jocko

The book is on Amazon.com for $12 so not that hard to find. And although Mark W's book is still in the to read pile, I am certain that it will be better so buy that first.

I thought there were 2 different LP's by them? Is it just the first one continually released? Anyone got one to sell for my £40 limit........

Will he have a band backing him or will it be only a PA?

Ben E King does a stonking version too, LP only I think. It was on refosoul here but not sure its on You Tube, although its a great album so just buy it!

Massive artist, massive influence on my beloved soul music, there from the birth arguably. And what a voice. From Shoes at Wigan Casino to his version of If Loving You Is Wrong in a darkened room with a glass of finest Brandy, what a journey he has taken me on. Its Not the Spotlight maybe apt for Bobby and his career. Lucky enough to see him, supporting Van Morrison, his voice was gone but still a big enough thrill to have us walk out, (loudly to pi*s off the VM fans that had talked and clinked glasses all through BB's set) through VM first quiet song. He was never going to be Bobby Bland no matter how hard he tried. Read Charles Keil's Urban Blues for a great chapter on Bobby's influence on Black America, and not just music. A giant of a man, the soul of the man lives on. RIP xx

RIP. Another sad loss. And a great live singer.

Keep up James, like lots of those things pretty sure he played it just once thinking of buying it, then let it go, although I would have put that earlier than 1986, he certainly did that at Stafford a couple of times with a couple of records off Ady H. I would say if he played the Turbines twice it was the night he got it, assuming he was still staying at his flat at Hackney that time as we were staying over, and I liked the other side better, he did say I was talking pish, as he often did, but did give that side at least one play at my request in years to come. And its a great double sider for the cloth eared above. To be fair Keb played a fair few slower things in his time, more than credited for I suspect, normally just once or twice but things like FH he gave a good few spins I would have thought. Great times, about time I started going a lot more to 100 club, PS Off topic, sorry Mr O, not got back, been running around a bit all w/e, tomorrow. Definitely!

I would have gone for Kerouacs speed approach rather than Burroughs smack, but that is actually a great idea. An original fictional account, again would take some skill but a fantastic idea. To be fair the couple of fictional books, Cracking Up and Who's Frank Wilson aren't bad attempts, in their own genre, if a little lightweight but both had good ideas behind them with the FW actually a decently written book. I sense a new genre for the next decade, Northern Fiction, gritty, fast and old...

I am not sure I meant neutral, I have always said a book about the 80's scene should be very pointed and political, written with an attitude that befits the times. I don't think there is a problem with books written from a skewed point of view, as long as the writer is skilled enough to explain it is their point of view and why that point of view is relevant, which is the bit that I was meaning about it being objective, probably wrong word to use. Artists books however should always be written by someone other than the artist and provide an objective view, pretty difficult to get most artists to agree I suspect, and also to be fair David Ritz's Marvin Gaye book is still the greatest artist book I have ever read, and is hardly objective! Maybe I actually don't know what I am saying after all To misquote someone I suppose it should be publish and be damned I say, I genuinely do take my hat off to anyone who tries despite my desire for the perfect book!

Ohh Godz, you are so last century, you will be getting a reputation as a bit of a dinosaur with comments like that. Greenberg is dead. Printing press, Pah! I am more a contemporary literature fan, therefore Syntactic rules are for wimps! And I am reading Leroi Jones short stories in which there are more punctuation marks than words! And thats my excuse and I am sticking to it.

I think the history of the artists and music is always more of interest to me. And there is so much more untold. It is something we are lucky to have some interesting obscurish books that really give insight into the world that was then and that inspired the scene, Mr G's tome on Wand being a great example, but there is so much still to tell; that many of the original tellers are dead is I suspect an issue and therefore it would be great if we could capture as much as possible before, bluntly, its too late. I know there is lots on internet but a coherent book, whether printed or online, makes it much more accessible for me. Thats not to say books on the scene are a no no, I think there is lots to tell still, particularly about the lost years, but its one I would like to hit the spot perfectly. I would however buy each and every one produced, as I think I have to date.

I believe Richard Searling is writing one, and I also believe John Anderson has turned down offers for people to write with him, Maybe Mr Welding or people who know better can confirm that or otherwise As to why people haven't is (a) procrastination, the norm rather than the exception (b) Because they can't, telling a story is not the same as writing. And frankly despite what people think you need to put some real thought and effort into the logistics, never mind the actual writing. One of the reasons I generally always support this, despite the often dissapointment in the end result. Its not easy I would suspect. Mark Windles recent effort shows that with hard work it can be done, but about artists would be easier (relatively) than one persons story to make a coherent book I feel. As to why people shouldn't Well B above is a good starter, but join that onto the fact that while writing should obviously be personal, injecting only the side you want to present often dissapoints, like most artists books they are interesting but generally fatally flawed as a stand alone peice of work, the generally read like a conversation in a bar and miss real substance. Again that is probably about talent to write, hence why your idea of someone writing is better. However even then, without strong editing, it would sound like above. And for at least 2 of the people you mention, it would take a brave editor/writer to try and take control. Never going to happen. Record bar stories would be difficult to translate into books, but I agree some select people should. Anderson's story would be a must, Searlings I suspect would be self indulgent, but interesting if edited well. A couple of interesting ideas are out there, Andy Dysons being the one I am most looking forward to (and maybe Mr T??) and hopefully they come to fruition. Funny I talked about one a few years ago focusing on the main dealers but their stories. I was told by people much better placed than me it was a nogoer due to individual egos clashing and Mr A's reluctance to talk. Hopefully Andy D's and Nicola's will plug some of these gaps. Being blunt, far more people think they can write than actually can. Given the captive audience for this, I suspect that would and should be ignored down to fact based books, but it would be nice to have a talented structured writer put together something that would sell to just music fans, not Northern, on its quality alone. Gareth over to you, or maybe someone else out in wings, very handsome and very creative, with a lust for writing, just needs a benefactor and a guaranteed audience with John A to get it started. Wonder who that could be.....

Great reading Ady, and well put together. Love to see more stuff like this on site. Well done Ady and Mike for promoting stuff like this.

Great price on the Exciters LP, and a great LP. And my favourite Rance Allen LP, very strong with the current favourite I Know... on it I assume that is the 2nd Dyson's Faces Lp you have there?

Gareth and Elaine certainly put the miles in in doing this, and worked with a whole load of people. The advertising "bumpf" is definitely interesting when you consider how understated they both are generally! Some future material for serious leg pulling there. Both have a pretty good CV's, and are sticklers for attention to detail so fingers crossed, there have been a couple of other pretty damn good books on subject so fingers crossed this joins them on the to be read again shelves. Anything like this gets my vote for the sheer hard work in pulling it together, and putting their neck on the line with their view of the world.

I think this is interesting point, I only ever went there to socialise and by then was looking for clubs to go to. At this point something different became actually the same old for me.....

For some this was just the beginning, as once Wigan closed the M's addicts had nowhere to go and the handcuffs were off as far as the music was concerned, it just took a little more effort.

You have certainly not been there at the start of every one..... Okay, I am going to bore you with this one, immensely, over next year or so, but please bring Bettye back, pretty please.......

And where did I say you/they should. I never take exception to people saying they only like 60's and indeed often argue on their side, even though that is obviously not always to my taste for a night out, although in honesty it probably could be more now, if it was decent enough music, as I get out so very rarely. As happened in 1996ish when the scene took a turn not to my liking, in music quality and people quality, I suppose I "moved on". And it was talking about the scene not our personal tastes, and therefore I take exception to people being told to "cut the Umbilicle (sic) cord" purely because peoples definition of Northern is different to others, particularly when as usual it tries to write almost 30 years of the scene out of history. Hence why I answered how I did, to who I did. So you are arguing with yourself here! Are you not doing here what you always get grumpy with others about, telling people what is Northern Soul and what is not, agains based on specific limited period. My understanding is obviously very different from yours, but both based on direct experience at all-nighters. So why is one more relevant than the others. And that’s not about liking the music, I sometimes feel I dislike as much Northern as I like, which is not the case but that’s modern day forums impact I suspect. I generally don't say its not Northern, I say its bad Northern and I don't want to go to places that play it. I agree the definition is being stretched to the max in some cases, and in the R&B case of the mid 90's that’s what drove me off, clip clopping onto the house sunset, although interestingly that seems to have pretty much developed into its own scene now has it not? And the few times I have been places like Edinburgh's Basics, they are right into their Black music. For this funk phenomonon I suppose I don’t think of the examples that people seem to get all hot under the collar about as part of the Northern scene, which is all I attend these days, sadly in some ways, and even then rarely. The Northern events I have gone to, any "funk" is mostly just relatively well known hard 70's soul. Unless its Butch or some of his more recent disciples, but again they very rarely play that much of this at Northern events as far as I hear. Which sort of brings me to my first post…….

Normally pedancy is a compliment to me, but in this case I feel it is missing my point! Okay, I have reread your post, and I repeat if the bit highlighted above isn't telling people what to do, my English is failing as fast as my liver. You are here saying if people don't like the same sort of Northern as you, based on a very short period of the scenes 40 year history, then they need to leave the scene. Which part of that is not telling people what sort of music they should listen to or what they should do. Sounds incredibly rude and prescriptive to me! The relevance of your CD comment is still, frankly, baffling! You are putting words into my mouth now, to say the least, I said nothing about taste or bottom dwellers, although did worry for a minute there you were looking at my browsing history. Where did I say anything about music taste etc etc. You contradict yourself here and later with whether evolving is a good thing or not, and don't I remember you on some other thread bemoaning how you can't play something different at your own soul night? What part of that is any different to my past desire for the scene to evolve and not stay stagnant? The direction and speed of evolution may be different between us, but surely the intent is the same. You seem to be saying its okay to evolve as long as you can control the evolution. You do seem to have grand aspirations as the leader of the movement do you not? And as for your personal insults, as hurt as I am you don't want me no more, I suppose did move on (and I didn't say up here, so no adding words again), 16 years ago, scarily, but like Peter I keep my ear to the screen so have a passing interest in what's being said. I don't normally get involved in state of the scene debates, particularly as I normally agree with as someone else says its nothing to do with me now. I struggle to ignore somethings sadly. And I was actually asking a question at the start of this, not making a statement, one that still interestingly enough lies unanswered, before you brought me into it with your proclamation. But you are right, I should leave this to those who give a f**k about the scene, who I suspect are just out doing it, at allnighters, rather than wasting their time preaching to the unconverted. I do despair at the amount of quality people that were around 20 years ago that have absolutely no interest anymore, sad but probably understandable. Now whose being pedantic, what has the year of release got to do with moving forward on the Northern Scene, that’s splitting pubic hairs with a nail file to me. So the scene died in 1975 never to fully recover, maybe if you reread that a couple of times, you will see why I find it difficult to buy into your stratagem for a brave new world of Northern Soul. That is incredibly disrespectful to all who followed your brief initial stint is it not?

And what bit of that is not telling people what to do? Why can you but people who things to change cannot? Surely people who have been happy pushing the boundaries within the scene while most people went on their 30 year holidays have as much right, if not more, to say what is wrong with a scene that they were integral to. And before you start thats not saying all should like the same, and indeed if people only like 60's then thats absolutely their right, moaning about how much the scene has got f***ed by this mythical return to tradition is not the same as saying people should like something they don't is it. It is often the way the argument is approached but people who have happily gone along for 25-30 years of an evolving scene are hardly going to sit back when people return after 30 years away to tell them to go "home". Which home is that, before your break, after your break or any period in between. You see the issue with your argument hopefully! Anyway. I am retired, partly because of people who have your attitude but in reality because I am old, miserable and grumpy, so I will leave you to it.

He is currently on route to Cleggy, lucky B.

I am assuming you found it amusing as it was an example of my fantastic sense of humour! i thought you had been around long enough to recognise my refusal to use smileys. Taken in the context of the rest of that paragraph I assumed it was obvious I was poking fun at both sides. Although your justification of the use word funky does prove one of my points does it not..........

Oh No Dave, beat mixing on Dansettes, Michael Proctor remixes and Tom Jones does House! Please no. It would be a bastardisation of House that would kill me methinks!

As someone who is now completely retired, again, is there really funk getting played? The stuff I have heard is mostly just hard soul, some people like Butch and Goerge M stretch it in some venues, but most other stuff is just good dance soul. I suspect the issue now is there is loads of people around with much more traditional taste, and thats not slagging that, the best Northern to dance to is proper drving traditional Black 60;s dance music, issue is there is not enough new stuff of that to keep it interesting. I am genuinely interested in this, as I now look on from afar but I do think there seems to be a level of hysteria about funk from people who think Sue Lynn is a soul record...........