Russ Vickers

I know I'm in Iraq...

I do...& you dont have to do anything that you dont want to, but dont judge if you havnt experienced the records in their natural environment... Best Russ

Just trying to be honest, I love y'all, dont wanna fight, just wanna get a little voice heard....

Just because a record is played on the NS Scene it doesn't make it a NS record. When it becomes excepted on the scene makes it a NS record. The Northern Soul scene isnt a bunch of cynical has beens re living thier youth after a 20 year or so break on some sort of twisted nostalgia trip, where he who shouts loudest & longest is right. What went soooo wrong, that this twisted version has become the norm for many & the few who have truly kept to the original ethos become ridiculed & sneered upon. You f*ckers can say what you like, but I'm still part of an underground, vibrant & exciting dance scene, where new & lesser played records still ram dance floors & make going out all night worth while, when on the way home the chords of some new sound are still ringing around your head & your desperate to know what it was... The sooner the term NORTHERN SOUL is dropped the better, cos what some of you are into, is about as far away as you can get from what it was all about for me n many others, who continue to try to keep it real in the face of over whelming odds....Here's just one example of a DJ/collector who is smashing the place up....listen & weep you boring old has beens, why not actually get out, get off ya tits & dance, instead of judging something you no longer understand from behind a key board..... https://www.mixcloud.com/misterfish/the-rare-soul-all-night-session-summer-2014/

I thought that was what the NS Scene was about TBH...seeking out, dancing & listening to undiscovered vintage & contemporary Soulful dance music, that was what I have been doing in the 7ts, 8ts, 9ts & 00's...unfortunately a lot of others think that listening to the same records every weekend for 40 years is KTF....what a joke, i got into this sh*t, cos it was cool, fresh & exciting, we'll never be cool again, but as for the rest of it, thats what I want from my Rare Soul Nighters & Nights. In answer to an earlier post infering that just because we enjoy the scene as it was, i.e progressive...that we dont like oldies, what a load of old twerk !!!...a good record is a good record, just dont want to listen to the same records week in week out....I wanna be enthused by inspired DJ's who know how to rock a dance floor with forbidden fruit, the obscure beautiful soul n funky records that everyone else didnt wanna know, until they were rescued by the Rare Soul scene & become hits on our dancefloors & in our hearts..... sound familar to anyone ?... Matt your a f*ckin' legend....keep on doin what ya doin pal... Best Russ

Cheers mate... Russ

WANTED - Little Al & the Maxidynes - Lonely Days of My Life - Shell Please PM with price & condition. Best Russ

Sanatogen ! Russ

Its not the clothes that make it cool, its the demeanor & the attitude.... Russ

You need to change your medication mate. Best Russ

I dont have an issue with Blue or Brown Eyed Soul, but surely it should be at least soulful, for it to be of interest on a soul forum, not just on a British label & rare ?. Best Russ

Now that is orrible...oh dear, why would you want this when the 'best' version by Willis Wooten is still relatively available ???. What is all the fuss about ?. Russ

I also played it Covered Up as Rocky Roberts, I cant remember, but I may have had Saus's copy ?....bloody sold it like a tw*t !. Russ

Hey Steve, hope you are well. What you are saying may well be true & above board mate, but it is my understanding, that IF the carvers from this collection are counterfeit, even if you have bought them in good faith, by selling them on again, even unknowingly, you may still be liable ?. I don't think it is worth risking your business & or reputation, over a misunderstanding on a discs authenticity, even though as I you say, you may have bought in good faith. Best Russ

Like both versions in different ways, but Spyders is a bit spesh innit... Russ

United Sounds has to be one of the finest records discovered in the last few years, absolutely amazing record in every way...when I hear this its the old stampede to the dance floor, if I aint there already...i do not have enough words to say how much I love this record....sorry Terry lol Best Russ

I'm not sure Benji, but the Patti Austin (actually Ad Libs), was with Shifty for some time, now with Butch I believe, but I know Carl & Shifty used to do the odd deal so maybe its a cut ?. Best Russ

Thats brilliant mate, thanks for the info much appreciated. Best Russ

Yes, think so mate, but what I'm interested in is, are both copies studio acetates or are they cut from tapes - are they both the same version or are they different takes ?. Look forward to any info. Thanks Russ

Tis a brilliant LP, wasn't the track above known from an un credited acetate & played out for a while ?, might getting mixed up with something else tho ? Best Russ

Mother, mother There's too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today - Ya Father, father We don't need to escalate You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today Picket lines and picket signs Don't punish me with brutality Talk to me, so you can see Oh, what's going on What's going on Ya, what's going on Ah, what's going on In the mean time Right on, baby Right on Right on Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply because our hair is long Oh, you know we've got to find a way To bring some understanding here today Oh Picket lines and picket signs Don't punish me with brutality Talk to me So you can see What's going on Ya, what's going on Tell me what's going on I'll tell you what's going on - Uh Right on baby Right on baby

No he just bootlegged it.....(?) Russ

Clyde Brown ?...thought we were discussing Clyde Wilson Mark... Best Russ

When it was first played it was considered a very rare record, the Soul Pot copy was the first to be played, I heard it at Soul Essence & was lucky to pick up one of those very elusive first copies, I remember playing it at the 100 Club, probably early 9ts & quite a few coming to have a look, was of course a big record for me at the Uptown Down South Soul Nights & Nighters. I think it was Shifty who found the first Eastern copy, which at the time caused a bit of a stir. As previously stated its only more recently that they have become more readily available. Not sure how many copies have turned up, but if it has given the record more exposure then that's a good thing. Best Russ

Bang on Garry. Petty Officer RN Rtd Russ