Mark Bicknell

Cheers Mick, Big O' and all, I never said i was totally packing it in, rather more a break which i'm still in the process of having, just that all the politics etc. really got to me and had to try and sought it all out and stepping back seemed the right thing to do, as for the fame Mick that goes without saying still you are far more famous than me perhaps because you are a little older and the fact that you have one of the best collections on the northern scene. Regards - Mark Bicknell

Hi all, Been lying low on here this last few day's for a couple of reasons that i'm sure you are all very aware of, i emailed Kevin Roberts and we have had a private chat regarding all the recent muck slinging etc. I was way over the top in some of my comments although they were not directly aimed at KRL to his credit Kevin took my tone personal and for that i am publically sorry. Seems i got well and truley told off by Kev as i was told i had been slagging off KRL for several weeks here on 'Soulsource' but possibly only one post struck a nerve. I had personal reasons for going a little over the top which i explained to Kev, also i did offer an apology which Kevin seems to have accepted, however i was the topic of conversation in certain circles since the conception of THE NEW CENTURY SOUL CLUB as being the man behind this venue, which we all know is total bollocks. Seems like other venues are allowed to operate on a smaller scale but if anything rivals the bigger events then it's war....... So in my defence and an open reply i'm proud to be part of NEW CENTURY although i'm not currently DJ'ing at the venue, but all this has made me reconsider my decision to quit the scene as a DJ so it's a total U TURN on my part, ok i have retired before lol.... but never for the reasons i was forced into this time, bring it on Chris Waterman as Daddy's back, if i'm gonna be black listed from certain other venues because of my connection with NEW CENTURY then lets do it mate!!!!! And really give them something to talk about, i'm very proud to be part of by far the best venue in the UK and that's in Manchester so best you have one of the best DJ's there mate...lol........so Some people have an answer for everything as no matter what you say or whatever your point of view is they know best so let's just do our own thing and see what happens..........best i can say is if you 'Want all the faith', then keep it you deserve it............... Now i was not looking for effect or attention by quiting or having a break but i just can't pack it all in and let Chris and Lee down my mates firstly and secondly very good promoters and the dozens of other gigs i do and have done in the past., still going to have the break i stated and will select the gigs i want to do but i'm not walking away from New Century a venue which i helped to grow...sod that. So as Kev pointed out i am very much involved with New Century 100% correct on that one. Cheers Kev you made me see the light, respect for getting me on the right track just that the train pulls into Manchester Victoria......Soul central. Mark Bicknell.

Well for the honeymoon has to be The Empires - You're On Top Girl ( Candi )THINK ABOUT IT! ..... very crude i know sorry..... Reagards - Mark Bicknell.

Here,here Andy and Mark can't add anymore to your very valid and constructive comments on this topic, as i said i care very little of the true or inflated value of certain records, it's nice if you still have the odd one or two from way back, slighty more difficult to deal with when you had them and let them go for a few quid or worse pennies way back, still if we knew then what we know now we would have kept them all, i've forgotton some of the titles i have had over the years which is perhaps a good thing otherwise i would be totally crazy and bitter with it all, still we crack on with this wonderful journey don't we? I bet we could all rattle off a list as long as your arm of little cheapies from the early 80's we had which are now worth a fortune...such is life and all part of the game. Mark Bicknell.

The scenes in the shit really, loads of comment but no solution...... mark bicknell

So it turned out i was only £110.00 out and those who said £300.00 were £190.00 out oh well we were all wrong, still crazy money, sure a quality tune but as with so many records it's getting out of reach for most people today, scares the shit out of me to think the market could crash at anytime then perhaps that will sought out the true collectors from the merchants buying it to what ever it is..... Mark Bicknell.

Karen, email me bicknellmark@aol.com i have contact for Paul Sadot. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

All a bit serious this me thinks.......to be honest i don't really care how much some of these so called rare records go for, also ain't it always the case when you sell something nice that some joker comes out with the old chestnut "I would have given you more than that for it" like they are trying to buy into something really. Ebay has become a total minefield and no i have not been paying that much attention to it in recent times sorry. Mark Bicknell. P.S Let's hope who ever wins The Hytones wants it because they love the record rather than another status symbol....lol

Tell you what guy's lets all put a fiver in and have a guess how much it goes for nearest get's the pot...lol, it's reached it's $500.00 reserve price so i'll say $930.00 Not quite £600.00 but close enough.......... Mark Bicknell

Best we see what it ends up at, to be honest i paid about £8.00 for mine way back around Stafford time early 80's, seen a lot more common records sell for far more money than they shoul so who really knows. Mark Bicknell.

I'll go along with the £600.00 price tag on this one, had it for ages simply a brilliant record and i would add a rare record to find. Needs a few more spins out at the gigs then it would be worth even more....... Mark Bicknell.

First up The Hesitations for me at least, head and shoulders above the rest, still i'm a group kind of guy, all are superb but The Hesitations have my vote...and what an album it comes from too, very possibly one of the greatest L.P's ever recorded. Re Chuck Holiday i had this record way back and think i had it stolen many moons ago from my flat in North Wales or i sold it very cheap...lol but again Four Voices have my vote. Another gem of a song with Two Versions well three if you count the dreadful Brand New Faces version is of course "I Really Love You" - Jimmy Burns (Erica ) and Bobby James AKA Robert Newsome ( Karol ) Bobby wrote it and recorded it first but Jimmy for me wins hands down, recording possibly one of the great Chicago Northern Soul anthems, both stonking rare records, had both still got the Jimmy Burns. There are many tunes that have been cut by two or more artists, Howard Guyton/Lou Courtney "I Watched You Slowly Slip Away" i bet Lou Courtney left town when he heard Howard's superior version, Frankie And The Classical's/ Laura Green plus several other versions slight difference here with this example same backing different lyrics i know but you take my point, Luther Ingram/Douglas Gibson/The Harrison Brothers " Run For Your Life", Yum - Yums/Sapphires - "Gonna Be A Big Thing" and perhaps the best example of two versions of a classic tune has to be Gene Woodbury/Bernie Williams "Ever Again" I always say Bernie Williams for show as it's still shit rare and Gene Woodbury can sing and in my opinion has the edge. Another good title which springs to mind is "Stubborn Heart" Ernest Mosley/The Sheppards again a big difference in current value but for me The Sheppards have it just. I'm sure there are many more tracks but don't try and get my vote on Doris Troy/Tony Blckburn please. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Cashmeres - I think was covered up at The Volcano's - Show Stopper / Don't Let The Door Hit You Back (Hem) Johnny Bartell was covered as The Metro's - If This Is'nt Love ( Solid State ) H.B. Barnum - It Hurts Too Much To Cry (RCA) was George Kennedy, Freddie Houston was covered up too but i can't for the life of me think as who? Lets have a few more..... Regards - Mark Bicknell

If there is a God Mr Ruffin will i'm sure be sitting next to him, without question the best pair of pipes to come out of the Motown house of hits. Mark Bicknell.

So that's that is it fantastic, statement issued from Northern Soul HQ all seems pretty clear to me of course this must be true and now the topic is closed. Perhaps just the start of a massive amount of shit hitting the fan, i'm sure all the points covered in this statement are correct so perhaps best it's left alone, however why does this not come directly from the horses mouth it's like some people think they are slightly above everything and everybody, still i guess when you have an empire and a successful brand you need to protect ut at all costs. I think in the next few days, infact i know there is going to be an aweful lot of postings and comments on various topics which will confirm how fucked up all this really is........ Mark Bicknell

Sorry Dan i misread BMI for BPI in your comments but still i think a different organisation to the performing rights set up. Mark Bicknell

Dan, Sorry correct me if i'm wrong here but the playing of tunes, live music etc. at a venue has nothing to do with the BPI as this is a performing rights issue and to my knowledge this is a totally different organisation, you will often see a blue sticker displayed at venues which referes to the PRS i think. The BPI is the governing body for the music industry to i understand it's paid up members only, so it's for the big fish Beatles, Stones, Madona etc. and they can't stop their recordings being ripped off so what chance has a forty year old non hit soul record...none. Good valid point shere though. Mark Bicknell.

Make a stand and make a stand i have, this is basically or partly why i've called it a day for the time being anyway, just another fucked up part of this very corrupt scene, the passion has just gone i'm affraid, all that's good about this scene has been abused. It's funny but the good guys get fucked here on this scene and the wankers do what they like, in certain areas of this scene from the top down it's spoon fed bollocks run by a few people who think they know best in certain areas at least, they all piss in the same pot and it's simply overflowing, they bootleg together, run gigs together and make out it's their's and think they control the scene but in truth they are souless dick heads who are only interested in making loads of money off the back of the original talent and other peoples dedication, commitment and passion. It stinks to be perfectly honest, how dare these people take the piss out of everyone on the scene and then want the respect, status and cudos that goes with this scene. For far too long now we have all let it go and let then do what they like, now it's time for change as this tide is very much turning, shit sticks but then it rises and i wanna be there when all this "togetherkeeping the faith" for my own ends and milking it dry ethic comes crashing down, then get it back underground where it belongs with a true following of people who care about the scene and when the shit heads fall flat on their faces let's hope they take all the bootlegs, crap, t - shirts, car stickers, clocks and all the other shite with them. How dare some of this people claim to be the market leader and brand Northern Soul it's again total bollocks, the sooner people challenge this the better so please don't insult me and present your own watered down version of what you think the scene should be. Why should i be made to feel like i am right now totally fed up with the whole sick scene and be forced to call it a day from DJ'ing well in short i refuse to be told who i can and can't work for thats insulting and believe me it goes on big time. Still better to hold your head high and go out proud rather than be a yes man to the puppet masters....... I really enjoy playing records out there and i'm pretty good at it and have always tried to do my best so i feel sorry for the hardcore people many of which have tried to talk me out of packing it in, but i would look rather silly if i changed my mind. If we can shop the bootleggers that will be a start so now it's time to join forces i think and get the job done.....i.e finally rid this scene of some of the crap going's on of late. Mark Bicknell.

We complain make a fuss, have a pop and they still bootleg whatever the f*** they like, trouble is if the person or persons behind this were named i'm pretty sure you would all be very shocked more the case of don't do as i do do as i say it's fucking wrong and i wish we could do something about it but we can't, it's really hard to stop this when they are openly on sale on the net and in well known record shops alongside the clocks,patches, t - shirts, dodgy cd's which are claimed to be legit and all the other crap that makes my skin crawl, you can't claim to be purist and a know it all then do the complete opposite, some people on this scene have double standards and are simply only interested in making as much money as they can for as little effort as possible, well another one of the many fucked up things that has fueled me to step down from it all for however long it takes to calm down. You can buy into this crap if you want as i have said before who am i to tell people how or what to collect and how to spend their own money but this is just taking the piss and basically sticking two fingers up to the rare soul scene and saying f*** it don't matter, well it does matter and if i find out who's behind them then maybe it's time to inform the MCPS/BPI and let then deal with it or on the other hand do we really care, not sure if i do anymore to be perfectly honest. Reagards - Mark Bicknell. Let's see what happens.

Hi All, If it is Judy Young yes she did used to live in Reading but i think she is now based in Cardiff South Wales, i hope this helps. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Slipped , Tripped and Fell In Love - Clarence Carter/ Ann Pebbles cause that what i do when i've drunk too much. Regards - Mark Bicknell.

My biggest clanger has to be selling Eric Mercury - Lonley Girl on Sac to George Sharpe at Stafford for £95.00 ok so i bought the thing for £75.00 and thought £20.00 was a good profit back in 1983/4. Many others have gone through my hands over the years Gene Toones Simco blue stock/ issue and The Empires Candi demo sold for £800.00 the pair back in 1988/9 still a lot of money then for two records now you could get two grand each for then perhaps more,Rotations D - 9 sold at 100 Club for £30.00, Barbara McNeir UK Tamla Demo £60.00 also at The 100 Club and many more, all part of this wonderful scene we are apart off...............................I'll get me coat! Regards - Mark Bicknell.

There that told you Brett....... clear as mud all this and do we really care ? i think not. regards - Mark Bicknell.

Lou Bond - You Shake Me Up - Brainstorm Spencer - Searchin' For Love - Midtown Two fantastic out and out NORTHERN SOUL records and cheap, never played that much but should be......... Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hi All, I'm having major problems with this one guys, not ever done this before, even purchased Steinberg Clean - version five to record from vinyl to PC and can i work it out can i sod........ Can anyone give me a little help here????? otherwise it's gonna be an old fashioned c90 tape from me i'm affraid, there must be an easy way to do this...help! I've enjoyed all the CD's so far and really want to contribute. regards - Mark Bicknell.