Russ Vickers

Anything played at a Northern Soul Allnighter that the dancers popularise is Northern Soul. Everything has its place if it has the X factor, including the better end of Funk edged soul.... Russ

Anyone ?

The best post yet... Russ

Sorry. Russ

Hey Dave - I didnt realise some of the things I liked were classed as funk either. I first became aware of this when living in the states & when I DJ'd there would usually be funk DJ's on the same rosta.....I just didnt get it, as much as I tried, however, occasionally a punter or DJ would comment on a record I had played as being funky ?. Im not that keen on funk records that were being played darn south during the NS heyday....the type of funk I like is either 6ts gritty funk or early 7ts funk, altho there are others Im keen on that fit neither time frame...over syncopated a la James Brown esque type things just dont do it for me. Im not sure if you listened to Dave n Jordi at the weekend on Soul People, but the second hour contained some crackers...also Steve Clancy's first Mixcloud podcast has some nice funky sounds in the mix too, Im sure you would appreciate some or all of these for thier soul content & dancability. Im lovin the Young Ideas, Mary Mundy, Zodiacs, Georgia Soul Twisters, Mary Love, Ron Surrey, Charlene & the Soul Serenaders & many others.....Im sure some would think these are obvious, but unknown to many....oldies Eric Lomax is the bollox & funkeee as you like, anyone for 7th Wonder - Captain Of My Ship....contentious at the time & fits in well today too....Sag War Fare, Damn Sam, Hopkins Bros, & then we have the funky gospel stuff, a lot of which I love too, If your god is dead try mine...brilliant...& anyone with a copy of the Singing Toronadoes get in touch now, Id sell a kidney.... Thank you for keep looking for the tickets Dave I really appreciate it mate. Best Russ

They're the ones I like too... Russ

And we all know that some absolute killer records have been put into soul packs that went on to become MONSTERS & classics years later.....doesnt mean they were no good at the time, just not right for the time.....& under appreciated, I didnt get Funk for years & Im no expert now, but one day the penny just dropped & the good stuff works for me now. Russ

Tastes change, what was not in vogue then might be in vogue now or in ten years time, its always been the way, but at the end of the day its all only just opinions really, theres a nice little vibe goin on with these things at the moment & I really like some of it, its fresh n exciting, well to me anyway....its like everything, there are good n bad & its how the DJ's present it & in waht order !!! Russ

You couldnt have a Rare Weekender down South hun, odd ones travel, but not enough to make it worth while Im afraid. best Russ

We will have to agree to disagree then Joan, cos there are some very good funky edged stuff out there including tracks championed by Paul Sadot originally amongst others. best Russ

Thats a pretty broad section of music that has been dismissed in one foul swoop. Its like all the genres that the NS scene has cherry picked from over the decades, there is good, bad & indifferent....if a good DJ is mixing the best Funky Edged tracks in well with other things of the same or similar quality, with a few classy oldies in the mix it'll work, play entire sets of it, out of context, then it wont, as with RnB, Latin, Modern etc....good DJ's mixing up the best of the best....& tbh theres always been funky things played on the NS Scene since the beggining, its just that we now have to pidgeon hole everything. Russ

They want it on thier doorstep & to be spoon fed otherwise they wont go. Russ

Mary Mundy - Open Up Your Heart / Electric Ghetto - Insurance City M- Con preferred, but any playable, clean condition considered. PM me with price & condition pse. Best Russ

I hope you get a better response than on the couple of occasions I tried it, all they were interested in was DJing, when I said, no DJ's from them just guests started a right sh*t storm, its all about personal promotion, as opposed to promoting the music & the event.....good luck my friend, I think I will be speaking for Rich too when I say count Deep South into the equation mate.... Best Russ

Not wanting to be rude, but the promotors you have just mentioned are about the only ones who bother....maybe its the others that you wanna target for communication, you wont get any tho, they all think there above it all & just dont care really, not all, but a lot.....even if any of em are reading this, which I very much doubt most wouldnt respond. Best Russ

I cant believe we all continue to debate a subject, that actually doesnt & shoudnt need discussion...it just is....your either right or wrong, could you imagine having this discussion 15 years ago, it would have been a relative non starter....doesnt that tell us all something.......the debate for not playing from original format of release...generally comes from folk who dont understsnd, dont care or have a vested interest. Russ

I cant understand why rare soul is being talked about as a genre, not only that but almost used as an insult, wasnt the scene referred to as a rare soul scene even before the term NS was coined, many genres come under the banner of RARE SOUL including traditional NS....its just that some people prefer this term, because it disasscotiates them from what they consider to be the naff side of the NS scene.....Im gob smacked by peoples ignorance sometimes, its almost unbeleivable at times.... Best Russ

Im well happy to be blinkered with my love of soul music from across the decades & genres, I have personally championed a broader appreciation of Rare Soul (rare in that rare thing within the grooves, as opposed to monetary value alone), I have attended, danced, appreciated, collected, promoted & DJ'd across genres for years & on multiple format, my criteria being that I would only play from original format of release. Am I wrong in my ethics & tastes ?. I would add, that if I was prepared to compromise I may have had a far more lucrative time on this scene....as it is Im still just a semi known oldie lol Best Russ

Soul Source - A Rare & Northern Soul online affair...... Russ

When I lived in VA I was really excited to attend a Shag Dance....it was awfull....one of the DJ;s there was selling up, so went round there to check the collection out, again awful nothing at all that the NS collector would be interested in. Russ

Try Lew Stanley, he got the dead stock. Russ

I know Dave & I know your only messin with me, but I cant leave it alone mate, if we leave it they have won & that cant happen, some of us have to speak out, even if its an ongoing debate that becomes boring, we cant just ignore it & let things become 'normal' we have to try to keep the original ethos alive for the next generation of Rare Soul events other wise its doomed mate, hope you are well buddy. Russ

Yes, yes, yes....I know it will, we've done it before & we will do it again....when its imploded, the scene will re invent itseld & get back to the basics of what it is really about..... Russ