Mark Bicknell

Looks like my original suggestion on the Veep LP now seems a far more realistic option...lol just need to buy a bigger box Deb...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I think it's also about keeping things into perspective, my Son starts High School in a couple of weeks and I've just got back from buying all the school uniform, not to mention the new Nike T- shirt that just happened to fall into the bag went out with 200 quid got home with nothing, stuff like this is so important and paying the bills of course, rent, food and all the other general bits and bobs that get's us through our lives, so we work hard and I feel deserve some release , earn it and bloody well spend it, so why not spend whats left over if any..lol on a bit of Northern Soul, be it going to the gigs or collecting the tunes, just as long that it's kept within our means and does not take over...lol yeh right! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Spot on Joe apart from the smoking, don't drive so wife has the car and always buy second hand motors....lol very good value indeed. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Neil sums it all up pretty well as it's not always about the financial cost is it? still worse things to spend your money and life on...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Lol just trying to be a little upmarket. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Skint.....lol now there's a word we all must know only too well, pay day going at it like we are millionaires then two days later after the bills are paid it's down to Asda for the cheap baked beans....lol This coming weekend I'm sure will be rather costly if you start on Friday night and work your way through the many venues on offer, still have fun. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Chicago....my kind of town...lol been there several times over the years and Detroit a couple of times. Chicago night clubs/Blues venues if you are there at the right time you may catch people like Jimmy Burns, Otis Clay who perform there on a regular basis, 'Kingston Mines' is a fantastic live music venue, there are a couple of more commercial venues called 'Blues' one is situated on Halstead where I saw Otis Clay one time, been a while since I was in Chicago so it's all a bit of a blur, Chris Anderton still goes over and I'm sure will give you some pointers. Buddy Guy has or had a venue on the South Side. Record wise check out 'The Record Dugout' on West 63rd Street, I've always found stuff there, 'Beverley Records' are worth a look, there used to be several shops I visited but can't remember the names sorry. Remember you are going over places that many have visited before so unless there is a constant flow of new stock the hunt can be a bit of a waste of time but still fun. Phil Dick who also comes on here has a good knowlege of both Cities so I'm sure he would also give you a few tips and places to visit. Cookie is right about the Blues/Jazz festival and is well worth a visit again if you time your trip right. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Northern Soul nothing quite like it is there?, a scene and music that for many of us takes us over and can become perhaps the single most important part of our lives, you get into it and it grads you in most cases never letting go. I was wondering how much we all spend following this scene? ok there are worse things to spend your money on but if you step back and look just how much it can cost it's scary. Records have been my major interest for most of my time on the scene and can and still do take a huge chunk of change out of my pocket even though I don't chase the big ticket items anymore, swap, sell, buy, trade helps but not much lol, do others view the cheaper end of record collecting like me you think £10.00, £20.00, £50.00 records as not really a huge amount to spend and can dismiss this as not really actually spending money,however 5 or 6 little records a month can soon add up, add these to the other bigger bits that slip through the net and you can be looking at actually a rather larger amount of money out of your income than you thought? The buzz and the chase of a record well it's just a fantastic process, the desire to own often takes over and the cost whatever the amount is be honest secondary, I'll have that only £60.00, I'll have that a tenner and so it goes, I've recently sold a few bits here on SS and in private, got a nice few quid for a couple of things, then had something off Pat Brady, another off Dave Moore, Tony Smith got a PM, Oh must have a Philips demo of 'The Intentions' off Pete Smith to replace the Issue I already have, Wales Wallace only a tenner, oh a Joe Hinton another fifty quid etc. etc. sell a few buy a few and around we all go, passion or addiction? who knows and who cares? well maybe the bank manager. If your not into the collecting of the records too heavy and are full on with going to venues it can be very costly, travel, admission prices, drinks, other extras etc. oh and I'll just go and have a look in a few boxes in the record bar...lol, do say two venues a weekend as many people do and more sometimes and it mounts up. No different I guess than other hobbies and interests but being into Northern can dip into the old pockets bigtime. Forgot to mention all the magazines, CD's you feel you must also have, trips to the States in some cases to hunt for records, Allnighters, Soul Nights, Alldayers, Weekenders etc. etc. etc. I don't think you can put any real cost on all of this as whatever you spend is worth every single hard erned penny from the pleasure and joy we all get out of it so I guess that is a small price to pay or a big one? now just off to look for a few cheapies.....lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I think the best way to sell them is to sell them yourself so to speak i.e. list them, put them on Ebay etc. you will get the best prices but if you need the money quickly then a dealer is your best option, just remember that a dealer needs to make some money on top so you would be possibly looking at 60% or less of the retail value. If the titles are strong then you should have no problem moving them on, condition is also paramount so there are several points to consider. Good luck as it's a hard thing to do selling the lot. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I'm a dab hand at knee massage....lol oh and I'll be back at Silks in November with a few different tunes to mess your other knee up......thanks for the kind comments. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Couple added, some further reductions...one or two nice titles to follow in between gardening, painting my fence and looking after my son...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Just played this again....awesome tune, another Kent best seller on the cards no question. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

New titles will be added and prices revised later today. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Ady. I'm gonna need another copy of Danny Cobus mate....sleeper! very much woken up in 'The Bicknell' household...can't stop playing the bugger so mines worn out...lol I guess I'm one of the first to have a set of these and wow what can I say? wonderful simply wonderful, the sound reproduction, the look, the artwork, the sleeves just the dogs 'do dars' oh and the tuneage is without question so typical of The House Of Kent....simply Ace!!! get it?........I'll get me coat. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Ady, well if everyone who's hit this thread today buy's a set then they will be sold out pretty quickly....lol, someone has asked where they can purchase these? I suggested JM who had the last batch but perhaps you can point them in the right direction. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

John Manship stocked the last batch of these and I'm sure some of the leading record dealers will have them shortly.......ask Ady...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Ian Clark in his prime takes some beating, early 100 Club, circa 1982/83 Brooks Brothers, Paris, Jock Mitchell, Cashmeres, Bobby Kline, Chico Lamar, Eric Mercury, Roger Hatcher and so it goes on...top man, done my nut in and cost me a fortune...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Ged, the 'City' releases are well worth a punt mate, I know I keep mentioning the Tobi Lark 45 from the last batch but within a very short space of time tunes like this become almost instant collectables, you only have to look at some of The 100 Club Anniversary singles which now have that status. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Spot on comment there Chalky old son. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Awesome tune. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Perhaps the cakes are stale??? lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I think this pretty much answers Geoff's very valid point and question here. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

When Paul's play first opened in Manchester both Jacqui and myself went with a very open mind as we thought it may turn out to be a joke, how wrong we were, we sat there totally gob smacked from start to finish, it was a work of fiction based on 'The Casino', it was well written, well produced by someone who was actually there, it was well crafted, well acted and the sound track, story etc. were bang on, well it made us cry in places, without question this paly was by far the closest to actually document that very important time in the scenes history than anything before or since, Paul could have milked this for all it's worth with an anual production around September 23rd but he chose not to. I wrote in several publications at the time that the play was superb and will stick by my comments and observations, it was an entertaining piece of art..bugger me it was that authentic you could taste it, I think Paul used my review in a sound track CD which came out at the time. Cheers Paul - Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Good question this Simon, well they are all legit/legal first class re issues or in the case of the 'City' 45's first generation issues of up until now unissued recordings apart from being on CD format, such a shame not to play them out at the venues, however the 'Town' records are straight re issues of some pretty hard to find USA originals so I guess you do what you consider to be the right thing when out DJ'ing i.e. do you play the Kent 45 of 'The Primers' for example when x,y,z DJ could hold the authentic USA 'Hale' original?, perhaps these releases are to be enjoyed away from the venues but again it's up to you, personally I'm made up to have 'The Primers' on vinyl now but I would not play it at a gig but that's my choice, more to do with some DJ/collectors ethics than anything else, this is an old chestnut which has been thrashed out so many times over the years with mixed feelings and opinions, some say play it if it's legit, others would be firmly rooted in the first generation original only camp, again as for the unissued tracks get them played I say. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I'm not saying that all radio stations would hold you to a playlist but the bigger picture would perhaps mean a more commercial appeal and as I say 'The Soul Shack' has always been free style with no constraints. Regards - Mark Bicknell. Ps - The Dave Greet show is going to be a blinder this coming Sunday....top tuneage selected by Dave for the two hours.