first of all best thread on here on ages. Got to say that a great deal of the debate seems to be about expectations, there are the majority now who attend ns event to not only hear traditional northern soul all night, but also expect to here a really quite rigid selection of top 100 NS tunes. For these anything outside that expectation is a disappointment. There are others who are ready to except music outside that definition so long as its dancable and has a poppy, up, sound, look at examples like; tribute to betty, that shiting other tribute record!!!! urgh! and even the aforementioned vocal of double barrell. For anyone who's a little jaded of hearing the salvadors, again and, like me, is non to keen on the commercial sounding flavour of the month, what's a DJ going to play that would provide any interest whatsoever?
I went to an event in stoke a couple of months, it was in a bar full of 25- 35 year old non soul scensters, LOL. I heard a local dj play an hour of classic northern oldies to an empty dancefloor, with not so much as a foot being tapped, Johnny Beggs stepped into the fore, whipping up a latin storm and well, all the girls got up and danced to 'use it before' ....' pow wow' , 'Willie Rossario' ect, he moved into R and B, hard soul and funk later, keeping them on the floor and where the girls are the lads follow. It could of just been timing but I don't think so, I just cant imagine Classic northern generating the level of interest Johnny's uncomprimising mix of styles did. I love Northern, it generates a passion in me that no other music can match and more importantly it was a gateway into a miriad of styles that I also adore. but Like paul if think the best nights are now 'off the scene' where others have that shared expectation of hearing exciting fresh tunes whatever there genre.