Davenpete

Period, style, pace?

Blue Cricle club in Dunstable - one of Mr Buck's and a last minute replacement for Queen's Hall (or whatever it was called) - absolutely tiny and it had been raining a lot outside, so the ample scattering of pre-existing 'talc' (which turned out to actually be Blue Circle product) on the very loose old pre-fab dancefloor rapidly turned into cement when the dripping soulies tried to dance on it... My how we laughed etc. Everyone, including Jon gave the venue up for lost about 4.00am as I remember. Dx

Nowadays I reckon Romance Watson is too fast for most of us. Dx

When you look at the old pics of the Wheel from the late 60s whether they are mods, skinheads or suedeheads is very much in the eye of the beholder - I think there's not much distinction between suedes and mods anyway (after all what's the difference between a mod with a crop and a skinhead or a mod with a mod haircut of the turn of the 70s and a suede), especially when you remember there was reggae being played as well (though not obviously in the same amounts as r'n'b and soul) at these venues. I know Pete considered himself a mod at the time though. Dx

You wanna play something that empties the floor totally just to let them know who's boss. Dx

Pete's all time favourite: And one of mine:

One of Patrick Adams' best: And of course not to mention (it is exactly what it says on the label): As well as: And the faultless genius of:

As I said... Anyone who doesn't think something like Weekend by Phreek is pure brilliance is dead from the neck up The likes of Ottawan, Tina Charles etc have about as much to do with proper disco as those appalling British pop versions you tried to foist on an innocent and unsuspecting world have to do with soul Pete - now THEY were an appalling waste of vinyl. Dx

Thing is it's more a case of 'are you grown up enough to recognise that 90% of the danceable modern soul played northern events is 100% disco - though often somewhat atypical'... Good old northern inverted snobbery drawing lines in the sand that don't exist. Anyone who doesn't think something like Weekend by Phreek is pure brilliance is dead from the neck up. Dx

Actually however they were shipped here, I know for a fact that the two market stalls I used to frequent that sold cutouts (Banbury and Hull) received their vinyl with no sleeves and strung (using bailing twine as it happens) using the cutout holes. The 'total crap' was more in reference to the Beatles thing, though I would say that ballast is ballast (by definition gravel - hence the name) and filling up an EMPTY HOLD on a return run with marketable goods is filling up an empty hold on a return run with marketable goods. Dx

There's an extension to this myth that claimed the reason the Beatles covered Arthur Adams etc in their early sets was because they used to pick the records up that had been washed up on the fore shore of the Mersey at low tide after they'd been dumped from the ships being loaded in the docks. Total crap of course, why use vinyl that's relatively light weight when you can use gravel that's cheaper, heavier and settles nicely? One thing that is definitely true is the fact that the small holes in US 45s are actually caused by the larval stage of the Vinyl Weevil - once confined to the hot Southern States of the US (they also attack pillow cases) they are a spreading problem due to global warming and are very hard to get rid of once you get an infestation. I'd be happy to sell anyone concerned about the damage they can cause to their collection some of the very expensive specialist moth/beetle crystals to put in their boxes - obviously with the reduction of the use of vinyl, these are very hard to get hold of, indeed the only brand still available is Gullible's Patent Beetle Crushers. Dx PS Remember the story about the Seven Dwarfs as in 'Stop Girl' actually being the Rolling Stones? (I guess Mick Jagger was Grumpy, Keith Richards probably Sleepy). The best one of all though (young Mr Sway will remember this one) was that the musicians inside the Banana Splits were Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. The one about Patrice Holloway being the lead singer of Josie and the Pussycats is true BTW - once asked Brenda.

Home Is Where The Heart Is - the ultimate soul together record back in the early 80s, also very 'up' and of the same period Catch Me by the Pockets (now that's a PROPER record), Eddie Holman 'Where Have You Been All My Life'. On a more 'northern' line Catch You On The Rebound - Brenton Wood (a big fav of Les Cokell's)... And the Parliaments Don't Be Sore At Me - if for no other reason than the lyric 'my mouth wrote a cheque that my heart couldn't cash'. Dx

Knocks spots off To The Bitter End (always preferred it by Night Train anyway). Dx PS TtheBE was Wigan.

Perhaps someone could come up with a new matrix stamp for original 60s vinyl so that when the records are pressed we know it's definitely original Dave

I'm sorry but we've had this box set for 20 years (I know coz we bought in Berkley on our first holiday when me and Pete first got together in 1992 - and we're hardly the only people to have it back then), and RS was raving about it on the phone to us well over 10 years ago - so I think the 'it's a great song that I discovered' is a major BS, you need to deflate your ego a bit there chap. Dave

Sad news indeed - he was a lovely chap, as well of course as being a production genius. P&D

The way you do the things you do is great - had a demo, wish I hadn't given it away. Dx

Lovery Dovey is the side to play on the Bunny Sigler

I'll get shot down but Chris Clark. This version just pole-axed me when I first heard it, love "Can I See You In The Morning" too DW/Spinners 'I don't need another love' got every imaginable mix of that - fabulous. I'm editing this like mad - forgot about TT's version of All I Do. Dx PS Margie Joseph is right up there IMO (but not for One more Chance) - basically we make a rule of buying every MJ album we come across

Do people REALLY want to collect that stuff??? Do they take it seriously or are they taking the piss? Sounds like an off centre Les Mcann single played at 33 1/3 rpm. Dx

Defo pre - the excitement of tape swapping and tracking sounds down that interested you, going through cheap boxes with a sound burger and finding something you loved but had never heard of - it's all out there now and it's just a question of trudging about on you tube etc. Of course youth had something to do with the starry eyed excitement (amongst other things). Dx

Petrol lighter fluid is what designers have always used for degreasing artwork/illustrations etc. Unlike TCE/Genclene (which is illegal now anyway) it doesn't affect the vinyl and is the best degreaser/gum glue solvent there is, also because of its low viscosity it gets right in the grooves - always used it on my vinyl and never had any issues (just splash it on them wipe into the grooves with kitchen towel - give it a second or two them wipe out with a clean piece of paper - may take a couple of goes), it's also the best thing there is for removing gum labels and any glue residue without damaging the paper surface or ink (unless you really scrub at it - which is unnecessary anyway). Dx

"You said he was your cousin, but I found out that he wasn't" - Robert Parker, coz it's so dodgy "My mouth wrote a cheque that my heart couldn't cash" - The Parliaments, coz it's brilliant "Your eyes don't look the same, as they did yesterday, I can't help from wondering if this will be the day you just walk away" - agreed with BigSoulMan - simply the greatest soul record ever recorded Dx

In response to the original question: 1. You'll simply end up playing the records that the most annoying hasslers pester you for - that usually means chart Motown 2. What's the point of booking other DJs for an event if they all simply play what's requested so you lose any unique personal style or character in their spot 3. I want to be surprised and excited to hear new and different stuff (sadly rare though that is) 4. To me DJing is about evangelising NOT ego (at least it is for me - hence what we were at back in the day at Carlisle) - it's about saying 'you liked that one - NOW LISTEN TO THIS - similar vein but different and better' 5. The dancefloor or rather danceability should still be the driving force at a nighter - slower stuff ain't right IMO (though I think 1000mph stuff is usually cretinous pop - I personally like what I consider very fast mid-tempo - I'd place That Driving Beat, which I love to dance to, in this category - mid-ish tempo in feel even though it's fast in pace) Dx

Doug effing Banks - just total and utter shite. Pete would say pretty much all of Shrine apart from Caledonia Brown, I'd just say mostly the really rare ones. Agree 100% on Otis Redding - 90% of it is just cartoon soul made for white middle class hippies to feel right on about being into.