Markw

GROUP HUG!!!????

Spot on Sean!! What a cracking tune and one of my all time favourites. Used to plug it myself and always had people coming up to see what it was.

Taken me a while to summon it up to post something on here. Not all of you know me as I haven't been active on the scene for some time. But Nige was a true close friend and our friendship was deep - we looked out for each other. I can't believe he's gone. The sheer volume of tributes and the kind words on here say it all. He brightened the place up with his enthusiasm and optimism, not to mention those effing shirts!!! But behind that cheeky smile, the wise cracks, the appalling one-liners and dirty chat-up lines, there was a very wise, caring man - a loyal friend. And then, for good measure, he had a cracking ear for a tune! I'm so gonna miss him. You can enjoy the football now with the little fella. He's looking after you now Buddy. See you. Love - MARK

Del Counts - With Another Guy

Smokey Robinson played St Davids Hall, Cardiff in October 1992. Got back stage to meet him. A real gentleman, meeting and greeting a queue of about 30 people, signing his book, chatting. Totally awesome to be shaking hands with and standing in front of a true musical legend and one of the biggest singer-songwriters of all time. Wow!!

Hi Lucy - thanks for the kind words (as well as those from Messrs Bicknell and Page!! Thanks guys - miss ya). Remember you well Lucy and your appearance on Whistle Test - LOL!! Fellow called Mark Readman got me into it. No idea what he's up to now or whether he's alive. Anyone know?

TWO HUNDRED POUNDS!!!! WHAT????!!! When did this become a money item? Wish I'd kept that £1 Soul Bowl copy.

Went to see Mr Shaw yesterday. He's bearing up well under the circumstances and is totally touched at the messages of support, the phone calls and the cards he's had. To summarise his own words, it's made him realise just how many good friends he has out there and how lucky he is to be given another chance. He'll be having a heart bypass op next week sometime and they'll be transferring him from Weston up to Bristol Royal Infirmary. Until then, the hospital have given him permission for occasional day leave, so when I go and see him next weekend, I'm going to get the bugger out in the fresh air and, no, I won't let him anywhere near a fag (the smoking variety that is)!!!Anybody wants to call him, the patientline number is 07006464400 Ext40408. Thanks to all who've supported this very dear friend.

Not everyone's cuppa but reminds me of my first tastes of Northern..........Kiki Dee "Magic Carpet Ride".

Their version of Heartbreak Hotel is Elvis meets Northern! Picked this up cheap some years back on a UK Pye demo in a Bristol record shop.

Some on here will remember Paul Fisher from South Wales, a lovely bloke and so knowledgable about the music. His funeral was rammed with lots of us standing outside the chapel. Those that knew Paul will recall he was Brenda Holloway's biggest fan. His coffin came in to "Starting the Hurt All Over Again". The service was punctuated by "When I'm Gone". However, change of singer to end the service - Paul's all time favourite 45, Johnnie Mae Matthews, "I Have No Choice". Sad tune for a sad day.

Can't help with this morning's tunes as I was sleeping off a hangover. But I love listening to Brian Matthews on saturday mornings and he always plays a fair bit of Northern, Motown and good old club soul. Great stuff.

I've got a CD of Butch at the 100 Club a few years back. He finishes the set with Eddy Hughes "Soul Searcher", though covered up at the time as George Lemons. I'm convinced he's speeded it up slightly to give it a little more oomph.

Nice one Ken! Used to pick up loads of UK bits in there, Motown red & whites/green & whites, Sue, US stuff too sometimes, piccy sleeves, EPs......all sorts. Camden Market was good then as well.

Didn't get thrown out as such but..............Anyone remember Rock On in Camden Town behind the tube station? Early 80s. It was run by some Irish guy with a beard and glasses. They had boxes anally sub-divided into things like "Deep Soul", "MOtown", "Stax/Atlantic"......get the picture? Well, this guy could either be nice and helpful or be a complete ball-breaker. Anyhows, went in there one day, asked to look at all the soul boxes, got interrogated as to exactly what it was I wanted, told him I'd know it when I saw it, to which he replied......."you better not be looking for all that Northern dance shit"!! How's that for customer service?

Quadrophenia a pastiche?!!! Great movie, great story, great acting, well observed (except for the hairy scooterist extras in the Brighton scenes!), brilliantly directed and produced, fantastic music, crafted by Pete Townsend over many years, captured 2 generations..............I could go on. Pastiche?? You don't know what you're on about.

Another Day and others on Mir-A-Don............nice!

Pretty much any of that early r&b dreck...............was doing the Vic Reeves stuff years ago.

When I used to do the Chesham Elgiva Hall nights, a girlie kept asking for 60s pop tunes. She came and asked for the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, "Fire". So the I introduced the next record " I am the god of hellfire and I bring you Fireman, Vala Regan"..........................I'll get me coat

Gloria was on TV news a year or 2 ago with her and Marc Bolan's son, Rolan. Apparently, Marc's affairs were not in order when he was killed in the accident and neither Gloria nor Rolan have had a penny from his estate. She's been pursuing legal avenues so that her son at least can get some of Marc's royalties.

Alan, I guess you'd know people from down here like Pete Wilson, Rob Anthony, Wazzy, Mike Wilks?

It was on Whistle Test c1986. The guy looked like a berk, sounded like a berk and contributed jackshit to the debate.

That was Blue Rondo. Both Mark Riley and Tony Gordon were in them. Just Googled the band and they came up on some mp3 download site (none of their tracks available though). I'd forgotten that Tony Gordon performed under the stage name Moses Mount Bassie! Also forgot they did a cover of I Spy For The FBI which I'm sure I saw them do on telly, the Tube I think. Anyroad, you can find Tony Gordon's comments about the Northern scene in the back of Russ Winstanley and Dave Nowell's Soul Survivors book about the Casino.