Russ Vickers

Such sad news, looking back, one way or another Bobby Womack has been the sound track to my life...your legacy will live forever & we will remember you in our hearts & on our dance floors for all time...you truly were WOMAGIC !!!....RIP Russ

RIP Sue, deepest sympathies to Jon....so, so sad... Best Russ

Brilliant news indeed, fantastic DJ & all round good egg, love him to bits, thanks for the update DT & please pass my regards to Martin when you speak. Best Russ

I had this of Neil Bull years ago, I was always lead to beleive that it was quite a bit rarerthan the regular issue ?. Russ

Thier sales list was ike a small booklet & there was a scan of the disc, I'm not at home right now, so cant check if I still have it, but some one on here here may still have it ?. Russ

It was a long time ago Brian & it was a sales list, so no idea what it went for & to who I'm afraid. Best Russ

Remember Carl & Gary selling the LMRMS/TMIL acetate through the sales list...always, always kick myself for not buying that......... Russ

Corey Glover was a monster at the Uptown Down South All Nighters at Newbury & arguable was played out first there, swiftly followed by Bretby/Albrighton...it was played from the CD as a new release & would take the roof off the sucka..it was one of OUR anthems & a record I will never forget, as it defined what we were about, great new releases like that, alongside more traditional Rare Soul newies & pretty much anything else you could think of including intelligent re activations....we were a proper Rare/Northern Soul Club in the true tradition. best Russ

I am writing this purely as a buyer of Soul Records. I have never sold on ebay & ebay is only one of the ways that I buy my vinyl. I collect 6ts thru to new releases, but generally speaking I'm buying 6ts & 7ts originals. I generally cannot afford the prices that the top end rareities/trophy type oldies are going for, I'm not even sure I would buy them even if I had the money, because for that kinda wedge I can buy virtually a record collection of cheaper, but hopefully under the radar things. If you are looking for known records, you will either pay through the nose for the top end/top condition copies or be swamped with the amount of re issues/boots/carvers what ever ya wanna call them at the lower end, whilst trying to find the affordable copy of a classic, its just not worth the effort on ebay, particularly ebay UK. I find loads of affordable records on ebay US, in fact for less than £100 inc postage, this week so far I have bought 3 records that are belters !!!...a group harmony, mid tempo dancer in the classic kinda mold, a brillaiant late 7ts, early 8ts Modern Soul dancer, by a known artist on a known label, that has been totally over looked by nearly everyone, not saying its unknown, cos I reckon there will be those that know it, but have under rated it...its gonna be huge & will definitly IMO become a classic, big statement I know, but it really is a killer, t'other is a total unknown 6ts dancer, on a custom press with next to no information on the label at all, google has kicked up nothing, altho I havnt researched it massively, I'm pretty confident that it is virtually, if not totally unknown, sounds Detroit too & I'm sure will raise a few eye brows with the dancers n strokers. condition of the 3, varies from Mint - to VG+, but all are good players. I am the type of collector that is looking for the next record that will be filling dance floors some where, not the big traditional venues, but the side rooms & smaller venues....my stuff may miss the mark with some folk & will end up on my shelves, but with others BOOM !!!....I dont collect labels, I dont collect artists, I dont collect just known oldies or rarities...I buy/collect what I like & what I like to play to my friends & on the odd occasion when I DJ. This is what keeps me looking, diggin n buyin & when I go to venues dancin too...is this not what it was & should be about, too many folk chasing the same records these days for the wrong reasons IMHO. The point I'm making is this, I reckon I'm an average kinda buyer & I'm deffo still finding good affordable records on ebay on a very regular basis....thing is, its like it has always been, you wanna hit, ya gotta dig, dig, dig n dig some more...they do not fall into your lap, you have to hopefully have an ear & then you gotta put the time in, there's no instant finds, you've gotta work for em...if ya dont wanna work for em, & if you dont have the wedge to pay inflated prices, then you wont find owt.. best Russ

Was covered up for a wee while - think as the Holidays ?, was being played by several DJ's including Dave Thorley. Not mega rare, but still difficult to find without being impossible. I would guess at about £200 - £250 for a reasonable condition copy, altho I stand to be corrected. And agree, brilliant record. Best Russ

Wigan Casino was a venue, I am & was into the music, so it was just a matter of travelling to which ever Nighter was on at the time, have always attended all the big nighters of every era & many of the small ones too...my happy place is the 100 Club though, altho many of the current Nighters I enjoy too - Lifeline, Rugby, Radcliffe, Soul - Funktion etc, etc... Russ

So its about rarity is it, silly old me thought it was about the quality....

Its a great record, but that finishing price is a little extreme IMO, I was bidding on this until it went over $150, ironically there was another brilliant almost unknown funker on the list that went for relative pea nuts.... Russ

It represents the era, what else would anyone expect ?...a few suprises on disc 2 & look forward to seeing how they areused in the film. Is there a deffo release date for the film yet ?. Russ

Sounds great - but at the risk of being maligned, isnt this just 'Tailor Made' for the Northern Soul by numbers brigade....no disrespect to anyone intended particularly Spyder, but it had to be said.... Best Russ

I need a copy of this, if you have one for sale pse let me know. Best Russ

I wasnt a personal friend, but had been on speaking terms with Fran for many years, a true soul lady & Ambassador for the scene, such a shock, when she was in the room you knew you were amongst the right people...her family & friends should be very proud of her & know how much respect she had within our community.... RIP Fran & deep condolences to family & friends. Best Russ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhy75GV6ZAo

The last hour at the 100 Club is unique, dont think it was ever intentional on Adey's part, as I cant see him being that organised lol, but its become a very special part of the night, especially to the regulars & hard core who dont do 'half a nighter'...it sends you home uplifted & with a smile on ya face, not wanting it to end & knowing you have been to probably the best Nighter of its kind in the world... Russ

Dont like it, never have..was always puzzled as to why others thought so much of it.... Russ

I respect your opinion & everyone elses, unfortunately in this particular case you are wrong, but you refuse to admit it..I'm a dancer & I want to hear the original not a fake...& yea, I've attended one or two venues now & again :-)...give it up my friend, your flogging a dead horse.. Best Russ

I hate that what was quite an interesting thread has been turned into another OVO debate, but I'm afraid you can harangue folk as much as you like, but no self respecting DJ should play the 2nd issue...travel to a venue, where you know one of the DJ's on the night has the original, request it & knock your self out....people can shout n debate these things until the cows come home, but it will never make it right... Russ

Edit:

Thanks for your reply Martin - I dont have the Frank Dell I'm afriad, but very happy to give you a very fair price for the Beres Hammond if you would be happy to let it go....let me know mate, can pay immediatlely. Hope you are well buddy. Best Russ

The promoter should ensure the kit is fit for purpose & the sound engineer is on hand to tweek as required through out the night. Needles should be appropriate to the genre of music being played at the event, new if rerquired, with spare sets on hand. I am not a DJ. I am a collector who occasionally gets to share my music, I do not have a clue how to set the kit up (thats why when I promote, I pay a man who can). I can cue up, put 2 records together reasonably well without playing the slip mat, I can use a mic & I can use the gain to get the best sound from a lo fi record when required. I do not carry my own needles, as I would be concerned as to how this would effect balance etc, I can imagine that if all NS DJ's carried thier own needles, 2 or 3 DJ's in the set up would be all over the place.....I expect to turn up with everything ready to go & do my thing on good kit, that has been set up correctly, with new, good quality needles.....anything less than that then I would have concerns about playing..... think thats about the bottom line..... I dont think anyone would argue with this... 'It is about providing a great sounding night, after all people are paying to attend (in most instances) and you do want them to come back! It seems obvious that pushing technical standards of presentation up would be seen as a good thing'. I Best Russ