Mark Bicknell

Not saying i discovered this record coz i did'nt but i did champion the record way back at the original Keele allnighters years ago, bought this off the late Pete Lawson for £15.00 so there it's my fault...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Firstly as with all styles of music on this scene what may float one man's boat will often sink another and the R'n'B style is no different, you have to define R'n'B as some of the stuff played has no connection with the style at all, as i've said before a good bench mark record to possibly define the style already mentioned is 'Jimmy Robbins'. Others that spring to mind are:- Hayes Cotton, Ray Agee, Dusty Wilson, Cookie Jackson, Little John, Marion James and numerous others, all in all these records deserve to be entered into the mix as long as the quality is there, however i think it all gets a little cloudy when the likes of Dean Barlow, Barbara Redd and Hopalong Cassidy and Co are given turntable action.....still as i say whatever floats your boat! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

I know where you are coming from on this one Patrick, we never missed a Cleethorpes weekender for the first few years, circumstances change you miss a couple of years and then before you know it several years have passed and you find yourself sitting infront of the television instead of being where you heart really should be. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Was wondering when Mr Croasdell was gonna be nominated...here, here and all that...... Mark Bicknell.

Richard...... ego's on this scene really is there?????? and there's me thinking it was a music scene....lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

You can tell i'm bored and what tripe television i watch, it's all crap pretty much ain't it? Celebrity this and that kind of shows and now with the return of Big Brother it got me thinking what if there was a Northern Soul version????? who would we most like to see in the house, or who would want to go in? With some of the stick on here from time to time can you imagine if some people were locked in a small house for six weeks with all of us watching.....so from a funny humour point of view Brett would be the first in followed by Jamie, Rich Buckley perhaps Bexter as was, maybe Russ Winstanley oh then Soultown Andy...lol thats six, need a few ladies to even the balance.....lol Kola could moderate, Jumping Joan could take the dance classes, Mandy???????now what could Mandy do? whatever she likes i reckon....lol, then we could set tasks like see how long it would take before tempers flaired, who would do the cooking? who would DJ? WHO WOULD DO THE WASHING UP AND WHO WOULD MOP UP THE BLOOD???????? Can you imagine the conversations in there it would be fasinating!!!!!!!! So the question is who would be your 12 Souls to enter the house, i suspect there will be some pretty varied and funny suggestions here, you can select anyone you like off the scene 6 ladies and 6 gentleman, suggest tasks,then we could nominate until we get a winner. I've suggested 9 names off Soul Source just to make it fun but like i say you can suggest anyone, still it should be ok as we all get on don't we... need three more ladies to make up my 12, well need some more quality music alongside what Joan could provide so i'll go with Cookie, Alison and Jo Wallace...interesting...i'll get my coat. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

'Jade East' fantastic record.......love it. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Radiants, Tempests off the Album, Jimmy James must rate as three of the best versions, i know there are many........... Regards - Mark Bicknell

Solid Derek, very solid as always, you should take up DJ'ing mate...lol Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Here,here this is by far the most constructive reply here, i agree with every point made, Northern Soul is very often given a very bad retro nostalgic overview by the mainstream media, i don't think there has ever been a decent full story told so far, Levine had the chance and blew it in my opinion. There is some footage out there which could be used with interviews etc. to make a worts and all documentary but again it would not have commercial mainstream appeal. I think to be honest it's best left alone as often tv people and production companies think they know best and we know that this far from the truth, so we will have to put up with the 'keep the faith'. 'brothers and sisters' kind of vibe or nothing, there really seems to be no middle ground on this one, it's always gonna be the 'Wigan Casino' as the heyday period, baggie trousers,flat caps and whippets it's how it is....... Regards - Mark Bicknell.

James Barnet is a boot, demo is white as in my collection..lol Twans is a boot done a few years ago seen it out and about for a fiver, original Twans as already stated blue stock/issue copies only i think. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

You don't need a shit load of cash although it might help, a good ear for a tune helps.......good luck. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Chuck Jackson - 'What's With The Loneliness' takes some beating with Melba Moore -'Magic Touch' a close second, the Motown stuff was outstanding but Mr Croasdell has very much had the pick of the bunch over the years even up to most recently with the superb Jackie Lee - 'Anything You Wank' AKA 'Any Way You Want' how Mirwood never put this out at the time is a real puzzle to me, The Diplomats - 'Perfect Love' are two outstanding tracks, Wee Willie Walker - 'I Don't Want To Take A Chance' with horns out of the Goldwax vaults has to be one of the best tunes i've heard in years, a tune i've known about for about 15 years as it featured on one of two Japanese import CD's which also featured Spencer Wiggins another gem. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Big shame that Sheridans has gone,hope another venue can be found soon to capture what the northern scene is really all about. regards - mark bicknell

This is spot on honest and true, normal blokes with a few good records, it's not the DJ's who hype themselves it's often the scene and situation that plays it's part. Kudos is created by others and not directly by the DJ or collector and i agree the true heroes are the people who made the records in the first place. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Northern Soul folk law, rumour and speculation ain't it great!!!! I know where this copy came from infact there were two copies sourced one of which was totally unplayable yet still sold the other was in superb shape, i could go into detail of who sourced them and where they came from but it ain't my place to say sorry. Again Northern Soul folk law and friends in high places...lol thank you Mr Ashford is all i will say............ Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Here!Here! Regards - Mark Bicknell

# Dread to think the number of big ticket items i have had through my hands over the years, still thats the nature of record collecting and this wonderful scene of ours, yes i did pay £40.00 for a Gene Toones stock copy which has turned out to be one of only two blue issues out there, i sold it on about 16 years ago for £300.00 alongside The Empires - Candi think it was £805.00 for the two, oh well if we had known then what we know now then we would have kept everything...lol Also what you have to take into account is that sought of price then was a shit load of money for records say's the man who sold Eric Mercury at Stafford for £100.00........i'll get my coat! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Interesting this......mines an issue, sourced it from Mick Smith at a record fair in Manchester only a couple of years back and i think it was only £25.00, best we get this one played out there a little more, great record. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

For what it's worth i don't think Ben Zine is a group more the guys name first name Ben, surname Zine, yes massive at Yate etc. i even had a copy twenty years ago infact had about three or four over the years all of which i've sold on, yes there are better records around and also i've heard a lot worse over the years, harmless pop music with a beat that worked way back but not one to be given a second chance on today's scene..still whatever floats your boat!!! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Must be worth £25/30.00 of anyones money, trouble is this type of record is so right for now so supply may not meet demand, has so much play in it a fantastic record from 1971 aint it????? Awesome record and not big money, should be pretty easy to locate via the major dealers. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Top ooh there Derek, all your points are spot on and so was that set. Regards - Mark Bicknell. PS Can you remember what we played in Italy last year coz i'm buggered if i can?

The Vondells - Hey Girl - Airtown, apart from the intro this record is over priced, over played,over rated and sadly over here, vocally a real mess and if anyone can understand the lyrics then please tell me what it's all about, not only that but there are more copies around than it's rare status would suggest and should not be a big ticket item. I'll get my coat - Mark Bicknell