarence or Blyth House, I will try again, but has anyone got any other recommendations? Any help appreciated.

Some truth in that statement. I will watch the series when it is shown, hope it is at a reasonably convenient time as I can't seem to video from the digital stations. As others have said, better than some of the stuff on TV, I was beginning to think I was alone in disliking the celebrity, etc programmes. My opinion is that it would be easier to do a history of soul music in the UK in the form of a radio series. For TV, you've always got to have film of what they are talking about, therefore no film, not much to say, whereas in a sound only format, records can be played, interviews, reminiscences, etc. While you wouldn't see films of Northern dancing, which is of interest to us I guess, and amusement to non soulies, you would hopefully get intelligent discussion of the music, its growth, stylistic progression, etc. And it could cover the different scenes in the north and south, etc. It would be more scholarly, sort of thing that would fit on Radio 3. No point pretending that we are not a minority group musically speaking. This is just my opinion of course, I may be in a minority of 1. I missed the first ASADAN series, with the exception of the last programme, did that cover the history of NS, from the Twisted Wheel onwards, or did Stuart Maconie just play records and chat about them? If anyone has got them on tape or other format would be interested in hearing them.

I've booked to go to Soul Essence in Great Yarmouth in April, can anyone on Soul Source recommend a decent B&B fairly near to the Raynscourt Hotel, that won't mind me creeping in some time early in the morning. Looks like I'll be on my own so will need single room.

Personally I prefer Jimmy Radcliffe's original of My Ship Is Coming In. The Walker Brothers didn't do bad versions of the songs they covered, but I prefer the originals, e.g. Gene McDaniels' Another Tear Falls, etc. The original version of Love Her is by the Everly Brothers, b side of The Girl Sang The Blues; the Walkers version of Love Her is good, haven't heard the Everlys version for a long time, can't really remember if it is better, I know I liked it when I heard it.

Glad it wasn't my imagination about Help Me. JB Lenoir was played after its issue as a single on Sue, I've got it on an LP called This Is Blues. She's Mine was the one played, thanks for reminding me.

I think Sonny Terry / Brownie McGhee might be a bit too bluesy, and acoustic, for a Northern set. Might be okay for a "proper" R&B night, would have to ask the experts on that genre what they think. However I heard a John Lee Hooker track played at These Old Shoes once, naturally can't remember the name of the DJ; the track itself was not Boom Boom or Dimples. And in the dim and distant past, bluesy R&B records were played next door to early soul and Motown. One that I particularly remember is J B Lenoir's I Sing Um The Way I Feel, certainly an acoustic track. Help Me always reminds me of Green Onions by Booker T, but that might just be my imagination.

First time I heard this was at Soul In The City when it was at the Old Blue Last in Great Eastern Street, heard so many tracks that were new to me, a total revelation. I always like to hear this one, so if you can put it in your playbox Martin and play it for me, you would have at least one happy customer on Wednesday.

I remember the Flamingo all nighters, didn't know they started in 62. The Scene and La Discotheque in Soho had all nighters from 63 onwards; the former was almost completely black music, i.e. rhythm and blues, early soul and a bit of Bluebeat (ska). La Discotheque played some pop records. Both aimed at a clientele of Mods. Not sure if the Roaring Twenties had all nighters. I'd always associated all nighters with soul and R&B; seemed the ideal place to hear it. Were the jazz all nighters modern jazz or trad?

I'd go along with the posts so far. As far as I'm concerned nearly all good things about the soul scene. I know that I can go along to an event by myself and have a good time, usually meet someone I know, but I've found people are generally friendly, or at least don't give you any hassle. I love the music, nearly all styles, and haven't lost my taste for hearing a new sound (or at least new to me), despite the fact that I am probably one of the older people on the scene. I've made so many good friends since coming back on the scene after a very long absence, wish I'd done it years sooner, but it certainly enhanced my life. Initially my wife wasn't so keen, guess she thought I was out on the pull, she must have looked at me with rose coloured spectacles. However when she started coming out with me, on the principle of, if you can't beat them join them, she enjoyed it very much and made plenty of friends. And when I lost her last year, the friends I've got helped me get through things. I can never thank them enough for that, not sure how I would have coped without the soul scene. Everyone of us can find something to moan about, but let's be positive, we are very lucky to have the soul scene: sex, age, race, sexual orientation, etc doesn't matter, it is a place for adults (of all ages) to have a good time. People are usually very willing to discuss the records played, and generally happy to pass on their knowledge, and often CDs, tapes, etc. We are lucky to have it, long may it continue.

I think Carol King's real surname was Klein.