Good Lord! I can't believe you said that Mr Trevski! I always had you down as a well balanced, well listened, type of chappie with decent musical lugs. I now have to reappraise my evaluation and am struggling to avoid the conclusion that you are a deaf Philistine. You have SOME remaining credibilty due to your previous good behaviour, but only just!
Much of the output revered in Northern Soul circles was built on the Motown Sound or at least it paid more than a passing nod to it. In fact it was built by the same people! Played by the same musicians, produced by the same producers, arranged by the same arrangers, in some cases in other cities but with the distinct connection to the Snakepit. Admittedly by the time The Jackson Five etc hit Motown the 'Northern' style influence had had it's day, but you could say that about most US labels/companies by that stage. If you had to select a group of people who had influenced the "Northern Style" of sixties soul (from a purely musical perspective), more than anyone, then you'd be hard pushed to find anyone above H-D-H surely? There's been some fantastic contributors to the music like The Harthon Trio, Wylie/Hestor, Groovesville Productions, Pied Piper, Davis/Sanders, Smith/Carmichael etc etc. But surely H-D-H are the benchmark?