jocko

£í¢"š¬í¢"š¬ I was sure I remembered reading the term in one of the fanzines, I thought possibly BB with Randy or Cockney Mick, hopely Steve G can remember, but on reflection think you might be right on more general use, and no doubt it would have been those deep soul fans in the making, Binsy etc, that were there or thereabouts. Dave Molloy used to always put some crackers on Northern tapes at that time too that would fit the bill, as did Eddie Hubbard but he put them on his deep tapes, I in later years sniffed them out for future dancefloor potential as Beat Stompers, the sound of the late 80's. At Clifton Hall, Ray Pollard wasn't played as an ender, it was played much earlier, although definitely not bang in the middle of the night, as the Preston Street dancers and that Funky Hunk, Sean Hampsey, would have had trouble adapting their dance styles and whistle blowing to that tempo. And somone mentioned Barbara McNair, that was definitely played in middle of a set at Rotherham although personally would say that is maybe a beat or two above a ballad. And agree I don't remember the term ever being used for them in those days. Certainly by I started djing more, about 86 onwards, there were numbers of them being played all over. Although again whether they all qualify as Beat Ballads or are a bit too fast. E.g. Marva Josie, Jack Montgomery Barracuda, Tony Colton. Clyde McPhatter? All tunes I "adopted" from the big boys so had been played before 86 I suspect. £í¢"š¬í¢"š¬ Cmon then Pete get the article up, given timing that would be very interesting reading for me, and I suspect our Southern compadres were definitely spinning a few by then. I only came along late 70's, being much older than I look obviously, but totally agree they were thin on ground then, but suspect even at late Wigan there were a couple more, just can't think of any at the moment. Barbara McNair via Brian Rae is a good shout for then, but is it a BB?

I don't actually think that is fair for Cleethorpes, unlike Prestatyn where acts sung basically only Northern regardless of their other material. Cleethorpes tends to allow freedom to their acts, just often they have large amounts of Northern friendly material. Ady best ever act I think and fitting for my Cleethorpes retirement year, I assume Mr Bell wouldn't fancy doing two sets, a 30 minute ballad set in late afternoon in addition to his main room one. I suspect this is going to be the best soul act we have seen at a Weekender. I may have no home to lay my bag down for this weekend yet but happy to act as Mr Bell's Chaperone for weekend and ask him to sign all his albums over the weekend for me! PS ask him to bring Jeff Floyd or one of his other label mates over as backing and then sing a couple solo himself and I will love you a long time! Best news this year!

The Drifter, if not end of Wigan definitely Clifton Hall?

No comments on the leg sizes! Ah yes the good old days when Maurice Long I Don't Love You Anymore was a stomper compared to some of my other plays. Does that fit the bill? 99% of the stuff on here is nowhere near a ballad for me, quite amazing the change in current day scene views I suspect. I do think in amazement of some of the slow stuff I got away with***, mostly at Allanton admittedly, and suspect I would be talking in a very high pitched voice if I even tried it in current times. Like lots of things right time right place I suppose back in the day for some slower things at loads of venues, and it was the exception rather than the rule, despite how some of those tempo terrorist try to rewrite history. *** And yes I know nobody payed a blind bit of attention to what I played after 6, just no need to say it out loud, okay! I will have a dig tonight and think of some of the stuff I got away with, back in the day, sure if Old Man Walls is reading it, he will remind me of some, he used to moan enough about them at the time.....

See post below yours and my response. And if I do listen to them I do so in a darkened room with no witnesses to make sure no-one knows I think you have decent taste sometimes! (Sometimes obviously and only sometimes I feel the need to emphasise!)

Its a scientific fact if you don't like this you have piss poor taste, and I think you will find all the evidence you need is in site below. Problem? Other than your incessant enjoyment of moaning about everyone and everything on here? www.factsforjustifyingstatingopinionsthatdaretousesarcastichumour.com

Snap!

Butch's Just Brothers it sounds like, unbelievable awesome track, top ten all material but unloved by the masses, due to piss poor taste, in my opinion. Top top track, didn't know anyone else had legit copy of that.....

Well I was going to come on with one of my smart assed quips about this, but instead got all dewey eyed and jealous at enthusiasm in Lens, Mr Vickers and Mr Rimmers posts! The strings on my mojo seem bust beyond repair!

No more can we say Pokes Impeccable spins, oh well suppose even Poke would be allowed one mistake, although it was a big one!! Total pigs sweat gland of a record.

Great scoop Hadriana, now get the CD's out. I can't wait. It really is a great time to be an armchair soul fan...

Jj

David I think you will find the only thing Andy presses, apart from my patience waiting on him getting in touch, is those scarves he wears to make sure they are perfectly straight, which some may say arguably is a bit of an oxymoron given his care and attention to his appearance. No doubt his famous golf safari suit will be out for this day, pictures will appear within seconds on here if he does. Glasgow's own Lester Tipton as our Andy is known. I now have my policy and procedures manual along with my Health and Safety manual and correct headwear and footwear to buy per Chuddy Mr Duddleys, the head honcho party leader and Union representative as he keeps reminding me, instructions and obviously beer would contravene said H&S rules, so only I will be allowed to drink it, which should make the four ball (you can guess which two have none) more interesting for Messrs Law, Broughton, Kitchener and Whitmore as their thirst gets worse during day and I merrily hiccup my way through the day in a rally driver stylee on said buggy. Although I will be dissappointed that due to a combination of weak ankles from years of dancing, war wounds from running up Wigan High Street and fitness levels of a 97 year old I cannot directly compete, I am currently setting up various mediums that hopefully will be broadcast over here on the day to let you know just how bad they are suffering. So cmon boys and girls, I appreciate we suffer a bit charity overload and salary underload these days, but it is a good cause and if is something you can help with, dig deep. Every little helps as Colin has been told many times over years. Looking forward to a hard day already......

As usual cant get to it live so hopefully a download, to pass my many hours in these weekends!!

In answer to actual question Probably Ashford & SImpson recent Birmingham weekender as always been my top act to see, probably past their best and certainly inhibited by surroundings but still magnificent. Honorable mentions tp Bobby Womack Edinburgh 1984, Teddy Pendergrass early 80's Edinburgh, Maze Manchester 1984ish and Ruffin/Kendricks 90's not because they were anything like their best, they weren't, but good enough to imagine just how soul music would have sounded at its peak, Kindred 3 times in last 7 years, as good as anything back in the day, and good proof that Soul music, not Northern, cannot be beat live. Wish I could remember all the the Southport acts. so many great ones but memories are blurred by the times! Probably Dramatics were the best there?

And you don't think being arrogant enough to think you should be able tell the Dells to sing "Northern" is an equally dickhead like attitude. Absolutely fu**king unbelievable and a good example of just how little some Northern based people get the bigger picture outside their world, one of the funniest on here, although as always funny because of the inability to see how stupid the statement is. Let's see how the conversation goes, Yes Marvin sing something Northern, no I don't mean NY or Detroit I mean Wigan......... Welll no its not really that easy to explain now you ask Marvin, oh f**k it just sing what my narrow minded British taste dictates, not any of the masterpieces you have been wowing Black American crowds with for the the last 40 years.Clear?? Unbelievable but a good example of why so many artists over years singing at Northern based events have been nowhere near as good as you expect.

No, it's more like someone playing Tams Be Young at Lifeline, which as a one off I think would be both brave and work well. What would spoil it would be watching all the sheep on here on the Monday, having read about how great it sounded in the Lookback and putting a want up so they could play it their "soul" night the following week! Ala Ain't No Mountain High Enough at 100 Club. Like anything it's all about the time and the place and their are certain times and places and certain states of mind where I would rather hear NNY than I'm gone!!

I suspect when you say Soul venue you mean Northern venue, using them as being completely synonymous is akin to assuming Donald Trump is about to join the Green party (Anglophiles may have to Google Trump and WindFarms to get this analogy, although you may want to add a few words to your Google to avoid embarrassing and smelly results!) Odyssey has been played in Soul Venues since a new release, I suspect; it certainly was in Glasgow and London in early 80's, although no coincidence I suspect both areas were far more into new Black music than old dusties we were dancing round our Johnson's container to. I have also heard it dropped, to great effect, in a House set by some American DJ's, and possibly one half Manc Half Scottish one. And it sounded superb. In reality some of the American dj's House sets of the early 90's were much more in tune with Soul music than many Northern DJ's! I think, sadly, obscurity, is the deciding factor in the examples you choose, both Almeta and Mandrill, and this and their more traditional beat is a far bigger factor in being adopted by the Northern scene than their incredibly soulful delivery. Great to hear you like both, for me judge by your ears whether it's a soul record and your feet and ears if it is a good Northern record, first one should be easier to get right although often not, and you wont go far wrong. I probably think commercial more than disco to be honest Ged, and probably for being played out at a Northern venue a relevant distinction for that time, however as you say two cracking records of their time, danced to both in very differing circumstances, and enjoyed both. Although neither is the artists best record IMHO obviously. And as for the dreaded disco word, for me great disco is another subsection of the wonderful world soul world, its just so much tosh gets paraded under disco term, with the Norvern definition being akin to BBC4 's educated guess. I love disco, and I think I may get that T Shirt made for Cleethorpes, and again a sweeping generalisation but I think the people that get disco better than most, from a quality point, are good House dj's and that is because they see both as just a continuation of the evolution of the music we call soul!

Now that is interesting, could throw the 45 in trades! Hope things are good young man, I still owe you a phone call! I am climbing up the walls with inactivity at moment!!

If you are thinking of selling Mr D, sure could come up with some trades, a free tea, a few pints and a Chinese Burn to knock the price down! Old habits die hard on prices, you know me.

Only in the strange world of NS would piss poor pop(corn) covers of a seminal performance in Soul Music from one of its greatest performers be quoted as better. I love it!

Gary Rushbrooke played Talk To Me by him on Fury a bit later than that, sure your not getting confused? Although I realise your memory for facts is normally one of the better ones....

There are loads of original and legit MP3 downloads available.............. Ooops forgot the link https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Luck-To-Run/dp/B003THWCAW Surely the only way to play something as new as this .... Can recommend the CD, its actually nowhere near the best track on it. OCD too!

Is this the same Big Hit as Herbie Thomson etc, it was Johnnie Mae Matthews label wasn't it?

Do you get a prize for being in most categories, suspect I am roaring ahead.......