Len

Now there's a tune....I thought I had the only copy! Thoroughly enjoyed playing that round my record room to Gospol Bob, Gary Holyman etc trying to convince them it 'had legs'! All the best, Len

I don't think anyone is persecuting anyone who comes out to enjoy themselves no matter how much or how little they know. It's the D.J's that get persecuted by the arrogant ones that don't actually listen - They are a different breed to normal people that just come out for a good time and they are so blo*dy vocal it can spread like propaganda. All the best, Len

If this is a serious question - How it ‘did’ work for me anyway, was this - I started a Club because no event near me was playing the stuff I also wanted to hear. The music policy was set by me, but I never actually ‘named’ it as it would be developed by the D.J’s I used. I only ever used D.J’s that I alone rated and that includes any ‘Big Name’ D.J’s which I of course would also use as the ‘Eye Candy’ from a promotional perspective. The promoter may be seen as ‘The Boss’ by some, but it takes everyone in the hall to make a good ‘do’ The promoter just brings everything together and is usually the one person that doesn’t actually enjoy himself! J I hope that answers your question. All the best, Len P.s - I say 'If this is a serious question' because I find it hard to believe you don't know a D.J or a Promoter.....Everyone's one or the other or both!

1) I now hate the term ‘Handbaggers’ because it’s patronising, these are people who go out to enjoy themselves, so include them and don’t write them all off. I have more respect for them than some ‘pretenders’ 2) ‘Read the floor’ — I call it ‘working the floor’ — Impossible to explain, it takes years to understand and reading the floor doesn’t mean putting the obvious on and ramming it that way. 3) We also have to be really careful; not to become contrived, I am well aware that soon there will be such a thing as ‘Overplayed, underplayed’ records…….Oh dear…… All the best, Len

'Like'

I've also run out of my quota of 'likes' today Jocko lol - We played this three times at 'Len's Den' - Looking forward to you 'havin' a go' there mate - Bring some 'Scotish aggression' with you please! All the best, Len

Once, I wrote on one of my ‘SILKS’ event flyers — “Empty Dance Floors Rule Ok” complete with a picture of a bloke doing a ‘thumbs up’ gesture sporting a cheeky smile, because at that time I’d given up. I thought that extremely funny in itself and (as predicted) it upset a few that didn’t get my ‘Irony’…….But (I’m gonna be all grown up now) I have to admit, in hindsight that was actually quite patronising which I honestly didn’t see at the time. All the best, Len P.s — Still think it’s funny though J

No, the general feeling is when they 'attack' these unknown tunes or the people trying to share them. It's the intollerance that I can't stand which usually comes with aggresion and rudeness - This is from my personal experiences. All the best, Len.

My last line on the following must have been for you - I feel I should say that we have made great progress in Northants, some of my biggest critics have now changed their attitude towards me and are now ‘listening’. In fact, some have gone completely the other way and are full of compliments, a bit like an ex-con that helps his victims! — It’s embarrassing sometimes, when they say stuff like “You educated us!”. All p*ssed up and ‘slurry’ (Still slightly aggressive, I have to say!J) but at least they mean well - I do wish they would stop ‘ruffling’ my hair though — I’m blo*dy 42 and a half! I know the whole thing is ridiculous (in a nice way) as compared to the ‘Top Jocks’, I’ll always be ‘The new guy’ not ‘The New Guy - ‘Hennigan’ but I suppose everyone like me, on a local level are doing exactly what people like Guy did in the 80’s, because breaking a brand new discovery is just the same as breaking stuff people don’t know, in fact maybe harder when they don’t ‘want’ you to be breaking new stuff. It’s all about trying to win them over and not patronise them, which I think we have done to some extent in Northants. All the best, Len

Here’s a positive story for ya (I think!) During the 90’s and even up to around 2007 ish, I know you’ll all agree that musically the scene was pretty healthy, people welcoming fresh sounds and during that time (especially the 90’s) there wasn’t many ‘returnee’s’ influencing things. After that in my opinion, things started to go downhill. Bringing you up to today, locally we have an event ‘Soul in The Bowl’ at Rushden where we recognised the ‘change in the market’ because that is exactly what it is, so basically we ‘gave them what they want’ and ‘segregated’ anything ‘different’ into the second room, which they kindly named ‘Len’s Den’ (Probably much to my critics irritation — Great!) Anyway, we finish ‘The Den’ at 12.30, then we all go and join the main room to do some ‘northern soul dancing’ for the last half hour, which is brill. But last time, three different people came up to me and said something I thought interesting, the best being “Len, we need you back in here, it’s too Cheesy even for us!”….I replied - “Be careful what you wish for” and carried on dancing my socks off to ‘Spring Rain’ with a huge smile on my face!...We get the best of both worlds don’t we? — Have to say these people had seen the funny side of the situation All the best, Len

I nearly actually did that once, was going to take a mop and bucket with me, step down from the stage after 'clearing' the floor, 'clear' the floor with the mop and say on the mike "Now that's what I call clearing the floor!".....Nina put a stop to it because she feared I may be stoned to death....she had a point.... Len

Wasn't allowed! lol - Back then 'HOUSE FOR SALE' was part of my '3 BEFORE 8' (along side The Bottle and The O'Jays - I Love The Music) At least everyone went home smiling rather than growling! lol Len

Yes, the '9.30 Water Shed' I call that - I always used to start a fresh D.J on that very time as I knew his first record would 'Trigger' the dance floor into action - It worked a treat everytime! lol All the best, Len

Some would wonder why we do it, as apart from the flack when D.Jing you can also get it elsewhere. I suppose if you really believe in what you do (Which I do) it's all worth while even if you only 'connect' with a small minority. All we are doing is trying to share the joy we get from our records and I can't understand how these 'types' don't see that - I suppose it's 'yet again' a matter of people attacking anything they don't understand, which someone else pointed out on 'another' thread a while back - So true that. All the best, Len.

That kind of set should work in a lot of places (Nothing wrong with it) 'In general' the scene has gone backwards 20 years due to 'The blind leading the blind' so sometimes you really don't know what to expect (Not aimed at this particular event as you explained that you have the upmost respect for the said promoters) In answer to your question, no I don't think you need to fade out a record half way through mate - D.Jing is a 'funny' ol' business ain't it? All the best, Len

....I'd love to, but I'm too scared! - Just the other week I was on the receiving end of the most aggressive outburst to date, I thought I'd had em all. What made it so unnerving was the fact, to me my set was working really well, floor busy, floor thinned but 'working' it nicely so it was so unexpected especially when I tell you what record was playing when this bloke shouted "Why don't you f*ckin' play something they like?" ......'The Dynamics - I Need Your Love'....I think I must just have 'one of those faces' god knows, but it didn't half shake me. Later he lectured me, he’d been to Wigan etc, etc, I didn’t want to let on that he’d got to me so I heartily agreed with his ‘wisdom’ and to round it off nicely, he said “Don’t worry ‘son’ you got potential!” — Much to all my mates’ amusement! Later of course it sank in - How f*ckin rude!?!!! and ignorant, all the hard work that goes into a set - Why do we bother? springs to mind sometimes... All the best, Len.

Unfortunatelly less and less people about now who think like that, or there's 'more and more' people about who don't - Hence second rooms at venues....."Yeh, put all that 'rare sh*t out of the way"...A really well thought out statement that one All the best, Len

I'm the same, all except the Latin. I went through a stage where I couldn't listen to enough of it, but just one or two through a whole night does me now. I couldn't listen to it all night. All the best, Len

I suppose there are others but I would say 'Use It Before You Lose It' is a 'really' Latin record that has been played throughout the years (Post Stafford) Not sure if I'd descibeThe Majestics or David and Ruben as Latin though. 'Mongo Santamaria - We Got Latin Soul' is played, but it's not as well known on the whole. All the best, Len

I love this, it's so 'haunting', it could be used in a film like Pulp Fiction. It's one of two Latin records I actually kept, the other is Joe Bataan (Gypsy Woman) The other side of this is a version of Len Barry's 123 (Is on mine anyway) Sorry, I couldn't find a clip for that. Good choice. All the best, Len

I hope this record isn't too 'off topic' but these sounds have reminded me of 'a time' - I used to love 'hitting the boards' to this b*stard! .....and what a 'groovy' video!... Yep, also sold it! lol Len https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT8tsDclHzU

'kin brilliant record!....God this site is soooooo depressing sometimes.....I also used to have this. Wish I realised at that time, that records come back round to the front of ones mind aventually. ...and another....I also bl*ody sold! Len

That's not so bad then, that record really is an acquired taste mind, so probably wouldn't go for silly money although I believe it is quite rare. All the best, Len.

No it hasn't been mentioned yet.....we all thought that far to obvious - Only joking mate! lol - Ignore me, I'm just trying to be cool! ...... ...Seriously though, 'Use It Before You Lose It' must be the 'one' latin record that has been played on the Soul Scene and 'stuck' if that makes sense. I still love it and like the fact we only hear it out every so often. All the best, Len

Yes! - Some one else has heard of this record! lol - I paid £20.00 for it in 1988, which to me was an absolute fortune, I thought the record was 'quirky' and was great to play on the mod scene back then, that is when loads of Latin was being played and I believe also at The 100 Club, which is where the 'Burst of Latin' must have 'filtered down' from....I sold it in the mid 90's probably for something like £40.00...... .....Go on, lay it on me - How much did it sell for on John Manship's Auction?.... All the best, Len.