Mark Bicknell

Long live buying and selling records first hand i say, ebay, paypal, bidpay is all bollocks, never any redress on their part when it goes wrong or you get ripped off, fee's for listing, fees to use paypal again it's all bollocks, i played the ebay game for a couple of years until i got ripped off, no more sorry. Regards - Mark Bicknell

I got £260.00 for a spare copy a couple of years ago, mines not for sale either Andy but £200.00 seems to be a ball park price for this brilliant double sider, my copy is clean as was the spare i sold but have seen dished copies over the years so might be harder getting a clean copy. Good luck and see you Saturday at Middleton......gonna be a big thing. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

And i thought i had a drink problem......lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

The Masters - I Need Your Love - Crimson, blue eyed awesome record, The Sinceres - Girl, I Love You - Pzzaz top tune, and a few others. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Almost choked on me beef stew and dumplings, almost fell off the chair...keep the faith Craig Charles.....big collector that Mike Baldwin got a huge British collection...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Turnpikes another good tune that never really went that big, good thread this for records that should have been huge, few more i can think of...lol Two People has been played a few times in the North West Brian Flanders aka Flanny gave it a spin at the Bury soul night a couple of months back and it went down well, i've given it a few spins on the Solar gig Sunday nights and out and about so i'm sure it's gonna have it's day. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Always rated this record, never really went that big first time around but seems to be finally gaining long overdue turntable action out and about at the gigs, hard to put a value but has to be around the £200.00 mark and i suspet it will go higher. Fantastic record which i'm glad i picked up when i did. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Maxine Brown.....enough said! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

That would be fantastic but if Ian was not able to attend then i feel there would be no point to the reunion if we wanted the authentic real deal......just a thought and respect to Ian. Can you imagine if it did come off, it would be a blast and a sell out, Yate was a very important venue yet often gets overlooked for one reason or another. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Oh dear me, still have Cashmeres, Joann Courcy (second copy) Mikki Farrow,Little Frankie Lee,Volumes but Twans,Ray Pollard, Empires and Eric Mercury are all long gone many moons ago, not really bothered about not having them anymore but oh my god that little lot would buy us a nice new car, a big f*** off flash one...lol Now has Pete got a key for that room....lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

You are so sweet Pete......lol Mark Bicknell.

Remus, thanks for your kind words re myself and Mark White makes me feel very humble for the mention, that was along time ago mate, as i've stated on here and in numerous publications 'Ian' was the man then, forever and always without question he inspired me way back, so the period you were talking about the very early 80's i tried my best as Mark did to fall onto records like Gene Toones, Empires,Cashmeres,Bobby Kline,George Freeman,Ron Baxter, Sam Fletcher etc.etc. but Ian always had the edge on most of the DJ's of that period, i only wish he was still out there doing it and like you say not only a fantastic DJ but a top bloke and a man i'm proud to know and a real friend. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I seem to remember attending if not this allnigther but certainly a very early one at the baths, always remember Dave Thorley in a pin stripe suite and trilby hat playing The Pointer Sisters - Send Him Back, i was 16 years old and it must have been one of my first allnighters, as i said on here before there should be some attempt at a Yate one off reunion type thingy, get Tony, Clarky and all the original boys together, now that would be a blast. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Fantastic label one of my favorites alongside Sansu..... The Gee's - It's All Over Chris Towns Unit - Turn To Me Robert Neal - I'm So Glad Cathy And The Calendars - Please Don't Go The Jets - Anything I Do Plus a few more i'll dig them out as i can't think it's late and i'm pissed.... Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Why the third degree here, sorry if i offended, i was mor shocked to tell you the truth that this very average record was infact £60.00, no need to reply i take your point...what do i know...lol mark bicknell.

What Ted i'm an idiot for having it or paying £8.00 for it or it now selling for £60.00.........lol, also remember getting Tempos - Diamond Jim, Volumes - Impact and Masqueraders - How all for £8.00 each off Soul Bowl....those were the days! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Had this for years stuck on the shelf, nice record but £60.00 are you sure, think i paid Pat Brady about £8.00 way back. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I know Ged Parker to be a very decent chap who simply has a passion for authentic records, often the topic of conversation with Ged when we hook up is based on talking bollocks about our latest additions to the collections, how much, where did you get it from kind of stuff which seems to be common ground on the scene with people who collect in the true sense of the word, so i know his comments to be very much tounge in cheek. This debate will go on and on without any clear resolution i feel, the fact is before any of the bootlegs, EMI discs, taylor made dubs from big records, CD's, Tapes whatever the tunes, discoveries,records were at their inception to the scene sourced from original American/British/Rest of the world records or master tapes from the vaults on the unissued material. Basically this is the true format that some people get into from the off, from a personal point of view and i think i speak for many other DJ's it's about being true to yourself and presenting the music in it's genuine, authentic original form which is the key to all this, yes i have stated that i enjoy CD's as a form of home entertainment and yes i preview/review new compilations on my Solar show as part of promotion for the companies efforts who are kind enough to supply me with promo product, as long as the guidelines are followed on a reissue i.e it's legit then i see no problem in this what so ever, what is underhand is the dupliction of official releases on home PC's for resale but thats another story!!!! Now as i said in my previous post here who are we to down some promotions who do it their way, it might not be our way but there is nothing we can to about it as it's too far down the line now, perhaps a little like football you have the elite shall we say in the top flight of the game and you have the lower division clubs who play the game well but don't just have the money to buy the big players so they stay in the middle divisions loving the game with as much passion as the big guns yet unable or choose not to get involved with F.A infighting and petty politics, just play and love the game. Lastly, collecting original records big ticket or otherwise is without question a bug and addiction, it's about the chase and finally getting that elusive 45 in the palm of your hand and too play it at a gig and get a reaction to it is second to none, yes you get the same reaction on the dance floor via another sound carrier or format but theres something a little special when you have the real deal going on, perhaps a little ego and pride comes into play but the important issue is that by going down the original route you are staying true to yourself, true to the artists to a degree who made the records in the first place and more importantly you are flying the flag of a scene based on rare often hard to find records which has to be the whole ethos of this scene and sets us apart from other club cultures, we should embrace all promotions on this scene as it's keeping the whole thing going, as we have said if you don't like the methods of some promotions then you don't have to attend, there are plenty of gigs to cater for all styles and levels of the scene, if going to a local soul night once a month does it for you then what's wrong with that, i often think that the more casual northern soul fan perhaps has a little more fun than the more serious followers as format of tune, politics and so on has little or no interest to them in any shape or form. I feel we must respect everyones view point on this old chestnut as it's a debate that's been going on for years now and there is still no solid resolution or winner in all this as all that suffers is the scene. How i, Ged, Mr Rimmer, the Drax boys conduct what we do has very little to do with anyone else really, for some people it's a way of life and for others it's an entertaiment and hobby, at whatever level good on everyone i say for being part of the scene but for me i get my 'Soul Self Satisfaction' the best way i can and within my financial means an ethic and restriction that govens most of us i feel but at the gigs i have to stick to the original ethos and will continue to do so otherwise Mr Rimmer will tell everyone and write about me in his magazine and we can't have that................. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

CD's i have loads of em'...records i have a few... as Jock said two scenes, choose how you do it, how you present it and how you enjoy it? Enjoy being the key word, live gigs i choose authentic USA original 45's format, home entertainment and some of the Solar radio gig yes i play CD's and why not some blinding stuff out there to ENJOY and share, take the new Kent CD......wonderful should be on everyone's shelf, but to play Ty Karim - 'You Just Don't Know' for example at a gig off the CD for me is a no no, double standards perhaps but i guess the reason i don't do this is because there are other DJ's who have the Romark original and that's the ethic and ideals some DJ's hold at the bigger national events. Something that Brian Rae said to me many years ago which makes sense is that be it a reel to reel tape, cassette tape. LP,45 original or otherwise,CD etc. are simply a carrier of sound and does it make people any less a soul fan if they embrace any format which produces the sound, yes there are moral and legal issues regarding bootlegs etc. but this is not the issue here, i also believe that you don't have to own the big ticket originals to get the same high from the music infact i have friends who don't own a single 45 yet they have more soul in their little fingers than most. Yes it's fantastic having a nice selection of quality originals to select from but to also have the music preserved for the future on CD giving everyone the chance to ENJOY the music we are all suposed to love has to be a good thing, i for one hardly play the rare stuff at home on a regular basis apart from the radio show and of course at the gigs. On a final note who are we to judge people who present such venues as Drax and the format they use, as it's already been said if you don't agree with their methods then you don't have to go, Mr Rimmer, myself and many other DJ's simply choose to do it our way down the authentic route. I have thought about this a great deal and have very much made a U - turn to my previous comments on similar posts, it's an honour to be part of this scene and to have access to the music we love on formats other than the real deal is simply awesome, it's a bit like saying if you don't own the originals then you can't possibly like the music or be part of it.......which in a word is total bollocks because if i sold up all the 45's i would still love the music...i guess it's about having soul as well as owning it. It might be a scene based on rare hard to find records but it ain't an exclusive club for those who own all the big records is it? it's the life blood sure, the roots and backbone as it's record driven but records rare or otherwise are played to take people to another place an emotion which we all need. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

£150.00 seems a bit rich, i'm on one now i hope for a little less than that, thanks for your imput. regards - Mark Bicknell

Just wondering if anyone can help me out with a copy of Billy Keen - I Finally Got Wise, if so please let me know, would be fantastic. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

As we all television viewing you have a simple choice and an on off switch!!! This offering was not to everyones taste or standards so don't watch simple as that. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Love is a wonderful thing and yes maybe we should hug more....lol Regards - Mark Bicknell

Infact i love you all....... Regards - Mark Bicknell

I love you Kenny! Regards - Mark Bicknell.