Russ Vickers

I have a Solid Gold 12 of this, that is credited to someone else, cant remember name now, but is deffo Eddie Billups, there are three other tracks, again cant check titles as I'm not home. I have never seen the 12 before & have mentioned it on here before & had no info. Anyway, there are deffo 2 different mixes, possibly 3..One is m ore 'Northern', one is more crossovery & one has bubbles. Best Russ

'I Tried' swung it, cant believe I have known this record all these years yet never knew that was the flip, had a few chances previously, but always passed it over.........'I Tried' is a bit special tho' methinks & deserves some hammer !. Best Russ

See you at the next 100 Club all being well mate. Will be celebrating my half century & the fact that I managed to suvive this long, despite my best efforts & the soul scene !!!. Best Russ Best Russ

I'm hoping to make a last minuit last dash, is there any dance aswell ???. Best Russ

No mate, deffo out of VA, cant remember until I check my notes, but Danville rings a bell, deffo West Virginia. Hope you are well & that Hitsville exceeded expectations yet again. Best my friend Russ

Your right Joel, loads of fine stuff from the area. I found Ida Sands when I lived in VA Beach, also Barbara Stant, at the time BS refused to meet me as she was very active in the church 7 didnt recognise her secular career, since she has performed her old material live again. I also met Joe Webster from the Anglo's who was a terrific guy & was also part of the Soul Duo on Shiptown. Shiptown was a fantastic label with some awesome output, one of my faves being Ida Sands - You Came along to Rescue Me - Shiptown, also released on Chief out of NY but the NY release is a different mix, Shiptown is a tougher mix. The Ida Sands & Barbara Stant stuff is well documented, but there are other releases worthy of note, for example the Grooms, How Big Records was a subsiduary of Shiptown & also has some great stuff, Wilson Williams Honey Rock is a side I have championed for some years & I think it sounds great for now with that fierce funkish driving beat......... The Parliaments - Rainy Day was out of VA too, the list goes on, I think the area is vastly underated & I reckon there is a wealth of stuff yet to be discovered properly....... there's a starter for ya Joel........ Russ

It was out of Portsmouth VA mate, about 20 mins from where I used to live. Best Russ

As I work away from home & only get back every few months for a few weeks, I will generally play my latest purchases of which there is usually a fair old pile by the time I get home. But there is always a pile of records by the Technics that I play through out the day, by the end of the week I'll get another pile out.......if I'm lucky enough to be DJing some where at the weekend, I'll spend the week playing through potential plays to get a feel for em. Best Russ

Regents - Watcha/I tried etc - Mad Please PM with price & cond. No offers pse. Best Russ

Proppa Northern Soul, didnt realise Earl Gaines was on lead on this......remember Saus having this covered up years ago.....love the Carolinas stuff, always have & there still seems to be stuff out there too.......c'mon Jason get diggin harder . Thanks for posting Joel awesome stuff.......... Anyone wanna sell me this, especially as I didnt know 'I Tried' until now & its kin fab.... Best Russ

When I get home in a fortnight, if you havnt had any luck by then I'll double check to make sure I havnt got a spare hidden away mate....... Later buddy Best Russ

Charlene & The Soul Serenaders - Can You Win - Volt/Paradox PM with price & condition. No 'offers' pse just price you want. Best Russ

Feb 1997 - First Togetherness allnighter at the Kings Hall, Stoke opens, attracting more than 1500 people, deliberatly clashing with Winsford, who incidently also had full house. Russ

No matter how promoters/punters choose to describe the music they play at venues, that shall we say, play something with a difference, before long that phrase has been hijacked & bastardized then used as almost a slur by those with closed minds........you use 'Northern Soul' or 'Motown' & youre scared of what you'll get through the door, Rare (whilst having been used for decades, even before the term NS) Soul & now it seems 'Upfront' are being used as insults..... 'we dont want like that Rare sh*t'. I think that I come across in the wrong way sometimes on SS. Its usually to defend the playing of different sounds other than the norm & usually in response to inflamatory misguided comments made by others with a closed mind. I am passionate about my soul music, those that know me realise this & read my comments within context of that, those that dont know me, may some times think who is that wanker, but I can put up with that cos i WILL NEVER STOP PROMOTING THE ETHOS OF THE ORIGINAL SCENE...............NEW TUNES !!!. I also find that 'attitude' is found more with some of the oldies only crowd (not all) & the so called attitude & elitistism from the 'Upfront' crowd is generally in response to this. Best Russ

Absolutely spot on......has got to be one of the key components that kept the scene fuelled with fresh exciting records on a WEEKLY basis for many years. Nice one Derek Best Russ

Again, the hairs on the back of my neck went up watching the 'teaser' & the interview is brilliant.....if anyone can do 'this thing of ours' justice in the format of a movie it is Elaine....I cant wait to see the finished movie & I look forward to it immensely........now can I get VIP tickets to the premier !!! Keep at it Elaine & team Best Russ

I have collected most personally, but there was the 3 years I was in the US & now in Iraq, so rather difficult, but would have done if I was in the country. Best Russ

The Barbara Stant is one of the best Soul records ever to be laid to vinyl.......about 5 years ago I had quite a few copies, liberated from a Richmond record store, alas all gone, in fact I gave a copy to Bearsy 18 months ago........good luck Bri Best Russ

Great thread BTW Mike. Russ

Cheers Chalky...... Best Russ

1968 the move to the Whitworth Street premises of the Twisted Wheel Club & the beginning of the Rare Soul Scene as we know it. In conjunction with the events in the above post, this was to become known as Northern Soul. The start of the Golden Torch Allnighters, Stoke. The Highland Room, Blackpool Mecca with Levine & Curtis Wigan Casino AllNighters commence Sept 23 1973. 'This England' documentary shown on Granada TV (date anyone, remember it dividing the scene at the time). 1981 the closure of WC & the commencement of the real sound of the soul underground, when people power kept the scene alive through out the 8ts & early 9ts & the SOUL was put back into Northern, only for us to have our beloved scene hijacked once again in the mid 9ts.........& reclaimed & rebranded by those that had deserted it & along with them the reassurgence of greedy promoters begin to squeeze the scene for every pound note. 1981 First 100 Club Allnighter 1984 First Stafford Allnighter (?) Keb playing (was it) Girl across the street (or maybe it was Darrel Banks) 3 times in a row & then asking if you'd had a f*ckin enough.....& going on with Guy & others to prove beyond reproach that not all the good 6ts sounds had been discovered, turned the scene on its head & revitalised the NS sound with '6ts Newies'. First NS Weekender (date anyone ?) Thers a few to be getting on with....... Russ

Be careful Rach, you'll be collecting records before you know it, then you'll really be in the sh*t......... Russ

Of course many are on the 100 Club CD Rach..... Best Russ

The list is on Dave Rimmers SKM site Rach.....a fantastic collection of 45's & a true legacy to the 6ts Nighters at the 100 Club, documenting the way the music has developed over the years, a proper soul club that is constantly evolving, just like they should do. Are there demos or test presses of the Anniversary 45's ?. Russ

Didnt Randy Cozens refuse entry to Paul Weller at one of the early 6ts soul nights cos they were full , seem to recall summat like that..... Russ