Cheers Obviously there's no definitive answer that would be agreeable to all. The two terms are joined at the hip, even in this forum description. On a personal level I like 'Byrney's' overview. Rare soul has drifted into the 'elitist' faction, more than ever. However to be Rare Soul, it has to be both Rare and Soul. That still includes thousands of tunes, NOT all great! Northern Soul includes Rare Soul records, but essentially, anything goes. Maybe it always has. Several respected DJ's have all stated that one persons favourite Northern soul record can be another persons most hated. A common denominator has always been you can dance to it, and it feels soulful. How 'Scratchy' and 'Wully bully' fit both requirements is beyond me, but for sure at some events like 'Soul in the Sun' they pack the floor! Indeed it could be argued that lots of money is made by record dealers on the 'Rare Soul' scene, but that pales into insignificance to the money been made on the 'hugely commercialised Northern Soul scene'. Inevitably both scenes have to live side by side, but for me anyway they are not the same. Ed