Len

The first time I went to The 100 Club after years of being put off by people saying "It's cr*p, they play all that rare sh*t down there" Shifty took me after I'd spent the day round his, in awe of his and Steve Chadwick's records (who was also D.Jing that night) I could not believe how good the music was for me and the fact every f*cker was up for it, making 'the wave happen' rather than waiting to be entertained. I was 'dancing on the ceiling' for the whole night....as we were walking back to the car Shifty simply said - "Told ya" with a huge smile on his face. That was the night Sean Adams welcomed me 'into the fold' by picking me up on the dance floor and giving me a huge sweaty kiss! - Twas a great 'moment' lol One of many great moments... All the best, Len.

"Ooo, yeh, yeh, yeh, De dum, dum, du, dum ,dum, yeh, yeh, yeh, I'm soooo haaaappy, so really happy, that ma woman loves me..etc" (Prince Philip Mitchel) - If it wasn't in ya head then, it is now!!! Have a good weekend folks. All the best, Len

Back to Russ's original question - Roger Banks - Under rated by some people, he can do some very soulful sets so his R'n'B can be forgiven! Bob Hinsley - Popular with everyone All the best, Len.

Russ, pull us back if you feel this thread is going a bit 'off topic' - Ref, "a D.J that gets me up to dance" which was mentioned earlier, got me thinking of one of my earliest memories of a soul night and something at the time I thought was rather special but goes the complete opposite way - It was in the 80's and I was at a soul night where this bloke was D.Jing, he had an empty dance floor for his whole set but wasn't fazed by it whatsoever. I remember actually being intrigued rather than annoyed, the man in question was Steve Smith from Gloucester and one of the records he played that really stuck out was 'Bud Harper - Wherever You Were'. The next D.J came on and of course packed the floor to something obvious for that time. I'm sure this type of thing happened a lot back then. I remember at Cliff Steels 'Detroit Academicals' nights, there would sometimes just be a crowd standing round the decks watching the record going round - Don't ask me why, but I liked it! I suppose that was the era where loads of new stuff was being broken, so it was quite normal for the floor to empty every so often. All the best, Len.

I plan to pop along to 'Grumpy Soul' sometime purely because of the name. I like miserable looking D.J's, also if I'm growled at by the people on the door as I walk in it's a bonus as then I know it's a proper soul event - Even to this day, I still feel privileged that I'm allowed in! All the best, Len.

Maybe, you've just hit the nail on the head there. Sometimes when I'm at a nighter there comes a point when I feel it would be nice to hear something a bit more obvious along with all the top tunes our 'elders' play - 'Progressive oldies' if you like. So hears the question - Do we want to have a couple of 'supporting cast' D.J's on in between to play the records that our 'elders' don't get time to play? I think we may be divided here, some are saying they only want to hear the top D.J's playing their rare sounds (Obviously along with whatever they reactivate) but I think some would also enjoy hearing a few tunes that don't get played much anymore. I know that's not bringing anything 'new to the table' but it will bring - "Ch*st, I haven't heard that for years, brilliant!". All the best, Len.

As long as the above are your views based on your experiences Bearsy and not just 'Cut 'n' Paste' comments that's fine mate. It's just that some of these type of things are 'Urban Myths', like Mr D.J who turns up one minute before his spot and has the car running ready 5 minutes before the end of his spot....Has anyone actually seen this man? Apparently he D.J's everywhere - I've never seen him! Also maybe you misinterpret someone D.Jing with a serious face as not enjoying themselves - They are most probably really passionate and are just concentrating on doing a good job, no one would D.J if they didn't enjoy it surely. I wouldn't want the scene to change dramatically, we need our 'old masters' - the years of experience they have cannot be replaced with new comers, yes chuck a couple 'in the mix' every so often but don't over dilute it for god's sake All the best, Len.

I think the best way forward is for us to stop analysing it too much and just 'do it', before time really does 'pass us by'.....Ahem, says I - Mr 'Analysis Paralysis' ...Yup, I'm just as guilty as the next person but it's because we care so much isn't it?.... .....But whilst we are analysing - Ref having more guest D.J's on - It must be a very hard decision for a promoter of any big event to give a relatively inexperienced D.J the responsibility of doing a spot because if they didn't quite 'hit the mark' it could really damage the events future - That will be the bit of the night that people will focus on even though everyone will know that the poor D.J in question probably won't be asked back again for that particular event. I know Ady Croasdell has given lots of relatively inexperienced D.J's spots down at The 100 Club over the years and that has worked really well. As he says himself, it has given an added dimension to each night. I think his experience in itself makes for good choices, but I also think as The 100 Club is a smaller venue than the big nighters, there is most probably a slighter less risk, if that makes sense. ....There's now the added problem of even more fragmented music tastes than ever before, so how the heck you can please half the people, let alone all the people, I do not know! ..."You say Tomangoes, I say tomatoes, tomangoes, tomatoes, tomangoes, tomatoes, let's call the whole thing off" All the best, Len.

At last - Andy Rix....Come on, some one mention Ady Croasdell for gods sake! lol - we don't see these two 'out 'n' about' often enough. What Chalky mentioned earlier ref the masses now wanting mainly 60's uptempo at nighters is correct. It is now very different to what people wanted in the 90's - I'm forever playing tapes from that era and saying "Christ, you just don't hear this out anymore" - I personaly like it as it was then, but that's me (I may be on my own here, maybe not?) Remember Winsford 'Teddy Randazzo - You Don't Need A Heart' at 4.00am? - To me, still a nighter sound! All the best, Len.

I wish my customers understood that! - Sorry, completely 'of topic' This has been a 'read and a half' though! Len.

I say to anyone who does fancy themselves as a D.J - Be careful what you wish for - I did 'crumble' a couple of times to be polite and gave a couple of people D.J spots because they just wouldn't shut up about it and when they got up there to D.J they were shaking like a leaf, no exaggeration - It ain't that easy and you also have to be able to take a lot of criticism. All the best, Len.

Just realised, you're on about the booking near Peterborough. Well this goes back to what I've recently said, that lots on here say it's down to DJ's to turn down bookings if they don't think they would fit at an event. I strongly believe this situation should never occur as the promoter should know what they are doing and only book D.J's that fit at their event. I know nothing about this particular event Russ and presumed the promoters have booked me for 'what I do' and that they are confident my stuff will work at their event - That's how it should be. Now you've enlightened me, maybe they've made a mistake, I know the person that booked me used to be a regular at The Embankment Club and likes my stuff so I've presumed the event reflects this....Oh dear, this will make for an interesting evening... All the best, Len.

I recon it's time for 'The Decks Factor'...I recon it's got legs...now where did I put Simon Cowells number?... Len.

Which do is that mate? ...So many bookings, I just can't think! lol Seriously, my diary is at work - Write it on here very small so no one else can see it Len.

Locally known as 'Len's 'Din' Steve, gis a D.J spot! lol All the best, Len.

Hi Russ, I'm presuming you mean 'Soul @ The Bowl' in Rushden? - Don't believe everything you read mate, I know the people running it used to play a few pressings but they now do play original vinyl but don't make an issue of it. On that note personally, I know what I play and that's all that matters to me - I hate it when people harp on and on about it, I bet if a pressing was played before someone like Carl Fortnum, he wouldn't give a flying f*ck about it as he has nothing to prove. Why did I agree to D.J? - It's for the same reason I am involved in any local event, it's so I have some influence musically because quite frankly, if there was no influence from me there wouldn't be much reason for me to go out locally, so it's for selfish reasons. You're correct about the main room, it is 'out and out' oldies but they have separated the kind of stuff we also like to hear into a second room ('Len's Den') It works really well as 200 people turn out mainly for the oldies room but most pop into 'Len's Den' at some point so the event as a whole isn't just 'out and out' oldies. Back 'on topic' - I'm all for 'New blood' if they have something new to offer, Butch for instance could do a different set every night for the next ten years if he needed to, so maybe the original question is about having new personalities behind the decks and that's not really what it's about is it? It's about the music. All the best, Len.

My promoting days are a long time ago now (Thank god!) but for The Embankment nights I only ever booked D.J's that I alone rated, the last thing on my mind was reciprocal spots and it was damn right embarrassing for me whenever anyone asked for a spot especially if it was a mate - Head on the block or what? Maybe (as someone stated earlier) it is 'old school' but I don't think it is right to ask for a spot. I know some may not understand this as they believe in - 'if you don't ask, you don't get' - But I believe in - 'If it happens, it happens' - It shouldn't be a huge issue as long as someone's playing the tunes you like....I just think asking for a spot is bizarre as to be asked means the person who has kindly offered you a spot respects you. ...If you really have something different, fresh and exciting to offer then that's another story of course...ask yourself that... All the best, Len.

Yes, it is a great tune that also stirs my earliest memories. I often thought it funny that some of us who have come onto the soul scene from different generations often have the same tunes as early memories - As you said, you the Casino days, me 15 years later. This particular record often revisits my play box and every time I play it out, it still takes me by surprise at how good it is when 'blasted' over the decks....Have to admit, it often refills my empty dance floor too! All the best, Len.

I can absolutely relate to all that - It's just amazing how powerful this music is. Nice one Len.

I think loads of us had these 'legendary' tapes as don't forget this was before 'it was easy' and tapes or 'playing records down the phone' to a mate was 'normal' Some of these tapes would have spread across country just through friends sharing them and yes your right, they definitely influenced a lot of us. I know some people have binned their tapes; I would never do that as to this day, I'm still 'discovering' new sounds. I also love the 'LIVE' tapes that people used to record from a huge Ghetto Blaster hidden in a sports bag so they wouldn't get caught - Of course, the sound quality is rough as hell, but I find them 'romantic' All the best, Len.

lol, even now I hear stuff at nighters I've had on tape for years. I know the tune so well but not a fackin' clue what's it called! lol - Is this wrong? I recon it's part of the fun - 'tis for me anyhow. Ref Jeanie Tracey, yes I'm afraid it is 'silly' money now. Not a clue (again) on how rare it is but I think it's one of those tunes, that if you have it you ain't gonna part with it. I think Cliff Steel paid £20.00 for it years ago, I ended up paying £600.00 and don't mind admitting it was off John Manship's auction...I just kept going as a) I wanted the record and b) I didn't want to lose the auction! lol (I don't often win anything you see) This was only a few years ago, so even in a recession, some records still go up in value. Keep listening to those tapes mate - The only reason I bought my latest car was because it had a cassette player - True. All the best, Len.

Ok, I'll rephrase.....If your life depended on it and you had to pick just one record from your collection that 'as if by magic' would save your life - What would it be?....Martyn, you have until Tuesday to find one or it will be too late..... All the best, Len

Great record, I'm sure I've heard it played out but not for years. I would think it would have been The 100 Club but you're right, it's not played out much at all. All the best, Len.

PERFECTION! Len.

What's your 'Jewel In The Crown?' That special record... If you had to pick just one record from your collection as your pride and joy, what would it be and why? I'm not talking about the most expensive or the rarest, just the one that means the most to you. Mine is 'Jeanie Tracy - Making New Friends' simply because of the 'chase' I had to get it and the times it reminds me of. I had it on tape for years and thoroughly enjoyed listening to it travelling to nighters etc, not knowing what it was called. It took me 20 years to finally get a copy, mind you it does help the search if you find out what a record is actually called lol - That's what record collecting is all about! You may have bought a particular record off the artist or maybe a record means something very personal to you, I'm sure there are some great 'links' you have to your 'Jewel In The Crown' All the best, Len.