Russ Vickers

The list of 'outside of the Box' NS Classics is endless, many of which have legendary status on the scene, which at the time were heralded as sacriledge by some, Carstairs being the obvious i spose, but there are hundreds of them. Records that have the X - factor that gives them NS appeal, can be from any decade & genre of black music (sometimes). I wonder sometimes if folk have the misconception that i am saying or advocating that other genres of soul music shoul be played to the exclusion of more traditional NS sounds & that is not what i am saying at all, just that the best of everything has a place if it has that certain something that gives it that special ingredient that we all recognize when we hear it, but cant quite explain or put your finger on.............my ideal night would be a balance of underplayed/forgotten quality oldies (6ts & 7ts even 8ts), big rareities that you seldom hear, current new 6ts/7ts/8ts NS discoveries, this i see as being 60%ish.............then 40% Modern, Soulful Funk, Soulful Disco, Soulful House with other contemporary soul music thrown into the mix if it was appropriate, together with new releases, again if they were appropriate. Proffessional clever DJ's can mix these sounds into a set coherently. Without going into the different production techniques from the 8ts to present day, at most the big venues of the past, it was played all together & i would say WC was one of the main advocates of this at the time, so why the problem now ????. I am not asking anyone to like stuff that they really dont, just to imagine an odd thing mixed in with everything else, i dont like every record played at every nighter i attend, i just have a chat or go for a fag if something comes on i dont like to dance to, i actually dont think the 'all on one dance floor' scenario is that far away from the scene we knew from the so called Golden Era. ATB Russ

Yes & so long as the quality & the X factor is there lets hear em in the same set in the same room............. Russ

WD are much, much harder than the issues, but hard to sell at the higher price........i sold my WD about 4 years ago for about £300 & it was a struggle. Best Russ

Just listened to BC again & maybe i have been a bit harsh..........i think it could take on a whole other identitiy @ 4am through a huge sound system. Still prefer RM tho. Russ

Ditto, really dont know what all the fuss is about with BC good collectors record at best & without commiting some kinda sacriledge, JT again nice record, but why the fuss. However i would be the first to say variety is the spice of life & each to thier own. Russ

Wade Russ

Hi Alfie Willie Kendrick - What's That On Your Finger - RCA - Willie Kendrick version is very good IMHO however Kenny Carter is amazing.........100 Club moster sound, now an oldie down there & has been for some years, but never ever fails to touch my heart & move my feet. Best Russ

Was a Shifty c/up from the 100 Club............dont think from Butch & wasnt covered as the Distants either..............i'll remember soon & get back to you, great record non the less...........good luck. Russ

You wanna hear tunes as good & better i suggest you get your asses to the 100 Club & help support a venue that plays absolute quality tunes like this month in month out & has done for the last 30 years. You wanna be the first to hear em, be there............there are masses of quality tunes that never see the light of day outside Oxford Street, you gotta be there or miss out. And Phil, with the greatest respect, i dont think these sounds are badly managed, they're exclusive ish, to Ady & the 100 Club, if people wanna hear these things, then they need to get down the hallowed steps & be a part of the legend. I used to be every month, however work, family & an addictive personality mean i am not as supportive as i would like recently, but its deffo where its at for sure. Russ

Dont know about the BEST DANCER or Best DJ, but altho i love dancing & wasnt too bad at shakin' a mean hoof in me prime, its about the music & i would opt for the best SOUL COLLECTION. Russ

There are allegedley different released mixes of some Shrine numbers, Shirley Edwards is deffo one........cant remember t'others right now, but David Flynne has the info i beleive. Russ

Take that bird away & speed up the bloke a bit & he wouldnt be a bad dancer.......... . Russ

Great record, Jimi Hendrix first recording too, collected on several scenes too........good luck. Russ

Gareth, as usual you are the voice of reason & put the debate into the correct perspective, i am in total agreement personally, that great NS sets include imaginative oldies aswell as any new discoveries & as you quite rightly point out have done for many years............something i have always been very aware of is why certain records worked/work at certain venues at a certain time & you have managed to put this into the correct context with the use of the Carla Thomas example, the 100 Club, probably being the only club in the present day that generates its own oldies. This thread could run & run & I am happy for the content to become broader & include other venues from the Golden Era, Cleethorpes, Mecca, Wheel, Torch, Ritz, Yate, Cats etc. Russ

Yes, thank you. Now i really would very much appreciate everyone getting back to the point of the thread. Russ

Exactomundo. Russ

Thanks everyone. Russ

I have just read this again & I'm absolutely astounded how you have twisted the truth, you manipulative little weasel. I await your apology. Russ

Misrepresented !!!............What on earth are you talking about...........& i have not direspected anybody & at no point has anyone except you mentioned Modern Soul in either thread, i think you realise your gaff & now attempt a smoke screen, i tried desperately not to hijack the previous thread & be negative about the venue, my only comment was to point out that WC was not predominantly an 'Oldies' venue as you had suggested. I asked you to start a seperate thread, so as not to take away from the thread we posted on initially, when you didnt, i did & i repeat this is not about Modern Soul what so ever as you well know, nice try though..........what a joke. Now lets hear your opinion on recent NS discoveries, which is what after all we are talking about in this thread & as you know what was being talked about previously.................& stop your passive aggressive bulls*it too & talk some SOUL. End of PETE, now you can choose to drag on your tired joke of a misconception or you can take part in a sensible debate about the merits of recent NS discoveries & whether they would have cut it at Wigan Casino.

I would genuinely be very interested if any of the 'oldies' only fans have any exceptions & what more recent discoveries they dance to & enjoy, if any at all........ Best Russ

I respect your opinion Kev & thank you for the input, i spose what this is really about is certain parts of the scenes absolute intollerance to any record that wasnt played at WC or one of the other golden era venues, i just wanted to draw attention to the many, many fine NS records that have been discovered & become popoular on the scene in more recent times. Russ

Jean Carter would rip apart any dance floor from any venue in any decade, past or present............& further more i would defy anyone to try to put forward any kinda debate to the contrary................ Russ

Quite some years ago now, Chriis Clark & Frank Wilson were mixed together to make a duet as was Jackie Wilson & Erma Franklin. Russ

Was played at the 100 Club too, late 8ts early 9ts.........great record. Russ